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Plant a hiker’s garden, p.26 See orcas, p.34 Stay hydrated, p.31 WASHINGTON TRAILS

March + April 2010 » A Publication of Washington Trails Association www.wta.org » $4.50

Reading the Rocks: Interpreting the Geologic Forces that Shape Washington’s Landscape

Take Steps Into Wilderness With WTA, p.12 Day Hikes and Cheap Sleeps, p.28 Hiker’s Primavera Pasta, p.35 » Table of Contents

March+April 2010 Volume 46, Issue 2 News + Views The Front Desk » Elizabeth Lunney An attempt at expressing gratitude. » p.4

The Signpost » Lace Thornberg If your life on trail was an album, which days would you play again? » p.5 Hiking News » Updates on Cape Horn, the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, the Stehekin Road and more. » p.6 4 WTA at Work Holly Chambers Trail Work » Alan Carter Mortimer WTA’s volunteer crew leaders show dedication. » p.10 On the Web » Susan Elderkin Spring is here. Where will you be hiking? » p.14

Action for Trails » Kindra Ramos “Rookies” prove to be great lobbyists for DNR funding. » p.16 19 Membership News » Rebecca Lavigne Fireside Circle members meet winemakers, swap trail tales. » p.18 On Trail Special Feature » Volunteer Geologists A look at the geologic forces that have sculpted Washington. » p.19

Maggie Brewer Feature » Pam Roy Yard work is okay, but not when it stands in the way of hiking. » p.26 Feature » Lauren Braden Not ready to pull out the tent? Check out these trailside B and B’s. » p.28 Backcountry The Gear Closet » Allison Woods Learn more about your bladder. The one in your pack. » p.31 How to Do It » Leif Wefferling What’s that cloud mean? Amaze your hiking friends. » p.33 Nature on Trail » Erika Klimecky Have you ever seen a whale while hiking? You can! » p.34 Take a Hike » Select trip reports from across the state. » p.37 34 Erika Klimecky A Walk on the Wild Side » Janice Van Cleve This Month’s Cover » Photo by Jim Cummins Eating with a spork? A few recommended wine pairings. » p.46 Headwaters of South Fork Tieton River and unnamed peak (point 7527) in the Goat Rocks Wilderness www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails About Us « 3

WASHINGTON TRAILS 2019 Third Avenue, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Owner & Publisher Suite 100 WASHINGTON TRAILS ASSOCIATION President Seattle, WA 98121 Editor CRAIG MCKIBBEN, Seattle 206.625.1367 LACE THORNBERG VP, Advocacy Gear Editor www.wta.org DAVID SCHOENBORN, Vancouver ALLISON WOODS VP, Board Development Washington Trails Editorial Intern MICHELE COAD, Seattle Association is a volunteer- MEGAN ELDER VP, Fundraising & Membership driven nonprofit member- Copy Editors MELISSA STRAUCH, Seattle ship organization working MARK CANZIARO, JIM CAVIN, REBECCA KETTWIG Treasurer to preserve, enhance and DOUG BRECKEL, Seattle promote hiking oppor- Secretary WTA STAFF tunities in Washington ROB SHURTLEFF, Seattle Executive Director state through collabora- ELIZABETH LUNNEY tion, education, advocacy AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Advocacy Director and trail maintenance. CAROLE BIANQUIS, Seattle JONATHAN GUZZO Washington Trails LISA BLACK, Everett Bookkeeper Association was founded JEFF CHAPMAN, Port Townsend DEB HEMINGWAY by Louise B. Marshall KIRK CLOTHIER, Seattle Communications & Outreach Director (1915–2005). Ira Spring LANGDON COOK, Seattle LAUREN BRADEN (1918–2003) was its TODD DUNFIELD, Spokane Chief Crew Leader primary supporter. Greg DAVE EGAN, Fall City MIKE OWENS Ball (1944–2004) founded TIM GOULD, Seattle Development Director the volunteer trail main- WENDY WHEELER JACOBS, Sammamish REBECCA LAVIGNE tenance program. Their RICHARD JOHNSON, Sammamish Field Director spirit continues today KATHLEEN LEARNED, Seattle ALAN CARTER MORTIMER through contributions CHAD LEWIS, Tacoma Membership Manager from thousands of WTA DAMIEN MURPHY, Redmond KARA CHIN members and volunteers. KATE ROGERS, Seattle Office Manager STEPHEN TAN, Seattle HOLLY CHAMBERS Northwest Washington Crew Leader WTA Advisory Board ARLEN BOGAARDS Susan Ball, Mark Boyar, Joan Burton, Bill Outreach Coordinator Chapman, Karl Forsgaard, Kevin Hall, Ken KINDRA RAMOS Konigsmark, Tom Lucas, Margaret Macleod, Project Coordinator Ken Mondal, Susan Saul, John Spring TIM VAN BEEK Southwest Washington Regional Coordinator Washington Trails is RYAN OJERIO printed on recycled Trail Programs Director WTA has earned paper (interior pages, 30 DIANE BEDELL Charity Navigator’s percent post-consumer Volunteer Coordinator highest rating three waste, cover, 12.5 per- ALYSSA KREIDER years in a row. cent) and printed using Web Content Manager soy-based inks. SUSAN ELDERKIN Youth Programs Coordinator © 2010 Washington Trails Association KRISTA DOOLEY Youth Programs Specialist CHRIS WALL WTA is a member Washington Trails (ISSN 1534-6366) is published bimonthly by the Washington Trails Association, 2019 Third Ave., organization of Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98121. Annual membership dues, which include a subscription to Washington Trails magazine, EarthShare are $40. Single copy price is $4.50. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Washington. Washington Trails Magazine, 2019 Third Ave., Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98121

4 March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org News+Views The Front Desk » What Words Cannot Express Every time I sit down to write this column, I with an encyclopedic knowledge of snow bugs. wonder if this will be the day when the muse Professional models, theologians, bird biolo- takes a vacation and I come up with eight gists, and, yes, the occasional aerospace engi- inches of blank space. Over the years, Andrew neer or software programmer. and, now, Lace have been very patient with my liberal interpretation of deadlines. I thank them What a wonderful crowd to have stumbled for that. into some eleven years ago. I consider myself most fortunate to have had the opportunity It’s not easy trying to articulate the profound to nurture and build WTA as it grew to serve and the intangible: the gratitude I feel for each more hikers, to lead more volunteers, and to and every person who chooses to give to WTA give greater voice for trails than ever before. and the inspiration I feel from working with volunteers on trail or running into a fellow hiker This past fall, I announced my intention to deep in the wilderness. And then there’s the step down as executive director in order to legacy we’re creating together, of a place where devote time to other, more personal pursuits. hiking trails are well cared for and hikers are Chief among them, I hope to spend more time free to roam far and wide through forests, over with my young son. I even dare hope to spend mountains and across windswept sage. a little more time out on trail. (Who doesn’t?)

How can one ever hope to translate all that The board of directors is interviewing through a few moments of hunting and pecking candidates for WTA’s next director. I have the at a keyboard? somewhat ambitious goal of having my desk clean by the time he or she is ready to come on And yet, every day, working at WTA, I am board, at which point I’ll stick around to make reminded again and again how real our work is. a few introductions and maybe share a few It’s a bridge we’ve built; it’s a trail we’ve helped trade secrets. Then, I’ll dust off my hard hat, plan and lay out; it’s a couple dozen hikers polish up my hiking boots, and join the ranks of dressed up and marching on the Capitol; it’s a WTA’s many contributors and volunteers. trip report with a photo of a balsamroot flower just when you thought winter had bleached all I hope I see you there. the color from the world.

Elizabeth It’s these daily gifts that tell the true story Lunney of who we are, the sum total of a vibrant and Executive Director dedicated community of hikers. Young people [email protected] growing up in the wilderness and the gray- haired generation staying young. People who volunteer, people who hike, and people who dream. I’ve met someone who collects photographs of wilderness boundary signs. Another www.wta.org www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails News+Views « 5

Take Part in The Signpost » WTA’s Readers Poll! Share Your Greatest Hits!

Available online Tell Us More! starting in March. This past fall, we ran a special feature on the favorite hikes of the Washington Trails Associa- tion staff. Now, we want to hear from you. We know our readers are the real experts. You rack up the miles, roam the hills, scale the summits News+Views and comb the beaches. If anyone has a good story to tell, it’s you!

Each fall, when we peruse hundreds of photo contest entries, we are overwhelmed by all that our readers have seen and done in a year. We always want to know more. How did that field of lupine smell? Who is that cute little kid in the backpack and what did she think about her first trip to Mount Rainier? Tell us about your brush with a black bear!

This spring, we need to hear from you! But, don’t worry, we’re not asking you to choose a favorite trail or divulge your top-secret camp- site. Not at the moment, anyway. Instead, we’re asking you to tell us about your greatest days out while hiking. on trail—the days you’d love to live again, days Hikers soaking where everything went right, or went right in the view from Best Day of Giving Back to Nature Mildred Point and, after they went wrong for a while. You can find From the water we drink to the air we no doubt, sharing an our Greatest Hits poll online at www.wta.org. breathe, nature gives us a whole lot. As mem- unforgettable bond- bers of Washington Trails Association, we ing moment. Photo Is a story coming to mind yet? Here is a peek know you are into giving back to nature and by John Tomlin. at a few of our categories: we bet you have a good story to share.

Best Bonding Experience Whether you were pulling ivy, building trail As beautiful as the scenery may be, it’s often or summiting for a good cause, tell us what giv- the company that makes a hiking trip special. ing back was like and how it made you feel.

Maybe it was a mother-daughter campout Want a few more hints? We might want to under the stars, or a reunion with your high hear about your most exhilarating summit or school classmates. Maybe you went out for a the best backcountry meal you’ve ever made. short hike that turned out to be an epic day. Were there challenges to overcome? Or was it a Readers, this is all about you. We’ll give you perfectly sublime day complete with bluebirds? a few prompts, but if you don’t see a topic that you want to write about, pick our “Other” cat- Tell us how the experience you shared on the egory and tell us about any kind of great day trail brought you closer. on trail! For those of you not feeling profound or pithy, we’ll also have some questions you can Best Idea You Had While Hiking answer with just one word. Look for a sneak It might be the rhythm, the way our feet take preview of reader responses in the May-June is- to the miles, pounding them out one step at a sue, followed by many more in the July-August Lace time. Or perhaps it’s because the task at hand issue. is so straightforward that it give our brains Thornberg freedom to roam. Whatever the reason, there’s Editor Be sure to check out our readers’ poll online. [email protected] nothing quite like a long hike for thinking. Tell us your tale. Share your hiking tips and your most amazing experiences with Washing- Tell us about the great invention, the grand ton’s hiking community. We can’t wait to hear scheme, the brilliant concoction, the delicious them! t recipe or the ingenious solution that you figured 6 » News+Views March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org Hiking News » Cape Horn Is Official Forest Service completes trail plan for Cape Horn in the Columbia Gorge

From the Oregon side of the Columbia River, jor step in developing a trail that meets Forest the precipitous cliffs of Cape Horn seem an un- Service standards. The Cape Horn Conservancy, likely place for a trail. Yet those rocky heights Friends of the Gorge, local residents and hiking provide panoramic viewpoints equal in majesty enthusiasts all had a voice in the plan. to better-known Gorge icons such as Crown Point and Beacon Rock. The plan includes parking lots, a picnic area, an ADA-compliant trail, and two highway un- When the Columbia River Gorge National derpasses for safely crossing State Route 14. It Scenic Area (CRGNSA) was established in 1986, also references the Cape Horn Trail’s ultimate the entire Cape Horn area was private land. role as a component of the Washougal-to-Steven- Through the determined efforts of Gorge advo- son Trail. cates, Cape Horn was transferred from private hands to the U.S. Forest Service, opening the The Forest Service plans to move the trail way for the public to enjoy the area. away from the cliff edges where there are concerns about hiker safety and impacts on The existing trail was built by hiking enthu- wildflowers. In addition, fearing that hikers siasts who recognized the recreational value on the trail would disturb nesting peregrine the trail would have for the public. Although falcons who use the Cape Horn cliffs as nesting not sanctioned by the Forest Service, the trail sites, the CRGNSA, in a controversial decision, became one of the most popular trails on the adopted a seasonal closure from January 1 to Washington side of the Gorge. The trail is not July 1 for the lower portion of the trail. on official maps but can be found in several area guidebooks and online. For many who have hiked the trail for years and observed the nesting falcons, the closure For many, the rugged, primitive nature of the seems unwarranted. Citing evidence that fal- trail is a strong attraction. Other attributes at- cons have successfully habituated to human ac- tractive to hikers—spectacular viewpoints, a wa- tivity in other settings, they unsuccessfully ad- terfall, wildflowers, unique rock formations—are vocated for the trail to remain open year-round. Hiking Cape Horn also included in this loop trail which is within According to Dan Huntington, a local resident offers lovely views close proximity to the Portland-Vancouver area. quoted in The Columbian, “The Forest Service of the Columbia The trailhead is even at a bus stop, making the is to be commended for this plan, although clos- River. A formal plan trail accessible by public transportation. ing the lower half of the trail during most of its to develop the trails prime hiking season unnecessarily deprives the in the area was final- On February 1, 2010, the CRGNSA finalized public of an exceptional hiking experience.” ized on February 1. their Cape Horn recreation plan, marking a ma- Volunteer trail work parties are scheduled this spring to complete routine maintenance and construct reroutes to bypass sensitive habi- tats. Participants in the upcoming Columbia Cascades Trail Skills Col- lege will likely use the site as a field classroom. The event is scheduled for April 16 to 18 and will be hosted by WTA, the Pacific Crest Trail As- sociation, Mount St. Helens Insti- tute, Trailkeepers of Oregon and Oregon Equestrian Trails, Mount Hood Chapter. t

— Ryan Ojerio To read more about Cape Horn and other issues online, visit the Signpost Blog at www.wta.org/blog. www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails News+Views « 7

