Hiking: The Super List

Hiking up and down mountains, through meadows, forests, slowly, quickly, hours to days means moving the body, quieting the mind, grounding the ego and filling lungs with freshly photosynthesized oxygen. To be surrounded by an endless mountain landscape or a dense, rich forest inspires awe, expands perspective, and nurtures my connection and understanding of place & ecosystem communities. The most awesome places I've ever experienced have been accessed by foot. 

For my memory, and as a reference for others, this is a lifetime hiking log that lists nearly every hike I've done.

Washington

Alpine Lakes Wilderness (Island, Rainbow, Talapus, Ollalie Lakes) - I-90 Exit 45
(2013) - 10 mi roundtrip - 2000 ft elevation gain
I don't think I've ever passed so many lakes in a hike. You can stop at any of them as a destination and you can beat the crowds at the higher alpine lakes. We camped for a night near Island Lake.

Alta Mountain, via Rachel Lake - I-90 exit 62

(2015) - 12 miles roundtrip 

What started as a hike to Lilla Lake ended in a much more awesome destination: a spectacular view from the top of Alta mountain! This is the best mountain-view-day hike in the alpine lakes region. Plus if you're not satisfied with Rachel Lake on the way up at ~4 miles, you can also go for Lilla or Rampart Lakes all from the same trailhead.

Beckler Peak - Skykomish, Hwy 2

(2016) - 8 miles roundtrip - 2200 ft

Day hike perfection. Reasonable drive from seattle, steady and doable incline, delightful lush forest, and a 360 view of Mt Baker and cascade mountains all around. 

Bandera Mountain - I-90
(2014) - 8 miles roundtrip - 3400 ft
A forested hike with a beautiful view payoff at the end! A great place to catch fall colors of blueberry bushes and deciduous trees

Boulder Butte, via Juanita Lake - North Cascades near Twisp

(2015) - 20 miles roundtrip - 3000 ft

From the Juanita Lake trailhead we hiked a very gradual 9 mile ascent to Juanita Lake to set up camp. A short mile hike takes you to Boulder Butte with an awesome 360 view of the North Cascades! Next time Id love to continue the trip down to Stehekin (9 miles downhill and seen from the Butte!).

Calawah River - Northern Olympic Peninsula

No trails, just exploring the river & backpacking.

Coal Creek Trail/Park - Bellevue
(2008) - 6 mi roundtrip (Coal Creek pkwy to Red Town)
A large park in the city that transports you into serene nature. The trails are beautiful and well-maintained - I wouldn't expect less in Bellevue! From decades ago you'll see the remnants of a brick manufacturer that tossed its waste down into this canyon; some bricks are incorporated into the path. If you spend time by the creek you might also find some coal.

Devil's Gulch - Wenatchee
(2010) - 9.0 mi roundtrip - Not much elevation change
We did this as a pleasant, chill backpacking trip in a 9 mile loop in the late spring when snow still lined cascade mountain tops. The path is shared by the uncommon dirt bicyclist and features some nice wildflowers and views of the Wenatchee forest service area.

Domke Lake - Lake Chelan, from Lucerne
(2010) - 7.0 mi roundtrip - 1100 ft elevation gain
Beautiful walk through the woods with serene campsites awaiting you by the lake. We made it a backpacking one-nighter!

Elwha River Trail - Olympic National Park (North side)
(2013) - 9.6 mi roundtrip (to Lillian River) - 700 ft elevation gain
Backpacking along this trail is leisurely with little elevation gain and the Elwha rolling beside you. This trail is great for day hikes and if you're ambitious you could walk across the entire Olympic National Park through connecting trails.

Photo Credit: Galen Herz (check out his other gorgeous photos celebrating the outdoors here!)

Ebey's Landing - Whidbey Island

(2013) - 5.6 miles - 260 ft
You MUST do this when you visit Whidbey Island. A really accessible hike along a bluff with a gorgeous view of the Olympics to the West, the Puget Sound with passing ferry boats, and Cascades to the east on a clear day. When you get to the end of the bluff, the trail leads down to the water for a beach walk return to where you started.

The Enchantments Lakes Wilderness - Leavenworth

(2015) - 19 miles 

Most definitely enchanting. One of the highest concentrated centers of granite mountainous beauty I've ever seen. We did this as a backpacking trip (and most people do) but people regularly day hike from one side to the other. For being so popular, we were really surprised at how much scrambling up unmarked boulders there is. Get a limited permit day-of or in advance through the lottery (Pro-tip: permit season is mid-June to October).

Granite Mountain - I-90 exit 38
(2009)  - 8.6 mi round-trip - 3800ft elevation gain
Spectacular 360 view of the Cascades at the pinnacle fire lookout station. Much of the hike is spent above treeline in alpine meadows. This is one of my all time favorite hikes! About a 50 minute drive from Seattle, this is a challenging hike with an awesome reward.

Guemes Mountain - Guemes Island
(2011) - 2 mi roundtrip
A breathtaking view of the San Juans in just a mile. Guemes island is just about a stone's throw from Anacortes. I love this hike. If I'm at the top of Guemes Mountain it means I'm enjoying this delightful island with good people.

Hart Lake - Holden Village, North Cascades

(2007) - 6 mi roundtrip
A great day hike from Holden to a lake that's perfect for swimming or hanging out on the shore.

Hidden Lake - North Cascades
(2012) - 8 miles roundtrip - 3300 ft
An awesome overnight backpacking trip with a fire lookout perched in the North Cascades (you know it's a worthwhile view anytime a lookout is established). It'd be a strenuous day hike, and with backpacking weight it's a thigh-burner. The destination is for the view rather than the lake, which is an additional scramble down!

Hoh River Valley - Westside Olympic National Park

(2016) - 20 miles roundtrip to Olympus ranger station 

Internationally known as an enchanted land of giant trees, fields of fern, delightful creeks, and mattress-thick moss covering ground and trees. Fairly flat and with lots of water and camping accessibility for backpackers.

Holden Lake - Holden Village, North Cascades
(2009) - 10 mi roundtrip
Walking up through a gorgeous valley, forests, then arriving at a glacially fed lake. Bring a sandwich to enjoy at the lake or on trail.

Ingalls Creek - I-90, East Cascades
(2012) - 16 mi roundtrip (to Stuart Mountain Pass) - 1450 ft elevation gain
An awesome backpacking trip in spring to see blooming wildflowers and stay below snowline. The trail hugs Ingalls Creek for miles and then goes a bit above treeline with stunning views of Mount Stuart. For the bold adventurer who wants to make it to the lake it's an additional 3-4 miles with precarious scramblin' but the lake's beauty resembles the enchantments plus some resident mountain goats.

Lost Lake - Chuckanut Mountains
(2011) - 4.6 mi roundtrip (from trail head)
We walked from my doorstep in Happy Valley, Bellingham, along the interurban trail, through the forest to arrive at Lost Lake - altogether a 13 mile hike - with teriyaki at the end.

Lyman & Upper Lyman Lakes - Holden Village, North Cascades
(2010) - 14 mi roundtrip
For a long time I said this was the most beautiful place I'd been in my life - it's still in the top five. Incredible glacial lakes, delicate alpine meadows, meandering streams, whistling marmots. The Upper Lyman glacier is receding so go now.

Marmot Pass - Eastside Olympic National Park
(2014) - 11 miles roundtrip - 3489 ft
A perfect backpacking trip to experience all the quintessential beauty of the Olympics in one trail. Start in a beautiful old-growth rainforest, end with lovely views of the Olympics. It's about 5 miles to a nice campground then a mile further brings you above treeline for that vista time. Gotta get a pass from a national park ranger and be wary of those Olympic mountain goats.

Mount Constitution - Orcas Island
(2007) - 6.7 miles - 1500 ft
Get to the top of this super-scenic view of the San Juans when you're on Orcas Island. You can drive up, but effort makes the reward taste soo sweet.

Mount Si - I-90
(2013) - 8 miles - 3150 ft
A classic, popular hike near Northbend. Going in the middle of the week can save you from Disneyland-style crowds on the weekend. The view is lovely from the top.