Follow the Ice Age Floods Uberagua Returns to Rainier

A new sort of regional trail is in the works. Dave Uberuaga will soon be heading to Last spring, Congress authorized the creation Mount Rainier National Park again after spend- of the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail ing 13 months serving as the interim superin- and the official planning process will begin tendent at Yosemite National Park. soon. The first of its kind, the Ice Age Floods Trail Talk » National Geologic Trail, will recognize the vast Uberuaga has been managing Yosemite since landscape sculpted by what have now come to January 2009. The assignment was initially Cougar Mountain be called the Missoula Floods. By far the most expected to last only a few months, but the Kudos unusual phenomenon among all the remarkable administration change in Washington, D.C. kept geology found in this part of the country, these him there for over a year. “Thank you for floods really stretch the imagination. the Cougar Moun- This spring, when Uberuagu returns to tain article in the This new trail will follow the path of the Mount Rainier, where he has worked for 24 last issue. I hiked floods, from the Rockies near Missoula to the years, other park employees will also be able it today and it was Pacific coast near Ilwaco. It will travel across to return to their normal positions, including lots better than I the Channeled Scablands of the Columbia Randy King who has been the acting superin- had thought.” Plateau in a web of routes from Wenatchee tendent. t to Lewiston. Then, like the floodwaters, the Janice Van Cleve routes will gather together at Wallula Gap and Seattle, Wash. go down the Gorge, with a long side-trip from Landslide Closed Hurricane Portland as far south as Eugene, then finally out past Astoria to the mouth of the Columbia. Ridge Road “Your article The basic concept of this new kind of trail If you are headed out to Hurricane Ridge about coal mines is is to identify driving routes that would have this spring, be sure to check that the road has totally interesting. signage, pull-outs and interpretive centers, reopened. Too bad we cannot and also to present many walks and hikes that wander the tun- actively explore the fascinating and awesome On January 18, 2010, a landslide closed the nels.” features left by the floods. Hurricane Ridge Road in Olympic National Park. Cal McCune Upcoming Ice Age Floods Events The road was closed just below the Heart O’ Seattle, Wash. the Hills entrance station, the main entrance March 6, 2010: Cheney-Spokane Chapter Hik- to Olympic National Park. A 100-foot section ing Field Trip, Palouse Canyon, Wash. of road slid just beyond the Lake Dawn Road intersection, destroying both road lanes. This hike, led by Lloyd Stoess and Gene Kiver, includes geomorphology, geology, botany, zool- Early estimates suggested that the project ogy, Ice Age Floods and early Indian history. could take six weeks. Check the Olympic Na- tional Park website to see if it has re-opened. t April 24, 2010: Cheney-Spokane Chapter Bi- cycle Field Trip, Cheney, Wash.

Gene Kiver will lead “Geology on Bikes” tour on Boundary Bridge Repaired, Ac- the Rock Lake Trail. Rock Lake is the deepest and most rugged of the lakes carved by the Ice cess Restored This Summer Age Floods in eastern Washington. Workers finished repairing the Boundary Bridge near Darrington in early February. This May 1, 2010: Cheney-Spokane Chapter Field summer, hikers will be able to cross to the Trip, Cheney, Wash. other side, where 2003 and 2006 flood damage currently blocks Rat Trap Road (FS 27), and ac- This spring field trip to the eastern edge of cesses a popular trailhead. Cheney-Palouse Scabland Tract will be led by Write to Us » Gene Kiver and Bruce Bjornstad. Suiattle River floodwaters destroyed the Send a letter to southern approach to the bridge in October 2019 Third Ave. Read more about the floods, the trail and 2003, cutting off the loop drive over scenic Rat Suite 100, ucpomng events at the Ice Age Floods Institute Trap Pass and down to the White Chuck River Seattle WA 98121 website, www.iafi.org. For more information Road (FS 23). Rat Trap Pass Road accesses the or about field trips, conatact Melanie Bell by email Meadow Mountain Trail, which leads to the e-mail at [email protected] or (509) 954- high country on the north side of the White [email protected] 4242. t Chuck valley. t 8 » News+Views March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org Upper Stehekin Valley Road Update With the legislation that passed the House this past fall, the upper Stehekin Valley Road may be one step closer to being rebuilt, but—more than half a decade after the road initially washed out—the controversy continues

After a 2003 flood destroyed portions of the upper Stehekin Valley Road, a one-lane dirt road The House amended Hastings’s proposed bill leading into North Cascades National Park, area slightly to allow Congress to retain control over residents knew it would take an act of Congress where the new road goes. The bill authorizes to get it rebuilt. Not figuratively, but literally. As the National Park Service to relocate the road the road was located in a narrow strip of non- into the wilderness, with no net loss of wilder- wilderness area, it could not be relocated into ness area. It also includes language instruct- the wilderness without congressional approval. ing the National Park Service not to adjust its current priorities when it comes to which roads When Federal Highway Administration to build. engineers examined the road damage in 2004, they determined that the only reasonable way Hastings, whose constituents include the to re-establish road access from mile 13 on was residents of Stehekin, has said that "rebuilding to reroute the road away from the river at three Stehekin Valley Road will improve access for locations, all of which would need to be through visitors to the North Cascades National Park designated wilderness. The estimated cost for and help bring jobs to Chelan County." In her this work, in 2004, was $1.5 million. testimony in support of H.R. 2806, state senator Linda Evans-Parlette, R-Wash., argued that a re- In March 2006, the National Park Service com- routed road would restore access to rustic park pleted an environmental assessment, evaluated facilities and scenic wilderness areas within the its options and, through this process, chose to park, provide legislative clarity concerning the permanently close the road at Car Wash Falls intent of the Washington Parks Wilderness Act (Mile 13), while providing trail access to the up- of 1988 and ensure the National Park Service is per Stehekin Valley. Both other alternatives re- consistent in their road management practices quired Congress to pass legislation to move the within the wilderness areas in the Olympic, wilderness boundary, and neither was selected. Mount Rainer, and North Cascades National Parks. For some time, it appeared that the upper Stehekin Valley Road would be closed, and that Several nonprofit groups, including the Na- was that. tional Parks Conservation Association (NCPA) and the Washington Wilderness Coalition The game changed in summer 2009 when (WWC), have opposed rebuilding the road. Rep. Doc Hasting, R-Wash., introduced legisla- NPCA cites a need for prioritization, arguing tion that would authorize the Secretary of Inte- that rebuilding and maintaining the upper rior to move the Wilderness boundary and build Stehekin Valley Road, which is used by 1,400 a new road to create a reroute. This legislation recreationists a year, should not be a priority passed the U.S. House of Representatives and when the National Park Service is already strug- moved to the Senate's Committee on Energy gling to keep more popular park roads open and Natural Resources for consideration in late after storm damage. WWC is concerned about November. redrawing the wilderness boundary, noting that the current bill gives unprecedented authority Coon Lake in the Hastings’s measure, H.R. 2806, would move to the Secretary of the Interior and that chang- Stehekin Valley the boundary of the Stephen Mather Wilderness ing a long-standing wilderness boundary to in North Cascades accommodate road maintenance needed due to National Park in order storm damage could set a dangerous precedent. to relocate the Ste- hekin Road between Other groups, including Washington Trails Car Wash Falls and Association and the Pacific Crest Trail Asso- Cottonwood Camp. ciation (PCTA) have concerns about potential The road is currently impacts to the Pacific Crest National Scenic proposed to be recon- Trail. PCTA is opposed to the construction structed on the bench of the road, but recognizes that Hastings’s of the Pacific Crest measure has a chance of passing the Senate. National Scenic Trail Therefore, the PCTA would like to work with (PCT), which is on an North Cascades National Park to complete field- old wagon road. work that would identify a better location for www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails News+Views « 9 the PCT above and in a place where the road is not withing the viewshed. PCTA has requested Cool Gear » language to be added to the bill that would Westcomb Talus Pant require the impacted segment of the PCT to be ($200, men’s or women’s sizes) relocated prior to any road construction that might occur in this new location. I’ve been looking for a pair of trail pants that I can wear all year long, and it looks like I’ve found them. I logged more than 100 trail miles last season in Even with the option of relocating the wilder- the Westcomb Talus Pant. ness boundary, the National Park Service isn’t After wading through brush, climbing under and over downed trees and interested in taking the project on. The acting sliding feet-first down granite, the blemishes on these pants amount to just director of the National Park Service testified a couple of spots of tree sap. I wore gaiters over them hiking through slushy against H.R. 2806, citing concerns about the snow in late spring and had plenty of room for a base layer when tempera- precedent of moving wilderness boundaries to tures dropped. build roads, environmental impacts and costs. Last July, on a four-day trip into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, I decided to North Cascades National Park isn’t concerned make the Talus Pant the only pair I would take. Brilliant idea, until the final about lost access. Since the washout, the day when temperatures pushed above 95 degrees. Westcomb says the new Nastional Park Service has worked to improve Schoeller ColdBlack fabric in these pants helps them “stay cool as white on a access to the backcountry surrounding Stehek- blazing hot day.” I still prefer shorts or tropical-weight pants when the tem- in and, according to overnight visitor statistics peratures rise above 80, but these pants excel for most summer days west of collected by the Park, visitation impacts have the Cascade crest. been small. Backcountry overnight users along A few final details: The soft velour-lined waistband makes these pants extra- the Upper Stehekin corridor, which dipped the comfortable to wear. The handwarmer pockets are roomy, but I’d still like year after the road was destroyed by the flood, a cargo pocket on one leg for extra storage. My pair were a size larger than have now rebounded to preflood numbers. I needed but barely long enough, so keep that in mind if you’re taller than average. “The National Park Service hopes people — Rebecca Lavigne will come and visit the Stehekin Valley,” said North Cascades National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “We encourage people to take the walk from High Bridge to Bridge Creek, and beyond, and see the place for themselves. It’s a Trail Book » very nice walk, great for families with kids, and Great Places Washington Bridge Creek makes a terrific place for a first- by John Kruse, Wilderness Adventures Press ($29.95, 2009) time backpack trip or a base camp to explore from.” Author and radio-show host John Kruse has targeted The park is, however, concerned about the his first book at the all-around Washington outdoors high costs of maintaining road access in both enthusiast, whether you are an “angler who likes to the upper and lower Stehekin Valley. hike or a bicyclist who also enjoys kayaking.” The scope is ambitious. It’s a tall order to cover lodging, Since 2003, it has cost approximately $3 mil- camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, bicycling, horse- lion to make emergency repairs to the Lower back riding, climbing, paddlesports, snow sports, Stehekin Valley Road (from Stehekin Landing to wildlife watching, and points of interest throughout High Bridge and beyond to the end of the road the state, even with 500 pages. at Car Wash Falls) and more work is needed. Rebuilding or relocating approximately 3 miles There’s an FYI page that lists various facts and figures of the road to ensure sustainable access to about the state (who knew that the state gemstone is petrified wood?), fol- the lower 11 miles of the Stehekin Valley is lowed by brief descriptions of the various categories of activities covered by expected to cost from $6 million to $8 million, the book, and a summary of county, state and national recreation area access depending on the alternative selected. An En- fees and regulations. From there, the book is divided into seven regions. vironmental Impact Statement (EIS) is currently Each of the 76 public lands sections highlights popular activities by season, underway to evaluate alternatives for creating and the 77 lodging and services sections provide price estimates and contact a sustainable road in the lower Stehekin Valley. information. Photographs (taken mostly by the author) are of good quality This draft EIS is scheduled to be out for public and well placed. An index provides a list of birds, wildlife and fish common to review in late spring. the state, complete with Latin names. Hikers looking to share their opinion on the current measure (H.R. 2806) should send their This book is not meant to work as an in-depth guide for any one region or ac- comments to Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., tivity, and it’s unlikely that the average reader would find all of the informa- who serves on the U.S. Senate's Committee on tion useful. But if you’re prone to last-minute road trips and want a general Energy and Natural Resources. t idea of what’s in a given area, consider stashing a copy with your road atlas. It — Lace Thornberg might also make a great gift for a friend or student just moving to Washing- ton, or for family visiting from other states. — Steve Payne 10 » News+Views March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org WTA at Work Trail Maintenance » On-the-Trail Training Rigorous training helps our crew leaders ensure a great volunteer experience WTA’s trail maintenance program is one of variety of trainings to help them meet the chal- the most successful volunteer-based efforts lenges that will face them as crew leaders. The of its kind in the United States. In 2009, WTA initial training step in becoming an assistant completed over 90,000 hours of trail mainte- crew leader or moving on to become a chief nance with the help of over 2,000 individual crew leader is a classroom session in which the volunteers. These volunteers worked on 130 responsibilities of a crew leader are outlined. trails spread across the state on lands under the stewardship of numerous land management Our classroom session focuses on leadership agencies. and volunteer interaction. We encourage a wide range of leadership styles while asking all of Could we do all this alone? Hardly. our crew leaders to be respectful, helpful and engaged with our volunteers. Of course, we The success of this program is due in large also make sure that our new recruits know to part to the dedication and hard work of our vol- hand out candy at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.—the finer unteer crew leaders—folks who have come up details of which are laid out clearly in our crew through the WTA ranks. When volunteers have leader manual, which we hand out at this ses- shown a dedication to trail work and a willing- sion. ness to provide leadership to other volunteers, we’ll ask them to become crew leaders. These classroom sessions are just the first step in the training cycle of a crew leader. Their primary responsibilities are to ensure that all volunteers on a work party are safe, First Aid Comes First that folks are having a good time and, finally, that the quality of the work meets the land An important area managers’ standards. On any work party, our of training for our chief crew leader (also known as a “blue hat” crew leaders that based on his or her helmet color) is responsible helps to ensure the for the overall conduct of the work party and safety of our work par- supervising assistant crew leaders, aka orange ties is first aid. Each hats. These assistant crew leaders are, in turn, chief crew leader is Alan in charge of smaller groups of volunteers. This required to have first- hierarchy allows us to efficiently and safely aid and CPR training Carter- manage large groups of volunteers who may or and is encouraged to may not have much exposure to trail mainte- participate in a higher Mortimer nance. level of training such Field Director as wilderness first [email protected] Our crew leaders give more than just their aid (WFA). A first-aid time on trail. They all also participate in a and CPR certification www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails News+Views « 11 requires 8 hours of training every two years rock step, wood step, turnpike and stream ford while WFA is a sixteen to twenty-four hour construction. In these sessions, we concentrate course every two years. Almost all of our as- on identifying the many possible solutions to a sistant crew leaders have had first-aid and CPR particular problem and determining which will training and a majority of chief crew leaders be the most effective at addressing the root hold a WFA or higher certification. cause. WTA often offers in house training in first- WTA also hosts periodic work parties that aid and CPR and has contracted with outside expand upon the topics touched on in crew providers to teach WFA courses. Many WTA leader college. These intensive training sessions crew leaders have also participated in advanced help crew leaders deal with specific problems courses sponsored by partner organizations, that they have encountered on the trails in the such as the Pacific Crest Trail Association and areas they most often work. These work parties Student Conservation Association. Still others happen across the state throughout the year. have pursued this training on their own when circumstances have made it difficult for them to Some crew leaders also participate in cross- participate in a WTA-sponsored session. cut saw training classes based on the Forest Service’s program of instruction for sawyers. By Trail-Building Skills Build Over Time taking this four- to six-hour class and participating in a full-day field session, these crew Another obviously important area of training leaders become certified as crosscut saw team is trail maintenance skills. This training occurs in three major areas: regular work parties, crew leader college and special crew leader work parties devoted to building a particular skill.

Each day that crew leaders go out on a work party, we hope they learn something new about trail maintenance. Perhaps they are chal- lenged to take on a project that they have not done before and look to the chief crew leader, other assistant crew leaders and volunteers to come up with a solution to the particular trail problem that they are facing. Or their learning might also include coming up with a more efficient and clearer way of teaching a skill to a first-time volunteer. On any work party, the best resource for our crew leaders is the experience of other crew leaders.

Our most formal training occurs at crew leader college. This two-day session of workshops occurs in early April, just before the season really gets rolling. A mix of U.S. For- est Service and other land management trail experts and experienced WTA crew leaders leaders. This allows them to lead three-person Running a smooth, lead workshops. The first year at college, a teams of volunteers on log-outs, which are vital productive and fun crew leader participates in two sessions. The to opening up trails in wilderness areas each work party is always first is trail analysis, where the group looks at a season. These crew leaders must recertify at the goal. variety of the most common trail issues such as the beginning of each log-out season. poor drainage, overgrown brush and deteriorat- Our crew leaders ing tread and identifies the best solutions for The volunteers who opt to serve as crew addressing those problems. During the second spend extra time leaders for WTA not only put a lot of effort into getting trained to day, they will learn techniques for construct- guiding volunteers week after week, but they ing basic trail structures out of wood, from ensure that their fel- also invest time behind the scenes to improve low volunteers have material selection, notching techniques, layout their skills. These dedicated volunteers are the a safe and pleasant and design, efficient tool use and the proper ones most responsible for the success of WTA’s experience. structure to most effectively address a particu- trail maintenance program, ensuring that other lar trail issue. Returning crew leaders select volunteers are safe, that everyone has a good a course load from a variety of advanced skill time, and that the work meets the expectations classes. Courses include the new trail design, of the land managers and hikers like you. t layout and construction; rock wall building techiniques; puncheon and bridge design; rig- ging and grip hoist operation; and crib wall, 12 March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Youth & Families » Steps into Wilderness WTA’s new program helps youth get outdoors

Most of us can agree that kids today are words of WTA’s Elizabeth Lunney, “not all kids Members of the Horn not spending enough time outside. Science are born with hiking boots on their feet.” There of Africa Services has linked childhood obesity, attention deficit are still millions of kids not getting exposed to youth group with disorder, depression, and even nearsightedness the joys of hiking. Chris Wall, WTA’s to spending too much time indoors. With our in- WTA has been developing partnerships with youth programs creasingly high-tech society, the digital distrac- Seattle youth organizations to increase youth coordinator, on the tions that face children today are as abundant access to the outdoors. Fall 2009 marked the Rattlesnake Ledge as the problems caused by the subsequent introduction of WTA’s Steps into Wilderness Trail sedentary lifestyles. program which is aimed at getting more youth Before we point fingers at the Xbox, televi- age thirteen to eighteen outdoors and hiking. For more informa- sion and computer, let’s think about why kids This new program offers mentorship and tion about Steps aren’t going outdoors. Yes, technology enthralls outdoor leadership training to community lead- into Wilderness visit us, but is it actually more fun than catching ers looking to establish a new hiking program www.wta.org/kids/ frogs or splashing in puddles? What else might or improve their existing one. Collaborating steps be causing children to stay inside? with partners, WTA empowers local leaders to We all know that one way children learn is engage youth through hiking instruction, fun by watching adult behavior. Is it surprising activities and community service. By mentor- that a 2005 Environmental Protection Agency ing youth leaders, WTA aspires to impact an study found most adults spend 90 percent of even greater number of youth than our current their lives indoors? Apparently kids aren’t the programs reach. Our hope is that Steps into only ones spending too much time inside. We Wilderness will encourage the next generation all have to encourage youth through our own to become lifelong hikers of the trail systems actions and take responsibility for providing that WTA and its volunteers help maintain and outdoor access. A 2004 Outdoor Industry As- protect. sociation (OIA) study found that 90 percent of WTA is actively seeking out new Steps into outdoor recreation enthusiasts started outdoor Wilderness partners. To date, we have part- activities before age eighteen. A 2008 OIA nered with Horn of Africa Services and Seattle study also found parents, family, and friends Parks and Recreation with more partnerships Chris were the most influential in encouraging kids on the horizon. If you know a youth organiza- to start outdoor activities. Our duty as adults tion that would benefit from this program, Wall therefore is not only to encourage children to please let us know by contacting chrisw@wta. Youth Programs get outside, but to take them with us! org. After all, more partners mean more hikers, Coordinator As readers of this magazine and avid hikers, more youth on trail and more time our staff will [email protected] you are most likely already motivating your kids spend outside sharing the joys of hiking! t to get outside. Unfortunately, however, in the www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails WTA at Work « 13 Featured Project » Join a WTA Trail Work Party!

March 2 - 7 Tues - Sun Tiger Mountai March 6 - 7 Sat, Sun Larrabee State Park March 6 - 7 Sat, Sun Badger Mountain March 9 - 14 Tues - Sun Tiger Mountain March 13 Saturday Mount Walker March 16 Tuesday Peabody March 16 - 21 Tues - Sun Lord Hill Park March 20 - 21 Sat, Sun Larrabee State Park March 20 Saturday Dry Creek March 23 Tuesday Peabody Larrabee State Park March 23 - 27 Tues - Sat Cougar Mtn March 28 Sunday Tiger Mountain Volunteers have been spending some quality time in Larrabee State Park, a park that sees heavy use all year long and is also visited fre- Mar 30 - Apr 3 Tues - Sat Grand Ridge quently by wind and rain. All this means there has been no shortage of April 4 Sunday Tiger Mountain work for WTA’s northwest-area chief crew leader Arlen Bogaards and the April 6 - 9 Tues - Fri Taylor Mtn region’s enthusiastic trail crew volunteers to do. April 13 - 17 Tues - Sat Wallace Falls Larrabee State Park manager Scott Chalfant has recently found some April 20 Tues Notch Pass funding to help support WTA’s work in this park. As he says, “I couldn’t April 20 – 25 Tues - Sun Pratt Connector think of a better use than to help support WTA’s work here. It has been April 24, 25 Sat - Sun Iller Creek Trail wonderful to see so many volunteers helping out with our trail system and it wouldn’t be possible without WTA’s leadership.”

Volunteers started work on the Lost Lake Trail, infamous for muddy stretches known to mire unsuspecting hikers. The crew moved a half a mile of the trail to the outside of an old road bed, ensuring proper drainage and using an old trail as a drainage ditch to channel runoff. Their efforts have already greatly improved this trail, and they will return to this location to tackle more of the muddy sections. The crews have also concentrated on annual maintenance on the Fragrance Lake, Fragrance Lake Loop, Two Dollar, Boat Launch, Beach Access and Clayton Beach Trails. Brushing, retreading, unclogging culverts, and cleaning drainage ditches and drain dips are all part of the annual maintenance agenda. This kind of work ensures that the trails can withstand the onslaught of winter weather, and it also minimizes storm related damage.

Crews have also managed to tackle a couple of noteworthy construction projects. On the Fragrance Lake Loop Trail, volunteers built a 50- For a complete schedule foot turnpike with a supporting wood crib wall where the trail is hemmed in between a cliff face and the marshy edge of the lake. Volunteers visit www.wta.org carried rock from up to a quarter mile away to fill and crown this turnpike. Our observant volunteers also noted a decaying bridge on the Beach To sign up or find more info » This is a se- Access Trail and in a single weekend tore down the old bridge, replaced lection from our extensive list of volunteer it with a new 14-foot bridge with a handrail and corrected the drainage opportunities. To find more trips, and to issue that had caused the old bridge to deteriorate. sign up, visit our website at www.wta.org and click on “Volunteer.” No experience is This impressive list of accomplishments proves that the WTA volun- necessary. Sign-ups close two days before teers working at Larrabee State Park are a dedicated, productive bunch a work party, and work parties often fill who have done an excellent job of keeping your trails in great shape. t up quickly, so reserve early. Trip dates and locations are subject to change. —Alan Carter-Mortimer 14 14» WTA» WTA at atWork Work March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org On the Web » Searching for the Perfect Spring Hike

Use WTA’s online resources to find the right trip for you

The sun is shining and it’s time to go hiking. kid-friendliness, elevation gain, mileage and You’d like to see some mountain views, avoid high point. Keywords will tease out references Hiking Guide the snow, and stay close to home. Where should to specific mountains or rivers. www.wta.org/go- you go? hiking/hikes • To stay close to home, select the region and We suggest that you use WTA’s online Hiking subregion where you would like to hike. Guide to help plan your outing. • To avoid the snow, select the high point Trip Reports www.wta.org/go- for your hike. For instance, if the snowpack is Since September, WTA’s Hiking Guide has above 2,500 feet, you should select 2,500 as hiking/trip-reports gotten a major boost from The Mountaineers your high point. Books which has donated the content of seven • To find elements such as mountain views of their most popular guidebooks, including 600 or lakes, select one or more options from the hikes from the Day Hiking series by authors feature list. Craig Romano, Dan Nelson and Alan Bauer. In January, we added 100 snowshoe routes from The search engine will bring up the hikes Dan Nelson’s Snowshoe Routes - Washington. that fit your criteria. If the list is too long, consider using an additional filter. Too short? Try Our Hiking Guide now includes the full eliminating one of your filters. Do note that the guidebook descriptions, driving directions and features of the Hiking Guide are filled out for hiking statistics for all of these hikes (though only some hikes, which will limit your results. you’ll have to buy the guidebooks for some less well-known hikes, elevation profiles and the With your possible trails in hand, check the fun browsability that only a book offers). Trip Hiking Guide descriptions and recently filed reports from hikers add personal flavor and trip reports. Especially in the spring, people are information about current conditions. very good about including snow and trail conditions in their trip reports. Susan Now, getting back to your hike. How do you Elderkin find a trail that meets your criteria? With a little research, you can always find a Web Content good hike. And when you return, consider do- Manager In the Hiking Guide, select “Show Advanced ing the next hiker a favor by filing a trip report Search Options.” Up will pop many options for or adding information to the Hiking Guide. [email protected] filtering your hike search, including region, fea- Happy spring hiking! t tures (like mountain views, lakes, rivers, etc.), www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails WTA at Work « 15

WTA’s 2010 Get- a-Member Cam- Defending Trails in D.C. paign is Coming Protecting federal funding for trails takes dedication Soon

Do your friends The other Washington can feel like a foreign recreation and $89 million for trails. and family love to country sometimes. hike? Do they ask to More importantly, we’ll be focusing on a criti- borrow your copy of WTA sends a delegation there each year, cal grant program that must be renewed in or- Washington Trails? and milling through the crowds of lobbyists der to allow funds to flow to Washington state Do you hear them and elected officials in crisp suits and power land managers and nonprofit organizations who quoting our online ties can be a bit intimidating when one is ac- maintain our most important trails. hiking guide and trip customed to the slower and more casual pace reports whenever of our coastal Washington. That’s why it is so The National Recreation Trails Program you set out on an heartening that our delegation supports our (NRTP) is part of the transportation budget. outdoor adventure efforts to fund U.S. Forest and National Park Organizations as diverse as WTA, Backcountry together? Give them Service recreation programs, preserve important Horsemen of Washington and the Evergreen a gift membership or grant funds and protect existing dollars. We’re Mountain Bike Association apply for and get them to join WTA: particularly grateful to Rep. Norm Dicks (D- receive grants from the NRTP to fund our trail they’ll help keep our Wash.), who represents the Olympic Peninsula maintenance work. The transportation funding trails open for all to and much of south Puget Sound, and chairs bill—Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Trans- enjoy, and you’ll have the Interior portation Equity the chance to win Appropriations Act: A Legacy for great gear! Committee. We Users, or SAFETEA- always get a LU—has not been warm reception reauthorized, and Over half of WTA’s in his office, funding has been budget comes and he works trickling in to trans- from membership hard to fund portation programs support like yours. programs that through a series of Without members, are important continuing resolu- WTA wouldn’t be to Washingto- tions. There’s no able to host Trails nians. certainty that this and Ales events, take money will remain volunteers out on Last year, as long as this legis- trail maintenance the House lation goes without work parties or and Senate a six-year reautho- provide stewardship approved an rization. We’ll be programs for young Interior Ap- seeking a long-term people. Our website propriations bill Terror Basin in North Cascades National Park. Kevin Steffa. reauthorization is member sup- that increased when we are in D.C. ported and member funds for land in early March, pre- maintained. Ask your management agencies by 17 percent, including vailing upon Sen. Murray (D-Wash.), who is on friends to join you in big bumps for park and forest service recreation the Transportation Committee, to help. supporting the trails accounts. In an economic downturn, these land- they love to hike. The scapes are more important than ever. People You can help by writing calling your member more new members who are seeking employment in our current of Congress and both our Senators. Let them you bring in, the market find it hard to travel far for recreation. know how important these public lands are better your chance to And those who have jobs are working longer to you, thank them for all the hard work they win great gear. hours and taking less vacation, making close- have done in the past, and ask them to help in recreation opportunities even more critical us keep our trails open and well-maintained. The 2010 WTA than they were before. What’s more, investing Please make your calls when you receive this Get-a-Member in our recreation infrastructure pays off for magazine. If you do that, our legislators will be campaign is right Washington’s economy. Gateway communities receiving calls from our members while WTA around the corner. are dependent on the money that comes in from is there during the first week of March. These Look for participation those visiting Washington’s special places. calls will reinforce our message and make information, contest WTA’s work that much easier. details and prizes on That’s why, when we visit Washington, D.C. our website in April this year, WTA is requesting increases of 5 Thank you for everything you do to support and start compiling percent for both the National Forest Service hiking trails and wildlands in Washington. t your list of “possible Recreation and National Forest Trails line items. suspects” now! That works out to just over $307 million for — Jonathan Guzzo 16 » WTA at Work March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org Action for Trails » Hiker Lobby Day Hikers ask the legislature to restore Department of Natural Resources (DNR) funding and prevent the proposed closures of special places, such as Mount Si and Rattlesnake Mountain

Hikers from 28 different legislative districts gathered for WTA’s most recent Hiker Lobby Hikers, as citizen lobbyists, role playing Day. Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Gold- “Not only prior to their meetings with legislators. mark spoke first, on the difficulties of manag- was my The most important tips of the day were ing over 140 recreation sites and 1,000 miles to be polite and honest. representative of trail with a limited budget. Goldmark urged supportive of hikers to speak passionately to our elected of- keeping Mount ficials about why we love hiking on DNR lands. Si open, he Next, WTA’s Advocacy Director Jonathan thanked me for Guzzo talked about the current outlook in bringing it to Olympia and provided activists with more specifics on restoring DNR’s general funding his attention.” allocation. He also explained the bills based on some of the recommendations of the DNR-con- vened Sustainable Recreation Work Group (HB 2480 / SB 6237). These bills would give DNR the authority to charge user fees at high use sites, require the agency to evaluate the potential for a statewide recreation pass, and would set up a pilot concessionaire program. Seventy-three hikers from across the state Once attendees had a solid understanding of came to Olympia in February for WTA’s DNR funding it was time to talk about meet- Fourth Annual Hiker Lobby Day for our ing with their elected officials. During the largest turnout yet. training, I explained that most lawmakers only have about ten minutes set aside per constitu- ent meeting, so it is important to be clear, concise and have a specific “ask,” or action you want them to do. In this case, “Restore DNR’s $278,000 funding cut.”