North Fork of Quinalt River - South Olympic National Park
(2012) - 20 something miles
Miles spent walking through an enchanted, mossy rainforest surrounded by giant trees. It's an awesome backpacking trip with less popularity than the parallel Enchanted Valley trail to the east.

Olalla Canyon - Cashmere
(2010)
Exploring Forest Land and backpacking - especially beautiful in early spring when the hills are covered in blooming Balsamroot flowers!

Oyster Dome - Chuckanuts, Bellingham
(2012) - 6.5 mi roundtrip - 1900 ft elevation gain
A classic for those residing in Bellingham. This is a thigh-burner with an awesome view of the San Juans at the pinnacle. I'd recommend the long route down (I think the name is Max's Shortcut) to go easy on your knees and to make the hike a loop.

Pacific Crest Trail - WA Section
(2014) - ~500 miles - HYUUUGE Elevation change
Start at the Columbia River, Oregon border, end at the Canadian border, walking northbound across the Cascade mountains. This journey was over 500 miles, 30 days in August, and endless glory. Starting south gives you rolling hills to warm up on, then pass by delightful Mt. Adams with views of Hood and Helens, through the Goat Rocks wilderness, around Mt. Rainier, then everything north of I-90 is absolutely epic mountain landscapes through the North Cascades with dramatic elevation gain & loss every day.

Paradise Park - Mount Rainier
(2013) - Various trails
The wildflowers are in full display in August, amazing mountain peak scenery wherever you go!

Poo Poo Point - Issaquah

(2012) - 7.2 mi roundtrip - 1858 ft elevation gain
Feels like a long hike but the top rewards you with an epic view of Lake Sammamish, the suburbs on the eastside, and even Seattle. Paragliding hot spot on a sunny day.

Pratt Lake - I-90
(2015) - 11 miles - 2300 ft
Classic hike off of I-90 with a popular trailhead to show it (shares the same trailhead with Granite Mountain).

Thunder Knob - Diablo Lake, North Cascades
(2012) - 3.8 mi roundtrip - 635 ft elevation

We camped along Diablo Lake and this was a nice & easy day hike with a scenic view.

Rattlesnake Ledge - I-90 exit 32
(2009) - 4 mi roundtrip - 1160 elevation gain
Classic hike along I-90 and manageable for everyone - going on a sunny, weekend day will guarantee Disneyland size crowds. I've enjoyed this several times at sunrise and would highly recommend!

Snow Lake - I-90 (Alpental parking lot)
(2014) -  7.2 miles - 1800 ft
A pretty fantastic day hike to a beautiful mountain lake bordered by boulders and usually lined with snow.

Twin Falls - I-90
(2010) - 2.0 mi roundtrip - 500 ft elevation gain
A short, pleasant walk with a waterfall at the end. Be careful not to step on children running around.

[Hiking Adventures Abroad]

British Columbia, Canada

Tlingit First Nation, Nakina River Trail - Atlin

Backpacking trip, 60 miles roundtrip over 9 days - with Round River Conservation Studies study abroad program

Norway
Gjendeshiem
(2015) - Backpacking roundtrip over three nights
One week based out of Oslo with friends and after researching so many incredible adventure possibilities across this gorgeous country, Gjende was the best destination for what I sought: I took public transportation (NICE!) to the national park from downtown Oslo, from the main lodge I rode a boat to the far end of the lake, then walked eastward over the landscape (on the ridge area right side of the lake in the photo). Norway's DNT provides shelter & lodges in most/all national parks if desired but bringing my gear offered less money - more nature option. This photo looks down on Besseggen ridge. Grateful to have been here and would LOVE to return to this breathtaking landscape.

Sweden
Abisko National Park
(2015) - Day hike up a trail, down a chairlift
Located above the arctic circle and hugging the northwest border of Sweden, the closest town-city is called Kiruna. A scenic trail to the top where we wandered around alpine flora and enjoyed views of the lake below, Swedish mountains nearby, and Norwegian mountains to the west.