Armed with information and tips, activists set off to the Capitol to meet with their representatives. These meetings were very successful. “I had no idea how easy this would be,” said one attendee, “Not only was my representative supportive of keeping Mount Si open, he thanked me for bringing it to his attention.” In some cases, lawmakers were not aware of the potential closures of DNR trails or they did not realize that this list of closures included such popular trails. In other cases, representatives were grateful to hear that their constituents felt so strongly about these places.

Kindra While it is too early to tell if DNR fund- Ramos ing will be restored, activists did something WTA Outreach equally important by raising awareness of Coordinator DNR. Furthermore, they have proven to elected officials that hikers are willing to speak out for [email protected] the trails they love; this dedication will go a long way towards getting funding restored. t www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails WTA at Work « 17

Meet Our Sen. Pridemore meets with hikers from the 49th legislative district. Front, Brice Koach. Members! Back, L to R: Lance Koach, Carol Boyer, Sen. Pridemore, Susan Saul and WTA’s Southwest Coordinator Ryan Ojerio.

Kathy Shahid Durrani Evans “Getting out in WTA LAUNCHES “SAVE the mountains, hanging out with DNR LANDS” CAMPAIGN a great group of people and having Many great hiking trails cross lands managed fun while making by the Washington State Department of Natural a difference.” That Resources (DNR). Unfortunately, in response to was Kathy’s first im- cuts in Gov. Gregoire’s proposed supplemental pression of a WTA budget, the Department of Natural Resources work party back in has said it will be forced to close the Rattle- July 2007. Over 100 snake Mountain, Mount Si and Little Si trails days on trail later, this year as well as many other sites statewide. her enthusiasm has not let up. Kathy WTA is working hard to keep some of hikers’ wore a Blue Hat (as favorite DNR lands from closing due to severe Chief Crew Leader) budget cuts, and your help is needed. To find for the first time out more about all of WTA’s efforts to save last summer, filling these trails, visit our central “Save DNR Lands” in when her part- webpage at www.wta.org/savednrlands. Here, ner Arlen Bogaards you can find the full list of potential closures, was injured. get the latest information about DNR’s budget and get plugged in to help. You might call trail Join Our Save DNR Lands Facebook Group work an obsession One quick and easy way to show your sup- for Kathy, as she port for DNR lands is to join WTA’s Save DNR spent last summer Lands Facebook group. Find a link on WTA’s working on the U.S. website or from our Facebook page. Forest Service Trail crew in the Mount Share Your DNR Story Baker Ranger Your stories of hiking DNR trails help WTA’s District, and that’s advocacy in Olympia. Share your tales from the where you’ll find trail and what makes these lands so important her again this com- to you, and we will share these with legisla- ing summer. tors. We’ve made this easy for you by creating a form online. Find our questions online at: www.wta.org/action/current-issues/save-dnr- Kathy lives in the lands/your-favorite-DNR-trail. foothills of What- com County, where she tends chickens, Call the Legislative Hotline Contact your state representatives and sena- raises her daughter tor and urge them to restore recreation funding Chelan (who also to the Department of Natural Resources. Call does trail work) them at (800) 562-6000. and takes classes in geology.

— Tim Van Beek 18 » WTA at Work March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org Membership News » A Toast to Trails The Fireside Circle celebrates with Washington’s top winemakers

At right: Hikers min- gling at WTA’s Fire- side Circle celebra- tion on January 7

Below: WTA Execu- tive Director Eliza- beth Lunney and President-Elect Rob Shurtleff

In early January, over a glass of wine, ebration. Everyone in the room was swapping Jane Barrett and Chuck Reininger remi- backcountry stories, discussing WTA’s plans for nisced about their climbing days. the year and, of course, enjoying the delicious food (provided by Purple Café and Wine Bar) They were both at the Columbia Win- and wine. ery in Woodinville to celebrate WTA’s recent successes, including a record 94,175 Once a year, WTA spends a celebratory hours of trail maintenance in 2009. evening with our Fireside Circle members. Like all of our 8,000 members, these 260 generous Jane, a member of WTA’s Fireside Circle, was families and individuals are truly making a thrilled to reconnect with Chuck. Thirty years difference for the hiking community. Last year, ago last September, Jane left Paradise bound when many had to cut back, the Fireside Circle for the summit of Rainier, and he was one of increased their giving by 5 percent as a group. her guides. The trip was the first of many mem- That’s a lot, especially when you consider that orable climbs Jane would make over the years. each dollar contributed to WTA is multiplied These days, as she told Chuck, you’re more many times over by volunteers working on trail, likely to find her hiking or skiing with husband on our website and in Olympia and Washing- Peter and her three grandchildren. ton, D.C.

Chuck, now of Reininger Winery in Walla We are thrilled by the generosity of Columbia Walla, was invited to be part of a meet-the- Winery, Purple Café and Wine Bar, the Wash- winemaker tasting that included Chris Figgins ington Wine Commission and all of the par- Rebecca (Leonetti Cellar), Greg Harrington (Gramercy ticipating winemakers who came together on Cellars), Mike Januik (Januik Winery), Dave January 7 to help us say “thank you.” Lavigne Merfeld (Northstar Winery), Rob Newsom WTA Development (Boudreaux Cellars) and Kerry Norton (Columbia To find out more, go to www.wta.org/support Director Winery). and click on “Join the Fireside Circle.” t [email protected] Jane and Peter Barrett were among 100 Fireside Circle members and guests at the cel- www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails 19 On Trail Special Feature » Exploring Washington’s Geology In this feature, we’ll help you interpret the landscapes you hike through. Learn a little bit about geology, and you’ll realize that every rock can tell a story. Prepare to have your sense of time and scale stretched. The geologic events that have led Washington to look the way it does now have been a long time in the making.

A Grand Geologic Tour In the 18th century, young aristocrats would embark on what came to be known as “The Grand Tour” of the major sights of Colorful columnar Europe. In that spirit, we’d like to take you on a Grand Tour of Washington, basalt in Moses a natural and geological wonderland composed of “physiographic provinc- Coulee es,” landscapes that are distinct from one another, with unique landforms, plants, soils and climate in each.

As a hiker with boots on the ground, you can appreciate how geological forces created what you SPECIAL THANKS see as you explore. And, as there is still so much that is not fully understood or adequately ex- to Annaliese Eipert, plained, you can speculate next time you go out for a hike and see interesting shapes to the land or Phil Fenner, Lee rocks underfoot. Whitford, “Hig” Higman, Eli Before we embark, let’s spend a few minutes on the “big picture.” One thing that makes Washing- Boschetto, Scott ton both geologically interesting and great for hiking and scenery is the fact that the ice age was so Babcock, Bob recent (relatively speaking, of course). Our state was right at the edge of the action as the ice was Carson and the Ice advancing and retreating. All that ice had a dramatic effect, especially near the Canadian border Age Floods Institute and on the high peaks in the South Cascades. A vast sheet of ice repeatedly flowed south out of for their help with Canada to scour out the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. Near where the ice sheet finally this feature. ended, three huge lobes of ice followed the lowlands between the mountain ranges, carved out wide basins, and left behind hills and valleys of glacial drift, loose and unsorted rock debris scat- MORE GEOLOGY tered by glaciers and glacial meltwaters. The Puget Lobe formed Puget Sound and the surrounding COMING SOON! lowland between the Olympics and Cascades, while the Okanogan and Pend Oreille lobes had similar effects in valleys east of the Cascades. The Cascade and Olympic Mountains were also covered Next Issue >> by their own ice caps that formed as glaciers came together and grew to fill valleys. These ice caps VOLCANOES and radiated from the high peaks and carved out the “alpine” scenery we find so picturesque, including GLACIERS U horn-shaped peaks and broad -shaped valleys. All right, ready to go? 20 » On Trail March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

By starting in the northwest, with our backs escaped glaciation. Above: Orcas Island to the Pacific Ocean, we’ll come first to the is made of some of Olympic Peninsula, with miles of coastline sur- Head back north and east and you’ll reach the older rocks in rounding the Olympic Mountains, which rise the Puget Lowland, with Puget Sound at its Puget Sound. Photo to almost 8,000 feet, encompass about 60 small center. Now the urban center of the state, it by Doug Diekema. glaciers, and are home to some of the world’s was once covered by a sheet of ice about five densest temperate rain forest. The rocks here times thicker than the height of Seattle’s Space Center: Hiker en form tilted wedges as bits and pieces of sea Needle. The lobe of the continental ice sheet route to Sahale Arm. floor piled up against the continent. Look for that flowed south from Canada during the last These spiky peaks “pillow lavas” on the pennisula. These pillow- ice age went further south here in Puget Sound are typical of the like structures formed from magma erupting than anywhere else in the state. Deepening North Cascades, underwater, in this case far out under the the basin, it created an inland arm of the sea, caused by resistant Pacific, and plate movement gradually carried interspersed with islands and channels. Have rock and intense them to where they are today. Too bad they you noticed that these channels and islands are glaciation. Photo by can’t double as camp cushions! More seafloor generally longer in the north-south direction? Scott Means. scrapings piled up here, including sandstone That is the direction the ice lobe followed in that also started out far out in the ocean. You its advance and retreat. The San Juan Islands won’t find fresh volcanoes like Mount Rainier in in the northern Sound are made of much older the Olympics because the subducting oceanic rocks than those found in the south Sound. crust underneath is not at great enough depth. (See graphic on page 22). The Cascade Range divides the state from north to south. The North Cascades are made South of the Olympics, the Chehalis River of older rocks exposed by intense uplift. Large flows through a vastly oversized valley, one that portions are pieces of oceanic crust and island carried an ice-age super-river formed from all arcs known as “exotic terranes,” rafted-in by the rivers of the east Olympics and west Cas- subduction of the Kula plate and piled up here. Phil cades and the meltwater from the Puget Lobe Think of it as a sort of “terrane-wreck”—a huge itself out to Grays Harbor, until the ice receded pile of debris that can be hard to sort out. If Fenner northward past the Strait of Juan de Fuca and you’re interested in geology, the North Cas- Puget Sound filled with salt water. cades have some of the most complicated geolo- Phil is an amateur gy anywhere, with two volcanoes (Mount Baker Just south of the Chehalis River, you’ll find and Glacier Peak) over 10,000 feet to boot. naturalist and a the Willapa Hills, an area of lower, rolling The northern mountains were uplifted more, WTA member. He topography. The area is underlaid by subma- exposing their crystalline core of more resistant majored in history rine basalt flows and sediments, then a huge rocks, then they were more severely glaciated and geology at flow of the same basalt that is found in central in the ice age than the southern Cascades—a Whitman College. Washington invaded from the vicinity of today’s formula for spectacular scenery. Many peaks in Blue Mountains. Since then, the area has been the North Cascades are still glaciated, adding eroded gradually by streams and rivers and has to their scenic beauty. www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails On Trail « 21

Younger, more easily eroded volcanic and . It is high, rugged coun- Okanogan Highlands These hikers in the sedimentary rocks are exposed at the surface try that was mostly covered by the continental Goat Rocks Wil- of the South Cascades. Here, the range was ice sheet. Remote, lonely pathways await the derness are enjoy- not uplifted as much as in the north, so the few hikers who venture here. If you like hiking ing typical south overlying mantle of these less-resistant rocks in the Rockies, you can hike the same sort of Cascades geology, remains. Many of the sedimentary rocks here landscape with a lot less travel time. rounded peaks of came from volcanic mudflows and erosion of less resistant rocks other volcanic rocks. The South Cascades volca- The Blue Mountains rise in the southeast in the foreground noes are the highest in the range, with Mount corner of the state. Here, the Columbia River and a looming volca- Rainier topping out at 14,410 feet and Mount basalt flows were pushed up and folded into Adams at 12,276 feet. The only Washington a rolling mountain range that extends into no (Mount Adams) in volcano to erupt recently, Mount St. Helens, is northeast Oregon and up to heights over 6,000 the distance. Photo found here as well. feet. The topography can get steep, but it was by Judy Roberts. not carved by glaciers so it’s generally It would be hard to imagine how the lands rounded rather than peaky. east of the Cascades could look more different, as we leave steep, wet and forested for arid, One feature that cuts across the state flat and rolling. Dominating the central part of is known as the “Olympic-Wallowa the state, the Columbia Plateau was formed lineament,” and may be a fault like the by vast lava flows, known as the Columbia San Andreas in California. Whenever you River basalts, which primarily erupted between take the northwest-southeast route of 16 million and 13 million years ago. The land Interstate-90 from Seattle to Ellensburg, is flat and barren, interrupted by river gorges you are roughly following this feature. and long, folded hills and valleys. Some of You can see a rough line pattern to the the largest floods to have ever taken place on land forms beginning in the upper left of earth happened here near the end of the last a state map, with the angle of the Strait ice age, carving out huge canyons in the basalt of Juan de Fuca, continuing along the as they repeatedly roared through after an ice route over Snoqualmie Pass, then running east dam periodically broke in northern Idaho. (Read of and parallel to the Yakima Valley, through A view of the more about the unflatteringly named Channeled Pasco and into northeastern Oregon, ending in rounded hills of the Scablands on page 25.) With the Cascades the northern front of the Wallowa Mountains. Palouse, toward Ka- holding back moist air masses from the Pacific, In some areas the land southwest of the line is miak Butte, in south- the dry side often beckons to hikers and those raised or uplifted, while lands to the northeast eastern Washington. who hike here find a spectacular landscape and are often lowered. This feature of our state’s Photo by Robert ecosystem. geology is not fully understood and remains Tetzlaff. one of the puzzles that geologists are striving The northeast portion of the state is geologi- to solve! t cally an extension of the Rocky Mountains and Anxious to learn more? Phil’s “ I-90 Geology Tour” is the Intermontane Superterrane known as the online at www.mtsgreenway.org/newsandpublications. 22 » On Trail March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

The Tortoise of Geologic Time by Annaliese Eipert Blank stares. Silence. “How did these fos- noes to earthquakes in Seattle to the Olympic sils get all the way up here, a mile above sea Mountains—the accumulated rock and sediment level?” he asked again. A group of us had hiked scraped off the subducting Juan de Fuca Plate up Hurricane Hill near Port Angeles as part of as it pulls eastward under the North American a week-long environmental science and outdoor Plate. Over the past 50 million years, enough adventure program, and were now gathered material has moved through this subduction around a small fragment of rock. zone conveyor belt to build up into an extensive mountain range. I took in my teacher’s explanation of colliding tectonic plates moving towards each other at Tectonic plates are constantly recycling—dur- the barely discernable rate of 3 to 4 centimeters ing subduction a denser oceanic plate melts per year, and patiently tried to imagine a time- into magma as it descends into the Earth, line that would allow rocks once part of the sea where heat and pressure buoy it upward and floor to transform into mountains large enough it begins to melt the overlying North American to influence weather patterns in Seattle, sustain Plate. Lava erupts through the surface and a glacier with the volume of a trillion ice cubes, quickly cools to form the andesite of Mount and keep most people from dreaming of ever Baker or the rhyolite of Mount St. Helens. Or, standing on top of them. the magma cools more slowly underground in a pluton, where minerals in the melt separate That was ten years ago. I’ve since become a into distinct crystals as seen in the tonalite of geologist and have sought answers in hundreds Vesper Peak or the granite of Copper Ridge. Created exclusively of rocks (often finding only blank stares and These plutonic rocks will one day be exposed, for Washington silence), but I still feel the same sense of awe after all the overlying rock and sediment has Trails readers, this at the bigness of geology and the slow, patient eroded and been deposited in the lowlands or illustration provides tortoise of geologic time. Underneath all the washed into the sea, where they will perhaps a hiker’s eye view of sediments and water and rocks we can see hik- be subducted and remelted into magma with the geologic forces ing, the crust of our Earth is made up of dozens the downgoing slab, or perhaps will be accret- which shape our of shifting plates that never stop moving. ed into the Olympic Mountains. landscape. Graphic by Ground Truth The work of tectonic plates can be seen and What better testament to the slow-but-steady Trekking. felt all over Washington, from Cascade volca- tortoise than the mountains of geologic time? t A hiker’s view of Plate Tectonics

Pacific Ocean Vancouver

pic M Olym ts S ub Seattle du ct Accretionary Mt. Rainier (Ju ing an oc wedge Casc de ea ade F ni Mou uc c c Fore-arc ntai a p ru ns lat st e) basin

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Continental Crust Magma intrusion

What if the earth were sliced in half across the width of Washington? Imagine climbing to the edge of the cut on a peak in the Cascades, looking across the yawning gulf to see the other half of the earth, its insides exposed for your study. You could see the Juan de Fuca oceanic plate subducting under the land, building a wedge of scraped-off sediments into the Olympic Mountains. Faults fragment the edge of the continent, and magma oozes up through the crust to form the volcanoes of the Cascade range. www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails On Trail « 23 Hoh Melange – Beach Three

Take an easy stroll along Olympic’s Third Beach to witness some truly mangled rock formations. At one time part of the Juan de Fuca Plate’s sea floor, these sandstones, shales and cherts were ground up, then thrust vertically back above the surface.

The brown seeps coming from the rocks are from organic material that was subducted with the rocks and changed into petroleum.

Glaciated Granite – Asgaard Pass

Referred to as the “Yosemite of the Northwest” and varying greatly from the distinctive volcanic features of the state, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a glaciated granite wonderland. Replete with ice-carved arêtes, spires and ridges, all surrounding pristine lake basins and beautiful creekside meadows, this landscape invites hikers, backpackers and climbers to im- merse themselves in a landscape of rugged alpine perfection.

Sky-High Seafloor – Hurricane Hill

Fifty million years ago, the rocks composing most of the Olympic Range were actually miles under the ocean as part of the Pacific sea floor. Over time, these rocks were subducted more than 15 miles below the surface, then thrust a mile above the surface, forming the Olympic Mountains as we know them now. Hike the 3-mile Hurricane Hill Trail to view submarine sandstones, shales, pillow lavas and turbidites.

Plug Volcano – Beacon Rock Amazing Geology Hikes Check out these geological wonders this summer. Considered a “volcanic plug,” Beacon Rock Recommendations and photos by Eli Boschetto. is all that remains of another of the Cascade 5 Range’s many volcanoes, the rest of the mountain long since eroded away. The twisted layers and colums of basalt were formed when the ancient volcano’s interior magma cooled and hardened into its crystalline form. A 1-mile trail goes to the top of the 840-foot monolith for grand views of the Columbia River Gorge.

Mountain Building – Mount St. Helens

There are few places in the world where you can see geologic processes in action. Mount St. Helens’s Monitor Ridge Trail allows hikers to scramble up a jagged lava flow, followed by an ash and pumice slope to the crater rim. From there, peer 2,000’ down into the smoldering crater and witness the mountain’s rebuilding, as the interior lava dome continues to grow. 24 » On Trail March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

Geologist Profile: Western Hikes Highly Washington University geology Recommended Scott Babcock, author of professor Scott Hiking Guide to Washington Geology Babcock

Ape Cave When did you become a geologist?

Even though I grew up in Wenatchee, which is a kind of geological wonderland with a gold mine and an oil well within a mile of each other on the outskirts of town, I didn’t know anything about geology until I took an introductory course my senior year of college. I took the course to satisfy a science requirement, but it ended up changing my life. And the more I learned about geology, the more I realized that it was a profession where hiking and climbing could be part of your job description! It was also an opportunity to spend a few more years taking classes in graduate school before I had to make my entry into the real world.

What is a typical day as a geology professor?

Being a professor has three required elements. The first is teaching and I spend about four to five hours a day either in class or preparing classroom materials. The second is research. This involves another four to five hours daily, plus a large part of summer vacation and other breaks from the teaching schedule, but it is also the part that involves hiking, climbing and traveling to spectacular places on the planet. The third element is service, which can consume one to two hours or all day. Service can consist of seriously tedious time on university committees. Or it can be an opportunity to inform and involve people in the community with geologic topics. Participating in Chain Lakes this special issue of Washington Trails would be considered service--the kind that I like to do. How did you come up with the idea to write a hiking geology guidebook?

The Mountaineers had published a book called Hiking Oregon’s Geology that was surprisingly successful. They decided to do a series of books on geologic hikes in other places. I had previous- ly contributed a chapter to a book called Impressions of the North Cascades, so the editor called to see if I would be interested. I certainly was, but it was obvious that it would take a lot of time and trail miles to get the job done. Finding a co-author was the first thing that crossed my mind. Bob Carson was perfect. He taught at Whitman on the opposite corner of the state, had a different research specialization and, best of all, he had a lot of experience presenting geology to the public. [Editor’s note: The guidebook originally published by The Mountaineers books has been republished under a new name by Keokee Books.]

What are your personal favorite hikes in Hiking Guide to Washington Geology?

That’s not an easy choice to make. In fact, it was hard to limit ourselves to the 55 hikes in the book. Someday we may do another book with 55 more hikes that have great geology. If I had to choose just two, I’d pick one short hike and one longer hike, but both easily accessible. The short hike is Ape Caves at Mount St. Helens, which is an absolutely intriguing stroll through the underground plumbing system of a Mount St. Helens lava flow. The longer hike is the Chain Lakes Trail, where you can see everything from recent Mount Baker lava flows to a million year old equivalent of the Crater Lake caldera to 350-million-year-old sea floor deposits that were metamor- phosed to greenstone and marble when the Chilliwack terrane smashed into the western margin of North America.

Can you ever take a hike without looking at the geology?

Why would anyone possibly want to hike without checking out some geology? I personally go for the biology and botany as well. Add some human history and you have the perfect hike.

Are scientists really not sure what caused the Mima Mounds? Mima Mounds Well, the latest high-tech study using Lidar imaging favors a glacial origin and even adds a tan- talizing new element—sediment filled suncups! I think that it is great that the mounds can still be considered “majorly mysterious” (in the words of one recent blog). We need to have a few natural features that cannot be fully explained by scientific theory—just to keep hiking interesting. t www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails On Trail « 25

Photographer Alan Bauer scans Steamboat Rock State Park. Photo by Karen Sykes.

The Channeled Scablands

Of the many imposing geological wonders to discover in Washington, the Channeled Scablands outrank all others in Resources That Rock magnitude and cataclysmic origins. Dig deeper into this interesting topic by checking out these geology resources. Forty or more enormous ice age floods scoured the region, leaving a devastated landscape that extends from the Cascade Range to Spokane and Grand Coulee south between the Columbia and Snake Rivers. As Publications recently as 13,000 years ago, continental glaciers advanced south from Fire, Faults, & Floods: A Road & Trail Guide Exploring Canada and formed ice dams as high as 2,000 feet. Lakes dammed by the Origins of the Columbia River Basin. Marge and the ice, such as Glacial Lake Missoula to the east and Columbia Lake to Ted Mueller. University of Idaho Press, 1997 the north, grew to 3,000 square miles and 2,000 feet deep. When rising water breached the ice, huge glacial outburst floods emptied the lakes in Geology of the North Cascades: A Mountain a matter of days at speeds reaching 80 miles per hour as the waters raced Mosaic. Rowland Tabor and Raph Haugerud. The to the Pacific Ocean. The aftermath of these catastrophic events is visible Mountaineers Books, 1999 today throughout this region.

The most striking erosional feature created by the floods is the series Guide to the Geology of the Olympic National Park. of coulees that weave throughout the region. Coulees are steep-walled Rowland Tabor. University of Washington Press channels eroded by repeated flooding. Grand Coulee is 50 miles long, 1 1982. Reprinted by Pacific Northwest Interpretive to 6 miles wide and 900 feet deep. In the middle, a 743-foot high mesa Association,1998 called Steamboat Rock rises out of the artificially made Banks Lake. To the south are Sun Lakes, which are basins scoured in the floor of Grand Hiking Guide to Washington Geology. Scott Bab- Coulee. The coulee is broken by a stretch of steep cliffs that deep water cock and Bob Carson. Keokee Books, 2009 flowed over during the flooding. Of these,Dry Falls is 3 miles wide and 350 feet high. Moses, Black Rock, Frenchman, Crab Creek and Potholes Coulees all display similar features. Other erosional formations are giant Northwest Exposures: A Geologic Story of the eddy scars, potholes, and pinnacles of hard rock left after the surrounding Northwest. David Alt and Donald Hyndman. softer rock washed away. Mountain Press, 1995

As glacial floodwaters slowed, sediment was deposited in massive On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods, A Geological Field gravel bars that are still visible. Giant ripples 3 to 45 feet high formed by Guide to the Mid-Columbia Basin. Bruce Bjornstad, deep, flowing water are evident from both land and air. Granite boulders Keokee Books, 2006 as large as 21 tons are scattered throughout the Channeled Scablands. These “erratics” were embedded in icebergs and dropped onto the land when the ice melted. Lone rocks are seen today in fields throughout the Organizations area. Association for Women Geoscientists, Puget Currently, the National Park Service and Congress are establishing the Sound chapter - www.awg.org first National Geologic Trail, the Ice Age Floods Trail. Soon, new trails Geological Society of America - www.gsa.org and interpretive materials will help us to understand these unique geolog- Ice Age Floods Institute - www.iafi.org ical wonders found throughout the Channeled Scablands. t Northwest Geological Society - www.nwgs.org

— Lee Whitford 26 » On Trail March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org A Hiker’s Garden A few tips to help make gardening easier so you never have to miss a day on trail. By Pam Roy

As a passionate hiker and an avid gardener, I’ve always had a conflict of interests and a shortage of time from spring through fall.

I’d return from a weekend hike, notice the state of neglect of the yard and resolve to stay home the next weekend and get the garden in shape. Inevitably one of my hiking friends would call midweek to mention an upcoming hike. They were planning to camp and get in a couple days of hiking. So much for the garden. This pattern repeated itself on a weekly basis and before I could say “weed the garden” it was late September.

I am sure I’m not the only one with this annual dilemma. But, as a professional landscape designer, there was no excuse for me not to create a A water feature can be as simple as a bub- plan that would allow me to get in all the hiking I wanted to and be able bler in a pot, providing pleasing sound to enjoy my garden. and a water source for backyard wildlife. Now, in the hopes of not having to hear any of my hiking buddies tell me, “Sorry, I can’t go hiking with you, I have to stay home and work in my garden this weekend,“ I’m sharing some of my secrets with you.

Have a Plan and Stick to It

One of the most important things you can do to minimize time spent on garden chores is to keep it simple. Make a list of the elements that are important to have in your garden. Consider the amount of maintenance time each of these will take, and prioritize those you will enjoy spending time on. Creating a plan makes it easier to break down the yard work into smaller tasks that are easily achievable in limited chunks of time and give you a sense of accomplishment.