Torres del Paine (Patagonia), Chile

(2015) - Here's a link all about it within this very same blog

Thailand

Erawan Waterfall
(2013) - Walk past a staircase series of pools and waterfalls, and swim in every one. We found delightful feet-nibbling fish in several of the pools, or they found us. The national park is Northwest of Bangkok and definitely worth the visit if you're near.

Waterfall Hike, Pai
(2013) - Awesome walk to a waterfall through a lush bamboo rainforest - bamboo as wide as your thigh! The trail is Thai-Forest style; the veg in the trail slows you down just enough to enjoy the scenery. We rode motorbikes to the trailhead from the middle of town.

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***The mileage and elevation gain information primarily comes from Washington Trails Association

***The date noted is approximately the first time I hiked this trail

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Hiking Bucket List

• Copper Ridge, North Cascades, WA
• Seven Lakes Basin, Olympics, WA
• Alpine lakes in wa: https://www.theoutbound.com/articles/5-gorgeous-alpine-lakes-in-washington-that-aren-t-the-enchantments
• Appalachian Trail
• Pacific Crest Trail
• The Grand Canyon: Rim to rim and back
• Uran chirripo loop, Costa Rica
• Laugarvegurinn, Iceland
• Coast to coast walk, Ireland
• Sentiero Italia, Italy
• Rennstieg, Germany
• E4, Europe
• Via Alpina, Europe
• Hike the haute route, Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland
• Kilimamjaro, Tanzania
• Great Himalaya Trail, Nepal (1700 km)
• Druk Path Trek, Bhutan
• Te Araroa, New Zealand (3000 km)
• the Milford Track, New Zealand

How to Kombucha!

Hooray! You've adopted a Kombucha culture, a scoby, and are beginning a journey of enjoying fermented beverages - kombucha bliss for ever and ever. I've heard of scobies living on for 40+ years so if you treat this little mother right, she could be a lifelong friend.

Here's the basics of getting started. I highly recommend looking online, searching YouTube, and experimenting for yourself after you've done a couple batches! There are many right ways to brew kombucha.

*** Be sure to clean all supplies and hands with soap and water before handling and transporting scobies! Bad bacteria can spoil your kombucha and could cause illness.

1. Make tea. 

- Fill about a quart-size Pyrex cup (or other large, durable glassware) with boiling water.

- Add a couple organic tea bags or equivalent loose leaf (be sure to strain leaves out before brewing): use green, oolong, or black tea

- Add about 3/4 cup sugar per gallon 

- Let tea steep and sit until it reaches about room temperature (you don't want to burn your scoby, killing bacteria/fungi with hot water)

2. Combine tea with scoby and liquid Kombucha (starter culture from your last batch- you always need leftover Kombucha for your next batch!)

- Use a jar that's at least 1 quart in volume (I prefer a gallon, and sun tea jars are perfect in size plus pour off spout - you can usually find these and other great jars at goodwill)

- Put a paper towel or cheese cloth over your brewing jar to allow your kombucha to breathe (as bacteria and fungi eat sugars, they release gas! You want to prevent your jar from exploding and provide a barrier to dust/bad bacteria)

3. Brew!

- Set your jar in a dark-ish space where it won't be disturbed and the temperature is 75 - 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This space should also not be exposed to chemicals or smoke in the air.

- Leave it undisturbed for the brew time: 1-2 weeks! You can tell the kombucha is about ready by smelling the top and finding a light vinegar smell, or using a straw to carefully take a sip and see if you like it!

- If you let your kombucha brew for too long it will turn to vinegar (which can be used in cooking/salads), be sure to take care of your scoby if you take a brake from brewing! You can put it in a smaller jar in the fridge to slow fermentation way down. And feed it some sugar. :)

4. Bottle!

- Use clean, glass bottles with lids that can fasten tightly. Pop top style bottles work best!

- Put a spoonful (approx 2 Tblsp per liter to start) of sugar, jam, or syrup in the bottle. This gives your lingering culture something to ferment and produce effervescent gases!