Above: Deer fern, a native plant commonly Go Native seen along the trail, works well in your garden, too. A great way to simplify is to incorporate native plants into your garden at home. A small woodland garden can be created in a partially shady Below: Drought-tolerant plants, like sunny area of the yard. Native plants tend to need less maintenance, and many black-eyed Susan and many of the orna- of them need little watering once established. Native plants are less sus- mental grasses, save time and water. ceptible to disease and insects, thus pesticides aren’t needed. By creating habitat for birds and butterflies, you’ll bring life to the garden with native plants. Planting multiple layers of short to taller plants provides cover and nesting areas for wildlife. Covering bare ground with native plants reduces erosion and soil runoff.

Many of the plants you see when hiking can do well if given the right conditions in the home garden. The evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), which delights lowland hikers with its blue-black berries, is a very attractive ornamental shrub. The pinkish white bell-shaped flowers offer spring color andt are then followed by tasty berries. Later on, in winter, the leaves take on interesting bronzy hues. Add a few ferns such as deer fern (Blechnum spicant) and maidenhair fern (Adiantum aleuti- cum), and a smattering of woodland perennials such as inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra), foamflower Tiarella( trifoliata), fairybells (Dispo- rum hookeri), and wild ginger (Asarum caudatum). The bright red stems of dwarf red twig dogwood (Cornus stolonifera ‘Kelseyii’) will add winter color. www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails On Trail « 27

Several native shrubs make great additions disconnected. These can be very easy to install. to ornamental beds in the yard and offer inter- RESOURCES est throughout the year. Evergreen huckleberry What about the lawn? If you have lawn, let also tolerates sun and makes an informal mowing become cross-training for hiking by us- Audubon Society backdrop or native plant hedge. Oregon-grape ing a push mower. Lawns require more water, www.audubon.org (Mahonia) can be used as a groundcover (M. a valuable resource, and fertilizer runoff can nervosa) or a taller shrub (M. aquifolium). pollute streams. Consider replacing lawns with The bright yellow flowers cheerfully welcome native plants or edible landscapes. Initially this Backyard Wildlife spring and are followed by blue-black berries. may be more labor intensive, requiring weeding Habitat Oregon-grape also offers bronze winter foliage until the plants fill in, but once they do you can www.nwf.org/ color. retire the mower. gardenforwildlife Need a native plant to fill a large area? Keep Your Edibles Up Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica) may be King County Native Plant Guide just the plant. Tolerating sun to part shade and If, like me, you enjoy growing edibles, put a variety of soil conditions, this coastal native them in containers and raised beds to make www.kingcounty.gov/ has small nutlets in the fall that provide food harvesting your delicious fresh vegetables and gonative for birds. Hardy to around 20 degrees, this produce faster and easier. Use organic top- plant can reach up to 15 feet, making a great soil, or add organic compost to existing soil. Seattle Tilth screen. Containers can be set out on the deck or near www.seattletilth.org the kitchen, where they can be easily reached Know Your Dirt during dinner preparation. Being aboveground warms up the soil, which accelerates growth, Washington Native Before selecting which native plants to use, and it keeps tasty plants out of reach of some Plant Society evaluate the soil conditions and the sun and of the creepy-crawly pests. A simple drip irriga- www.wnps.org shade orientation of your garden. Determine if tion system can keep the containers watered. the soil is sandy, loamy or clay, and what the With a few containers and one raised bed, I pH or acid and alkaline level is. This can be was able to avoid the produce aisles last sum- WSU Extension Office evaluated with a soil test. Pick up a soil test kit mer and fall, all while getting in lots of hiking. www.extprograms.wsu. from the garden store, or have it done through It was a treat to grab a handful of crisp green edu/gardening the Washington State University Extension beans from the garden to share with my friends Office. Select plants to match the soil and light on a hike. conditions of your yard. Another way to greatly reduce maintenance is to pick plants that will About next weekend … want to go for a hike? not outgrow the space in which they have been planted. Pam is a hiker and landscape designer and the owner of Create a low- maintenance, peaceful Once the plants are in the ground, mulch Planscapes. To see photos of her work, visit gallery.mac. retreat in your yard with with a 4-inch layer of wood chips to reduce com/pnw54. If you’d like her help to make your garden native plants. weed growth and conserve moisture. Pull the hiker-friendly, send an email to [email protected]. wood chips away from the stems of the new plants. Consider adding a source of water such as a dish rock, birdbath or water feature to provide water for wildlife attracted to your garden. Change the water in birdbaths every couple of days to remove any mosquito eggs that may have been laid in the water. Consider having your yard certified as a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation (see www.nwf.org for details). Add a bench and you now have your own personal wildlife retreat to enjoy.

Use Less Water

Use drought-tolerant plants in your garden. This greatly reduces your time spent watering and saves resources, too. Group plants together according to water needs, so that those need- ing a bit more water are all in one area. Even drought-tolerant plants need irrigation for their first couple of growing seasons. Invest in a basic drip irrigation system that can later be 28 » On Trail

Day Hikes and Cheap Sleeps Are you a soft-bed enthusiast? These hikes on the south side of Mount Adams, in the Methow Valley and on the west Olympic Peninsula just happen to have nice soft beds nearby

Have you ever gone hiking for the whole entire weekend, but left your tent at home? As West Olympic Peninsula in, on purpose? Because I’m about to give you permission to do so. Moss, moss, everywhere you look. Shun the crowds as you hike under towering trees in the I love backpacking. I even like car camping. quiet, deep peace of this section of Olympic But sometimes, I really crave a hot shower and National Park. Don’t forget your raincoat! And a soft bed after a long day hike. That’s when I bring a windbreaker for the next day as you find a cozy inn or friendly B and B to use as a comb the rocky beach for sea stars and climb base camp as my family samples several day among the old-growth driftwood. hikes over the course of a weekend … perhaps a river walk on Friday, an exhilarating climb on Where to Hike Saturday, and maybe a beach comb on Sunday before heading home. It’s especially convenient Quinault National Recreation Trails to travel this way in the shoulder seasons, Olympic National Forest, Pacific Ranger Dis- when lots of great hiking destinations are ac- trict. 3.9 miles, 300 feet gain. cessible, but overnight temperatures can make outdoor sleeping less than hospitable. This gentle path among emerald giants and along a pretty lakeshore gives you a taste of I’ve assembled three fabulous regional what Franklin D. Roosevelt saw when he felt destinations, providing inspired to protect ad- not only suggestions jacent wilderness lands for excellent day hikes, within Olympic National but also some pretty Park. Lauren great places to sleep. I’m a budget traveler, Bogachiel River Braden so none of these accom- Olympic National Park. modations is more than 12 miles, 400 feet gain. $125 a night for double Lauren is WTA’s occupancy. As each of With your feet in communications di- these “cheap sleeps” is waterproof boots (hint, rector. She can also independently owned, hint), you’ll hike through be found sharing her you can rest assured second growth for a lodging recommen- that your tourism dollars few miles before enter- dations at Northwest are staying in the coming old-growth heaven. Cheapsleeps, a blog munities you’re visiting. Enjoy the silence as you about great places dodge hanging lichen, Try one out, have fun, and keep an eye out for to stay throughout and send us a postcard elk. the Northwest. from the trail! www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails On Trail « 29

Third Beach sive after spring snowmelt when the creek and Olympic National Park. 3.6 miles, 280 feet falls are swollen with turbulent water. gain. Goat Peak Lookout A hike along this wide, sandy stretch of wild Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Olympic coast leads you to a plunging waterfall. Methow Valley Ranger District. 5 miles, 1,400 Choose this beach for a longer, quieter hike. feet gain. If strolling through More day hikes: Hole in the Wall, Queets A rugged trail with tight switchbacks, the a meadow of bal- River reward is the view of peaks in every direc- samroot intrigues tion from one of two active fire lookouts in the you, you will love Methow Valley. Where to Sleep the Methow Val- ley. Photo by Erika Black Lake Near the heart of Forks, Huckleberry Lodge Klimecky. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Pasay- Cabins comprise a handful of cabins set on 5 ten Wilderness. 8 miles, 780 quiet acres of forest next to the Calawah River. feet gain. Amenities include down comforters, extra pil- lows, kitchenettes, on-site laundry, a hot tub This hike through a recent and a sauna. If you are lucky, you may even get burn along a pretty creek a visit from a local herd of elk. Rooms run $60 to Black Lake is delightful to $110. Contact: (360) 374-4090 or visit their in late spring when colorful website, www.huckleberryforks.com. flowers paint the forest floor. The funky, cheap Rainforest Hostel, also More day hikes: Wolf south of Forks, is popular with hikers, cyclists Creek, Lookout Mountain and international backpackers. Shared accommodations are $10 per person and guests are asked to contribute to daily chores. A large Where to Sleep communal kitchen is available for guest use, and the common areas are comfortable and Head to Twisp for a funky, clean. Contact: (360) 374-2270. charming cottage at the Idle- A-While Motel ($49 to $125). Like to fall asleep to the soothing sound of Some units have kitchenettes. ocean waves? Stay right on the beach for under The bumping Methow River $100 a night at the La Push Oceanside Resort. is just a short path away Offerings range from oceanview cabins with from your bright yellow door. kitchenettes to comfortable hotel suites. Con- There’s a hot tub and a sauna tact: (360) 374-5267 or visit www.quileutenation. for guests to relax weary org/accommodations. muscles after a day of hiking. Contact: (509) 997-3222 or More cheap sleeps: Hoh Humm Ranch B and www.idle-a-while-motel.com. B in Forks (quite eccentric, good for kids). Lake Quinault Lodge (historic building, a bit more Also in Twisp is the pricey). Methow Valley Inn, a bed and breakfast just one block from Twisp’s main street, providing easy access to the The Methow Valley Cinnamon Twisp Bakery Spring is a marvelous season to visit the and the Methow Valley Methow Valley, before the summer crowds brewpub. The inn has mod- descend and people start to outnumber the est-size rooms that are well- ponderosa pine. Hike along cedar-lined creeks kept and nicely detailed. and to stunning vistas of the North Cascades. The hardwood floors are as creaky as they are beautiful, Where to Hike though the rooms seem suf- ficiently soundproof. $89 to $119. Contact: (509) 997-2253 Cedar Creek Falls or www.methowvalleyinn. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, com. Methow Valley Ranger District. 3.5 miles, 500 feet gain. More cheap sleeps: The Mazama Country Inn, Duck This easy early-season hike is most impres- Brand Hotel 30 » On Trail March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

Little Huckleberry Mountain Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount Ad- ams Ranger District. 5 miles, 1,800 feet gain.

The views afforded on this moderately steep trail are truly unique, including the huge black Big Lava bed below, as well as Mount Adams and Mount Hood.

More day hikes: Bird Mountain, Blue Lake

Where to Sleep

South Side of Mount Adams The Trout Lake Valley Inn is pet-friendly, Mount Adams dominates the South Cascades kid-friendly and hiker-friendly. It’s also budget- landscape at 12,276 feet. Hikes in this region friendly at $80 to $100 a night. Start your day of are both numerous and diverse, and the small hiking right with their signature sweet potato town of Trout Lake makes an excellent base Belgian waffles. End your hike relaxing in the from which to explore nearby lava tubes and hot tub or warming up with your gas log stove. lookout hikes on day excursions. Trout Lake, Wash. Contact: (509) 395-2300 or www.troutlakevalleyinn.com.

Where to Hike Enjoy truly warm hospitality and wake up to a delicious breakfast of huckleberry pancakes Sleeping Beauty Peak at Kelly’s Trout Creek Inn Bed and Break- Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount Ad- fast, where the recent economic downturn has ams Ranger District. 3 miles, 800 feet gain. lowered rates to $50 to $70 (until May 1). Your dip in the hot tub beside a roaring creek will re- Short and sweet, this climb rewards with a lieve tired muscles from your hike. Trout Lake, picture-perfect view of Mount Adams from a WA. Contact: (509) 395-2769 or www.kellysbnb. Above: Mount former lookout site. com. Adams. Photo by Lindsay Parker. Ice Cave and Natural Bridges More cheap sleeps: Mount Adams Lodge Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount Ad- (groups welcome), The Farm B and B Below: Just a few of ams Ranger District. 0.5 miles, no gain. the blue ridges you’ll Hike details and driving directions can be enjoy seeing while Lava tubes formed by the long-ago volcanic found at www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes. hiking in the South activity of Mount Adams creates a enthralling Cascades. Photo by play area for kids. One of the lava tubes has an Find more recommended accomodations at Tracy Aue. ice cave in it. www.nwcheapsleeps.org. www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails 31 Backcountry The Gear Closet » Hydration Bladders Does your bladder pass the leak test?

One of the biggest problems facing hikers is Hydrapak 3L - $29 staying properly hydrated. When motoring up a hill, the last thing many of us want to do is I have not seen great results with the Hy- stop and take a drink of water. I started using drapak bladders in the past, so expectations a hydration system a few years ago, and now, were not terribly high. Previous versions tended water is always available through a bite valve to be leaky, and gave water an odd taste. dangling out of the top of my pack. At water Today’s version is vastly improved. The blad- stops it’s dead simple to water up; see our side- der is easy to fill, with a large roll-top that clips bar on “Backfilling” for details. Using a hydra- securely closed. The 45-degree bite valve is a The verdict on the tion bladder takes a little bit of care, but if it bit on the small side, but delivers lots of flow. Hydrapak 3L: I’d helps to keep us feeling strong and healthy all There is a little magnet on the bite valve and a recommend this day, the fuss is worth it. One thing I find prob- magnetic piece that attaches to a pack strap— bladder. lematic: you can’t tell you are out of water until great feature. When the hose catches on brush, your hose runs dry. To counter this, I typically the magnet releases and you don’t get snared. carry a half-liter of water in a hard-sided bottle. The Hydrapak is designed so that it can be That bottle will come in handy in camp for easily turned inside-out for cleaning. Directions cooking, teeth-brushing, and other tasks where for use and cleaning are printed right on the a soft-sided container is not going to cut it. bladder. I could not make this bladder leak. My one complaint? The bladder tended to make the When we last visited hydration bladders in water taste like plastic, more specifically, like May, 2005, as part of a piece reviewing trail how a waterbed might taste if you ate one. I running packs, there were a wide range of is- gave it an overnight soak with a diluted bleach sues separating the good from the bad, but now solution, rinsed, and—voila!—problem solved. it comes down largely to personal preferences. All bladders tested are 3 liters—the difference in weight between a smaller or larger bladder is negligible, and bladders pack a little better if MSR Hydromedary 3L - $40 they are not completely full. All tested are BPA- free, and have bite valves that close securely. I At $40, the Hydromedary comes in as the did a “leak test” on all four bladders as follows: most expensive of the bunch, so I expected it Allison I filled each halfway, bled out the air, closed it to be the most fully featured. The bladder itself is impressive-looking enough, with watertight Woods up, and sat on it with the bite valve open. Any WTA Gear Editor well-made piece of hiking gear should be able Cordura for the bladder body material. It oddly to endure this type of abuse. lacked the quick-disconnect feature found on [email protected] 32 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

the other three. The mouth of the bladder is not big enough for you to put a hand inside for cleaning, but it’s of Tech Tip: How to keep a standard dimension used for many water bottles. Sturdy grommets make a your hydration bladder good place to hang the bladder inside greeblie-free your pack. I gave it the leak test, and it immediately failed both at the large One of the problems I have struggled with is opening and the bite valve. The clip how to get the bladder and hose clean and intended to attach the hose to your dry once I’m home. The vendors have all kinds pack was strong enough, but I find the of fizzy pills and long skinny brushes to make Outcome: Can’t rec- magnet system is better in brush. Rather than ommend this one. cleaning the things easier, but the efficacy brush grabbing the tube and stopping you in is questionable at best. The best solution is your tracks, the magnet can release, allowing simple: rinse bladder, hose, and bite valve with for unimpeded travel. clean water, and put the whole mess in the freezer. Nothing grows in the bladder, problem solved. If you still feel the need to give it a good Platypus Big Zip SL 3L - $33 cleaning from time to time, use denture cleaning tablets. They are inexpensive and widely I have not been a fan of the Platypus blad- available. ders in the past. I had a Big Zip a few years ago. It had a top like a big ziplock bag, and it would occasionally burst open while being filled. The new Big Zip addresses the problem with a cleverly designed sliding piece that goes Backfilling over the zipper and doubles as a burly handle. The fine art of watering up The old bite valve design tended to leak if you so much as looked at it sideways. Since your bladder without re- the MSR and Platypus have virtually identical moving it from your pack hoses and bite valves, I expected the Platy to fail the leak test, but it performed perfectly. Verdict: Strongly If you’ve ever tried to fill a hydration bladder by any The smaller bite valve on this bladder will suit recommended for other means, you have my sympathies. lighter drinkers, and some will appreciate the non-guzzlers. removable clip for attaching hose to pack strap. In a perfect world, you simply pop off the bite valve and attach the bladder hose straight to the outflow of your water filer and start pumping. The MSR and Platypus bladders, with their identical hose diameters Nalgene CXC Rapid Fill 3L - $29 and valves, fit perfectly once the battle is done to remove the bite valve. In order for this to be easy in the field, heat the hose and valve up with the steam The Nalgene bladders have been my favor- from a tea kettle a few times. The Hydrapak and ites for years, so expectations were high. I like Nalgene hoses are of a larger diameter, but backfill- the giant opening at the top that allows you ing is a cinch. Remove the bite valve, slip the smaller to get your whole hand in for cleaning, and filter tube deep into the larger one on the bladder, the plastic spine makes it easy to handle. The and pump away. You’ll surely like this method better quick-disconnect is the best in the business, than trying to stuff a loaded bladder into a full pack. and the burly bite valve delivers big sips. The This method should work with all water filters with magnetic hose holder is a proven winner. The standard-sized outflow hoses, and works for certain piece of plastic that runs the length of the blad- with MSR and Katadyn filters. der provides extra stability and makes handling the CXC a snap.

Now, for the moment of truth: the leak test. The CXC did not leak, but it broke at a certain place around the collar of the large opening in the same place I’ve seen the Nalgenes break The Nalgene CXC before. Quite simply, the black plastic that Rapid Fill: Recom- forms the collar and handle need to somehow mended with minor be made more durable. That said, I’ve had this reservations. piece break before on Nalgene bladders and it does not affect performance. t www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 33 How to Do It » Predict Mountain Weather What’s about to happen next? The answer is in the clouds. By Leif Wefferling

The old folk saying “Red sky at night, sailors delight” may be well and good if you are a sailor, but how can hikers read the changing and vari- able weather conditions of the mountains? Checking weather forecasts before leaving home and carrying a NOAA weather radio are always good ideas, but paying attention to clouds and rapid changes in air pressure while on the trail can alert one to changing weather conditions in the field.

Clouds offer the most accessible reading of weather changes since they are formed by changes in the atmosphere. Lenticular clouds, those lens-shaped clouds hovering over a mountain peak like UFOs, indicate strengthening winds and the approach of moisture-laden air, both indica- tive of an advancing weather system from six to eighteen hours away.

Similarly, the approach of fronts and low-pressure storm systems may be signaled by the appearance of scattered, wispy cirrus clouds high in the atmosphere. Condensing moisture can also sometimes be seen as a halo, or ring, around the sun or moon. As a weather system moves closer, watch for a thickening, lowering cloud cover. If, over the course of a day or two, you see the progression from high cirrus to a low blanket of clouds obscuring the sun, precipitation may be only three to six hours away—time to head back to the car.

A handy sign to watch for as a storm draws near is the base of the cloud cover. A non-precipitating cloud will have a sharper, more defined cloud base, while a precipitating cloud will have a blurry, indistinct base that can often be seen from some distance, giving you time to take cover.

Rapidly falling barometric pressure is another clue to changes in the atmosphere. A pocket altimeter, if used correctly, can be a useful aid in foretelling the approach of a low-pressure storm system. Because air pressure naturally drops as you go up in the atmosphere, an altimeter actually registers a change in altitude by measuring the change in air pressure. Here’s a lenticular cloud on the move; you are So if your altimeter shows a rapid gain in elevation when none has taken more likely to see one hovering over a tall peak. place (or it steadily rises above your known altitude), it is actually measur- Photo by Steve Payne. ing a drop in air pressure. [Editor’s note: Read more about barometric pressure on page 36.] What’s the meaning behind these clouds at Learning about how weather works will greatly help in your reading Perfection Lake? Photo by John Lazenby. of environmental clues while on the trail. Two books by local authors are worth looking into. Northwest Mountain Weather, by Jeff Renner, gives a good introductory understanding of the forces at play in mountain weather. More comprehensive in scope and full of useful pictures is The Weather of the Pacific Northwest by University of Washington Atmospheric Scientist Cliff Mass.

Before heading to the mountains, check current conditions. NOAA’s National Weather Service (www.nws.noaa.gov) with re- corded info at (206) 526-6087 is an excellent source for everything from point forecasts and weather warnings to current radar im- ages. The Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (www.nwac. us or 206-526-6677) provides a mountain weather forecast for our region as well as essential information for anyone venturing into snow country. t 34 » Backcountry

Nature on Trail »

Watch Whales Hike Washington’s coastline for a chance to spot orcas

A golden butterfly flitting past your nose, or nearly one hundred After being sepa- the swish of a deer through the brush. years old. Orcas rated for the winter Catching a glimpse of wildlife while out on use echo-location months, Washing- the trail is a treat, but in my experience, little to find food, like ton’s three resident can top a trail that leads to orca whales, and dolphins and bats pods come together Washington is one of the very few states that do. Each whale has Breaching orca each summer for a offers that chance. Sure, you won’t find them a unique “saddle greeting. Here the on just any forested mountain hike, and you patch” or gray pattern behind its dorsal fin, whales are engaged almost never just “run across” them along the like a fingerprint. Each of the three pods has a in happy greeting trail. These animals are part of the pursuit on a unique dialect of calls with a set of calls com- play, body posturing carefully selected hike. mon to all three. Their calls can travel up to 10 and calls. This activ- This past summer, I was lucky enough to miles under water. ity is a highlight enjoy such an adventure. On a camping trip to Besides all that, they dance! Okay, they don’t for whale watchers San Juan Island, my group hiked the shoreline exactly dance. But their amazing behaviors do each season. Photos trail in San Juan Island National Historical endear us to them. They “spyhop,” poking their by Erika Klimecky. Park. It offered madrona trees edging quiet, heads up out of the water for a few seconds wild grassy fields and basalt outcrops when for a look around. They breach and wave their the trail ran close enough to the shore. As the fins. They court and communicate, splash and daylight faded, we ended the walk and stopped play. Some of the excursion-boat captains swear to rest on a large rock outcrop overlooking the the whales recognize the individual boats and Best Trails water. In the distance I saw a strange grouping captains. of boats courting an unmistakable set of shiny The Center for Whale Research, in Friday For Whales black backs, issuing misty breaths into the air. Harbor, Wash., has identified and tracked Puget Look for a feature When orcas are near, you know it. If not by Sound’s resident pods since the 1970s and has on WTA’s website in the occasional sprays and the water activity, named each of the more than 80 whales in the early March for ideas then by the bizarre antics of the excursion three resident pods (designated J pod, K pod on where to hike when boats that accompany them. As I watched the and L pod). Diet, range, social behavior and kin- you are looking for herd of boats approach, I looked through bin- ship are all unique to our local resident orcas. orcas. Hint: not Eastern oculars until I was sure the misty sprays were They are fish-only hunters, eating fish such Washington. from whales and not the boats. Then, a large as salmon and herring. In contrast, transient dorsal fin broke the water. The J pod and K pod orcas also hunt seals, sea lions and other ocean were in our midst. mammals. Worldwide, orca whales are not Orcas, Orcinus orca, are the largest members considered endangered and are even taken for of the dolphin family, Delphinindae. They travel food in some countries, but in 2005, the Na- in matriarchal family pods and can move over tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 100 miles in a single day when hunting for food. conferred endangered status on the estimated Erika Adult males can grow to be nearly 35 feet long 88 whales which make up Washington’s three Klimecky and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Their dorsal fin resident pods (also known as the Southern alone can be over 6 feet high. Awe-inspiring! Resident pods). Erika is a photogra- Females are smaller but have longer life expec- It takes a bit of preparation and planning tancies. As a species, life expectancy is about to see whales, but if a hike offers you even the pher, writer, hiker thirty to fifty years, but our local orcas have chance of seeing these amazing creatures, the and WTA member been classified as their own subspecies, and hoops you jump through to get there will be from Kirkland. life expectancy is one reason why. “Granny,” the well worth it. t oldest whale of the three resident orca pods, is www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 35

Trail Eats » Sarah Kirkconnell Author, Trail Food Made Simple Wondering what snacks to put in your pack this spring? These homemade energy bars carry well, and the warm, cheesy pasta dish is perfect for an early night on the trail Hiker’s Primavera Pasta

1 6-ounce box Shells & White Cheddar mac n’ cheese mix 1/4 cup freeze-dried green peas 1/4 cup freeze-dried sweet corn 2 Tbsp. diced dried carrots 2 Tbsp. diced sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 cup shelf-stable Parmesan cheese 1 Tbsp. dry milk 1 tsp. Italian seasoning blend 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1 Tbsp. olive oil Cran-Mac Caramel Bars At home: In a sandwich bag, pack the dry pasta and vegetables 1 12- to 13-ounce box cereal of choice together. In a snack-size bag, pack the cheese sauce mix, cheese, dry 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries milk and seasonings. Tuck the oil into a spill-resistant container or use a 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts convenient single-serving packet. 1 cup honey 1 cup sugar Bring 4 cups water to a boil in your pot, add in the pasta bag contents 1 Tbsp. molasses and cook for time on package (usually 8 minutes). Reserve 1/4 cup of the 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract cooking water and drain the rest off carefully. Stir the seasoning bag mix- 1 cup crunchy natural peanut butter ture into the pasta with the reserved water and oil till creamy.

Spray a 9x13 glass baking pan with cook- Serves 2. ing spray or butter it. Set aside. Notes: For the mac n’ cheese, we used Annie’s natural brand. Any simi- In a large and tall saucepan, heat the lar type will work—use the one you prefer. Shelf-stable Parmesan cheese? honey, sugar and molasses till it comes to a Look for the green canisters. Find the dried vegetables at REI and many full boil. Take it off the heat and quickly stir natural food grocery stores in Washington. in the peanut butter and then the vanilla. Mix in the cereal, cranberries and nuts with Variation: Want it fresh for an overnighter in spring? a wooden or silicone spoon till fully coated. You can also make this dish with fresh vegetables! Pick up whatever items you like, a couple of handfuls a piece. Pea pods, baby zucchini, and Dump into the pan and spread out, then baby corn all work well. In camp, using a clean knife, chop up the items. pack in tightly. Let cool for at least an hour Add to the boiling water with the pasta and continue as noted above. to set up. Cut into portions and tightly wrap Finish the meal with a roma tomato chopped on top. in plastic wrap.

These bars do not fall apart as they are dense and nicely sticky.

Makes one tray. The number of bars will depend on your concept of a "serving."

Notes: For the cereal choose a type with texture; flakes and crunchies work well. It doesn't need to be a sweet cereal as the caramel base is sweet enough on its own. If you have a favorite high-protein or high-fiber cereal, by all means use it.

Variation: Of course, you can also substitute your own favorite nuts and dried fruits. You might try cherries and cashews, blueberries and almonds, or dried banana and walnuts.

Photos by Kirk Kirkconnell. 36 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org Altimeters Explained Understanding the relationship between the altimeter on your wrist and the barometric pressure in the air

I sat on the ridge high above the Hoh River at High Divide, looking across the gorgeous valley to Mount Olympus. This was my reward after a very steep hike. I slowly ate my lunch while enjoying the afternoon clouds. I glanced at my altimeter, which told me that I was climbing fast despite having been sitting on a rock for half an hour. I jumped up and hiked quickly back down to the lake basin. I got back to camp in time: I was in the tent when the downpour started.

Why Did I Dash for Camp? My altimeter had given me a clue that a storm was rolling in.