- Carefully pour Kombucha in bottle with a small funnel, seal the lid, and swish to stir in your sugar-flavor 

- Store bottles at room temperature for about 4 days, then refrigerate and enjoy! 

 Troubleshooting 'exploding' kombucha:

Upon opening your bottle of kombucha, it's common for the entire beverage to dramatically shoot skyward and leave you with kombucha on your ceiling. This means that your microorganisms were very happily producing tons of gas in your pressurized bottle. To avoid the ceiling mess, be sure you always open a new bottle of kombucha when it's COLD because cold liquid dissolves more gas. You can also experiment with your bottling flavors & sugar quantities. Most of all, be careful when opening the bottle! If you see a rush of bubbles, you can quickly reseal the bottle and slowly leak the air out.

Here's a video for you if you're tired of words and want some basics on science, potential health benefits, and other things (I doubt this guy has made kombucha before, but he gives you the well-researched 3-minute low-down)

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPs8GcYcEgA 

Finally, enjoy your kombucha and share both the beverage, culture and instructions with friends! Every time you brew a batch you'll gain a new 'daughter' scoby that you can either leave in your batch (the scobies merge together quickly) or you can easily share with someone!

Ollantaytambo - Small Town in the Sacred Valley

For the past two weeks, Meghan and I have settled into life in Ollantaytambo, Peru, a small town of 2,000 inhabitants located midway between Cusco and Machu Pichu. I'll divide this post into three parts:

1. Awamaki's Social Enterprise

2. Homestay Life in Ollanta

3. Weaving Immersion Weekend 

Part One: Awamaki's Social Enterprise

We were introduced and brought to Ollanta by an organization called Awamaki. Awamaki is a local non-profit weaving cooperative that brings together the craft and skill of five communities near Ollanta to produce and sell textiles at fair trade prices. The weavers are exclusively women in order to empower women financially, allowing mothers the opportunity to rise in status and invest in their children's health and education. In a region where tourists find thousands of machine-made alpaca textiles for cheap prices, Awamaki provides a platform for the art of traditional weaving to succeed in a modern market, with prices reflecting true value.

The name originates in this region's oldest, pre-colonial language, Quechua: "Awa" means "textiles" and "Maki" means "by hand."

Over the course of 10 years the NGO has grown to include sustainable tourism opportunities such as tours of villages, homestays and classes on Spanish, cooking, and weaving immersion. An emphasis is made to equip communities to self-organize and manage; Awamaki teaches financial literacy and facilitated the creation of the homestay union, for example. Awamaki applies a social enterprise model meaning a majority of their earnings, 85%, is returned to participating communities and projects (15% pays a small group of staff, several of whom are from Ollanta). Awamaki has established itself as an effective bridge between culture and economy: facilitating and empowering communities in the sacred valley to rise to modern markets while maintaining cultural identity and sovereignty. 

It's been a pleasure to work alongside and absorb the information and passion of this organization. After volunteering in their store for just a short time, I know I've gained more from this experience than I've given.

As volunteers with Awamaki we had the opportunity to stay with a homestay family and take part in a weaving immersion weekend. Volunteers that stay for a longer period, like Meghan, get to also partake in cooking classes, an introduction course to culture in Ollantaytambo, and visits to local villages. 

Part Two: Homestay Life in Ollanta

Our homestay experience was fascinating, humorous, uncomfortable, and wonderful. We lived every day in the home of a family who's roots in Ollantaytambo are over 30 years old. Meet our host parents, Pancho and Balbina - they were teenagers when this portrait was painted.

During our first meal together Pancho instructed us that if anyone tried to harass us on the street to boldly exclaim, "Vivo con Pancho!" (I live with Pancho). You don't want to mess with Pancho.

Ofcourse, due to Ollanta's peaceful, small-town nature where the people are kind and everyone knows everything as soon as it happens, we were never able to put the vague, bold threat into action.

Pancho and Balbina generously catered to the vegetarian diets of their two Seattle guests. Our meals were economic and bland, always with a majority of rice, potatoes, or corn. The heavily starched diet in combination with new populations of gut bacteria caused dramatic bowel movement phases of stopping and going. As we ate we spoke in Spanish exclusively which allowed for the uncomfortable challenge of stumbling through the language, ultimately making us more proficient. As we grew familiar with our family's habits, we also came to know a television show known as COMBATE! 

Combate appears to have taken a generous sampling of American tv shows and slammed them together into a widely popular, totally epic Peruvian program that runs new shows nightly. We spent every evening dinner with epic sounds of Combate in the background; for this blog post I'll give you just a taste.

Start watching this video at 30.00 minutes - you only need a couple minutes to get the idea: http://youtu.be/fKOtTkYfK08

Combate features two teams, Rojo and Verde, each comprised of very handsome men and women wearing fitted spandex. About half of the show is racing the teams through obstacle courses. The other half includes red vs. green arguing over the outcome of the last challenge, romance between players, dance competitions, and a weekly rose ceremony. What you find is a combination of Iron Man, The Bachelor, So You Think You Can Dance, and Survivor. My host family fervently rooted for the red team because of their earnest conduct and "Los verdes son tramposos!" 

I'm not sure how to transition from Combate so let's move on.

Time moves slowly here. To walk across town takes all of 15 minutes. To access wifi is a task of identifying the cafes that supply it, due to a rise of tourism, and hoping that by the time you've finished a coffee you've successfully loaded the pages you need. Mornings begin between 6 to 6:30 am with the blaring sounds of pan flute and dance rhythms shared by the neighbors over a stereo system. Dinner is at seven and then it's lights out; we averaged around 10 hours of sleep per night. Meghan and I found it a difficult transition from the every day action we'd easily find in Cusco and even sleepy Puerto Natales. 

Although we were feeling a little stir crazy by the end of the first week, Ollanta's tranquil nature began to settled into us. We found our favorite cafe, befriended local dogs, and hiked to Incan ruins and farm terraces surrounding the town. Here are some miscellaneous phots from life in Ollanta: 

And here are a few photos from my solo trip to Machu Picchu:

Weaving Immersion Weekend

On the morning of January 31st a group of volunteers from Awamaki jumped in a large van and made our way through a valley up winding switchbacks. We arrived at 3,800 meters in altitude at a small community named Patacancha where we began our three day Weaving Immersion. The women wore bright red sweaters, handwoven shawls and skirts of all colors, ornate, inverted sombreros, and smiles on their faces. 

After being paired with a master weaving teacher, we selected colors for our first simple projects: bracelets. My teacher pounded giant nails into the ground with a boulder. With familiar hands she wove a figure eight of threads inbetween the nails, knowing from memory the order of colors to produce the pattern her student requested. She spoke Quechua exclusively and so we communicated through smiles and hand gestures. By the end of the weekend and 9 total hours of weaving, our efforts successfully produced three bracelets and an awkwardly sized dog collar.

Meghan and I shared a second Peruvian homestay together in Patacancha where our family included husband, wife, and three young children. Once again the primary language spoken was Quechua and as we ate meals we'd exclaim the basic, approving phrase "Que rico!" On our second night we discovered that the boy and girl, ages 10 and 8, were fluent in Spanish numbers. We spent the evening practicing multiplication tables with laughter and shelling beans with smiles.

On Sunday we embarked on a hike to see the land of Alpacas and reach highlands at 4,300 meters. Alpaca habitat begins at around 3,800 meters where they are most commonly reared. Through 10 miles of walking through mud, rain, vague footpaths, and much slipping and falling, we successfully found alpacas and enjoyed the unique, high-altitude mountain landscape home to the Andes.

Our travels and experiences in the sacred valley were fascinating and unexpected. I've never more tangibly felt my privilege in this world than when I lived with families whose annual incomes were comparable to the cost of my plane ticket. I learned about a model non-profit that successfully and sustainably aligned its actions with its mission statement. And among many other lessons, I also learned how intense altitude sickness feels in a remote village at nearly 4,000 meters. 

After traveling together for six fantastic weeks, I said goodbye to Meghan who had internship work in Ollantaytambo for two more months. My next and final destination: Colombia!