Altimeters use barometric pressure—the weight of the column of air above you, press- ing down on you—to calculate your elevation, or more specifically, they use the CHANGE in more accurate the reading is. pressure. Weather forecasters also use barometric pressure. Rising pressure means clear In an altimeter, an altitude reading works weather ahead, falling pressure means storms. AGAINST the barometer reading. That is, when My altimeter was unaware I had stopped hik- there is a change in the pressure, it is EITHER ing. Since I knew I hadn’t actually gained any a change in the elevation of the unit or a elevation over my lunch break, I judged that the change in the weather. Modern altimeters tend weather was changing instead. to be very good at guessing if a change in pressure is weather or elevation, but this does mean How Is Pressure Measured? you have to think about it when you look at the Barometric pressure is measured in millime- readout. For example, I woke up one morning ters of mercury (mmHg) in a good old tube ba- during an extremely rainy night in the North rometer. 760 mmHg is normal sea level, which Cascades and discovered that, according to my means that the weight of the air at sea level altimeter, my tent had risen 280 feet while I can lift mercury, which is pretty heavy, 76 cen- slept. I was pretty sure my tent had not been timeters (it can lift water 10.3 meters!). Other climbing by itself; usually, I have to carry it. familiar, equal measures of barometric pressure at sea level are: 29.92 inches of mercury, 14.696 Why is the Reading on My GPS Different? punds per square inch or 1013.25 millibars. Modern GPS units also have an elevation component, which works by using satellite Speaking of pressure, have you ever drained timing rather than air pressure. You can check a soft plastic water bottle on a peak, and upon one against the other, since GPS is less accu- returning to the trailhead, hundreds or thou- rate than using barometric pressure but is not sands of feet below, the water bottle looked like susceptible to changes in the weather. it had been crushed by a giant hand? That’s because the air pressure is lower at higher eleva- What Can I Use an Altimeter For? tions and that column of air above you is not as I use the altimeter get an idea of which topo- thick. That is also why it is harder to breathe at graphic line on the map I am actually standing the top of a tall mountain! on! It’s the third dimension for the map! Skiers use altimeters to determine how far they have Why Do I Need to Calibrate My Altimeter? descended on a run, and even to count how Mark Altimeters detect the change in the air pres- many runs they’ve made. Hikers (and cyclists) Canziaro sure and calculate your elevation based on a use them to gauge the amount of climbing on known setting, the calibration. Before hiking, a day’s hike or ride, and therefore the difficulty. I calibrate mine to my home on Capitol Hill, I’ve even used an altimeter to report the loca- which I know is at 322 feet, and often again at tion of an injury for rescue. t the trailhead. The more often you calibrate, the www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 37

Trip Reports from Hikers »

Photo by Take a Hike! Dale Blair. Search more than 24,000 trip reports online at www.wta.org.

2 1 3 4 5 13 6 7 22 8 12 9 10 11 Safety 14 15 19 Notice 18 Neither Washington 21 Trails magazine, the Washington Trails As- sociation, nor their personnel accept any liability for accidents or injuries in connection with articles, trail or Finally had a chance to try out White Chuck road reports published North Cascades Bench. I love these kinds of trails in the “off-sea- in this magazine. The son,” when daylight is short and the high coun- reports provide updat- try is all icy and forbidding. Besides, Mina’s not ed information of inter- getting any younger, and these days a hike like est to the region’s trail this is about right for the ol’ girl. As prior re- users; readers are cau- ports state, some nice improvements have been tioned to supplement the reports with other made in the first couple of kilometers (Why sources of information are there kilometer markers here? Somebody when planning a trip. from anywhere else in the world involved?)... Additionally, readers beyond that the trail gradually degrades into should be aware that brambles that may or may not be worth your reported conditions may change, that there 1 time to penetrate. We gave up at about 2.5 km White Chuck Bench or so, at an opening where you could see the may be errors in the re- river. Too cloudy to see much else. History note: ports, and that certain Green Trails Sloan Peak #111 hazards are inherent December 30, 2009 by Mina&Co at least twice the trail follows an old logging- in backcountry travel. railroad bed (probably 1920s vintage). You can 38 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

tell it’s a railroad and not a road because it’s trails. At around 3.5 miles, the trail turned into cut into a V—roads just follow the contours, but a raging deep creek and I was unable to find railroads had to maintain a minimum curve where it left the creek for some distance; snow radius or their routes would cut off sharp bends patches were now in the area so it was going in the terrain. Another thing I was considering to be bushwhacking or heading back. Since it is is the possibility this was the original trail up short winter days, I opted to turn back passing the White Chuck before the logging road was a local couple (in their 60s?) that does this hike punched in on the other side of the river. That at least three times a week. Good workout to road has a symbolic, notorious reputation ... recover from Christmas calories. and now it’s washed-out, I’m hoping the Forest Service will leave it that way, since really it 3 should never have been built in the first place. Silver Gulch Trail For background, read Wilderness Alps: Conser- Green Trails Silverton #110 vation and Conflict in the North Cascades by January 10, 2010 by austineats Harvey Manning. Our objective for the day was a little-visited 2 peak named Hall (see the green Cascades Cow Heaven climbing guide by Fred Beckey). I think we Green Trails Marblemount #47 chose it because the drive was short, the ter- January 3, 2010 by DrGui rain was to be fairly steep and neither of us had ever heard of it. The trail starts just 300 yards Headed off onto Highway 20 looking for from the Mountain Loop Highway. Look for two snowshoeing. Photo in local paper shows Rock- completely dilapidated camper trailers and the port with snow at the state park—got there and trail is behind them. Follow the trail through none, with 39 degrees F, so I kept driving since old-growth cedars and hemlocks as it winds I know that I will hit snow on Highway 20. At past a few turnoffs. If you are so inclined there Marblemount, the entrance to the American are old mining ruins up some of these spurs. A Alps, the temperature dipped to 31 degrees F few locals whom we met have maintained the and I pulled into The Eatery (best food in the trail very nicely. In a short mile and a half you area) to decide where to go over a latte and enter a deep, narrow valley. There are water- goodies. Cow Heaven looked ideal, 1 mile down falls all around and the large, precipitous north the road with a 4,900 foot elevation gain and face of Hall Peak. We didn’t have any success the trail book reported excellent trail condi- with summiting as we were lured too far up the tions. First thing to remember is to check the valley before we tried to reach the ridgeline. trail overall grade: 20 percent, 1 mile in height Beckey describes a “wooded ridge” which I now in 5 miles of hiking. The way to heaven looks believe to be quite low (2,400 feet) as per his like it will be steep and narrow! The trail was description. We were drawn to the snowy basin lovely because for the first 2.5 miles it hugged higher up (terrible brush whack through devil’s Olson Creek so you had continuous waterfalls club, slide alder and the like). An attractive and chutes to enjoy while your muscles reg- looking couloir in the very back was aesthetic ister complaints in triplicate. All of the creek but went no where. Despite no peak it was a crossings were wet; you need waterproof boots great day, wild country close to the road, min- if you wish to keep feet dry. The rocks, roots ing ruins, snow that was moderately steep and and branches were all slippery and with them lots of waterfalls! being often on a 25 percent grade, beware of tumbles. Just past milepost 2, the trail had a variety of short blank-outs due to branches on Central Cascades the trail or creeks that were formerly known as

4 Explorer Falls USGS Lake Chaplain January 17, 2010 by Hulk

Explorer Falls is near Lake Roesiger off of Monroe Camp road. [Editor’s note: DeLorme shows Monroe Log Road.] I last visited the area Charles Ardary a year ago. Last year, I noted a trash problem www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 39 and put it on my list of chores. For one reason waterfall was massive and preceded by several or another it kept getting moved down on my smaller falls -- all very impressive and beautiful. to-do list. Today I decided to take care of it. We weren’t expecting much on this hike and Well, in the last year, the volume of trash has we were completely blown away by its beauty. only increased. Lots of evidence of one heck of It took us less than two hours to do the whole party here. Clue number one: Beer cans ev- hike, perfect if you are on a time limit. erywhere. Numbers two and three: On a trail leading above the falls, are make shift lanterns, made out of rags stuffed inside beer cans, and Snoqualmie Pass Area spent discarded glow sticks abandoned in the trees. Sadly I was able only to put a dent in the mess. There are a few more pack loads left to haul away. A tactic I use to prevent me from overloading my pack is to hang the pack from a fish scale. The goal is to not exceed the 50 pound limit on the scale. This chore will have to continue another day. Pack it in; pack it out.

5 Barclay Lake Green Trails Monte Cristo #143 January 17, 2010 by hikingwithmybrother. com 8 Mount Washington Green Trails Mount Si NRCA #206S In the mood for a quick and easy outing, we set out to Barclay Lake, just outside the town of January 18, 2010 by Eric Jain Baring. This was our first time up Forest Road 6024, and found it to be in great shape. There Despite the late start after lunch and the were lots of side turnoffs on the road to explore, pleasant weather, there were only two other so we’re looking forward to going back. Baring cars at the parking lot, and I encountered just Mountain was an impressive sight, rising tall one party on the trail. The trail appeared to be above the lake. A surprisingly large number of well maintained. Didn’t get much mud on my campsites circle the lake, and a surprising little amount of garbage. Overall, a pleasant stroll through dark mossy forests with the accompa- nying chatter from Barclay Creek.

6 Heybrook Lookout, Wal- lace Falls Green Trails Index #142 January 09, 2010 by bramble Photo by Anne Hiked Wallace Falls and then up to the Hey- Morrison. brook Lookout. Wallace was in great shape and was pretty crowded. I’d never been to Heybrook before, but really enjoyed the trail. There were several trees down across the trail, and water running down the trail in a couple of places, The End of the Trail but no snow or ice.

7 Our small year-round resort is the hiker’s Bridal Veil Falls perfect resting spot. Charming chalet suites & Green Trails Index #142 a romantic Honeymoon Cabin. A heated January 09, 2010 by Stella pool & hot tub. Evening activities such as barbecues & bonfires. We even have a great Breathtaking hike. The trail is rocky and with 1920’s lodge for group gatherings. Come stay. the switchbacks you find yourself crossing the same stream over and over again. Though you can hop across the stream with ease, I recom- www.altacrystalresort.com mend wearing waterproof shoes -- just in case. 1-800-277-6475 (One of my friends and I both had missteps.) In the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie Nat’l forest under a USFS special use permit There was no snow on or around the trail. The 40 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

shoes and had no trouble jumping over the few 10 streams that crossed the trail; however I was Denny Creek glad to have Microspikes for the hard-packed, Green Trails Snoqualmie Pass #207 icy snow patches on the upper portion of the January 17, 2010 by Tooter trail. Other than spotting the unsigned start of the trail off the Iron Horse trail, the trail was First trip of the new year. Road to trail is well signed and easy to follow. The only place blocked by a large pile of snow about three- I hesitated was in the upper half, where the quarters of a mile from the trailhead. The road trail reaches a parallel logging road. That road past the snow pile is hard packed and it’s best is blocked off on both sides; simply continue to stay out of the ruts because they get pretty straight uphill. Following the trail made the icy and slippery at times. There is a sign at the hike 8 miles long, shorter than the 12-mile route trailhead that warns of a bridge out and trail described in several (now outdated) hiking damage. The trail is hard packed snow the books. whole way and it’s a pretty easy hike to the slide area. The bridge is gone once you get to 9 the waterslide, but there are large boulders that Little Si made walking across very easy. We stopped Green Trails Mount Si NRCA #206S here and explored up the creekbed to look at January 17, 2010 by Jenarator some ice formations and the falls just above the waterslides. We did not follow the trail up the Despite lots of rain recently, this trail is in path to Keekwulee or Snowshoe Falls, but there great shape. Nice trek for me and the Chi (my were snowshoe tracks heading that way and I sometimes hiking companion, a long-haired would think that is the best way to access the Chihuahua). This is what I call a “burst hike”— upper parts of the trail as the snow was get- bursts of effort followed by mellow, easy-going ting deeper and less beaten once we got to the trail. It’s fun to “summit” but the view at the waterslide. top is sort of ho-hum. Yes, I’m spoiled as a Washington native. I would go again if I’m look- 11 ing for a quick hike with some good climbing, Annette Lake but the next time I’m in the area, I’ll pay a visit Green Trails Snoqualmie Pass #207 to Little Si’s big sister. January 16, 2010 by KarenP

When our plan to go to Melakwa Lake was thwarted because the road was not plowed, Kazuyo and I decided to go to Annette Lake Pika hiding out on the Denny Creek Trail. instead. The trail was very, very icy. I was very Photo by Anne Morrison. glad to have Microspikes. Kazuyo was wearing Yaktrax. (On the way home, we went to REI so Kazuyo could get Microspikes, too.) Even though there were several cars in the parking lot, after we crossed the John Wayne Trail, the footprints on the trail revealed only two other hikers. They were wearing crampons. We were happy to walk in their footprints across the avalanche chutes. There were several steep icy sections in which Kazuyo’s YakTrax were really not adequate. Fortunately she made it across without incident. Annette Lake was lovely with aquamarine water. The peaks surrounding the lake were shrouded in fog. We enjoyed having the lake to ourselves as we ate our lunch on the shelf above the lake near the beginning of the trail to Silver Peak. As we were departing the lake, the wind came up and a bit of snow fell. On our return trip, we met one lone hiker who proudly displayed his crampons and ice ax. Wise man. Not too far from the trailhead we met a couple that were sharing one pair of Yaktrax between them. We warned them about the conditions ahead. They scoffed at us and continued on. I wonder how far they got. It was a beautiful day. www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 41

Olympic Peninsula white) Big Quilcene River. Because of the late- ness of the day we did not have time to walk more than a few feet of the 1.5 mile loop trail which we have done in the past. This is a good rainy day hike.

13 Staircase Rapids, North Fork Skokomish River and Flapjack Lakes Green Trails Mt. Steel # 167 January 15-18, 2010 by dao

Day 1) arrived at Staircase (1.5 mile hike from the closed road to the main Staircase camp- Young hiker ex- 12 Beaver Pond, Rocky Brook ground). The road is always closed in winter so ploring Fallsview plan on a little walk to get to the campground. Canyon. Falls & Fallsview Canyon We were concerned that our car might be ille- Green Trails The Brothers #168, USGS gally parked because there are a bunch of signs stating that it was for “day Mount Walker use only,” but I don’t think this January 16, 2010 by Bob and Barb is an issue in the winter. Some locals were also parked there Having to turn back on the Lena Lake trail just taking a walk and they allowed us to discover this gem of an area also said that it was never at milepost 9.3 on the Hamma Hamma Road, an issue. We arrived late and Beaver Pond. At this time because of washout so we camped for free in the areas one needs a high-clearance vehicle to get (completely deserted!) Stair- to the trailhead. The sign on the post at the case campground. Backcoun- trailhead says that this is a 0.7-mile loop. The try permits were available to trail descends fairly steeply to the pond. We be filled out and you can mail stopped midway down and ate our lunch sitting in payment later. Main toilets on a bench with a view of the pond. We went and water was shut off but clockwise at the loop around the pond until decent pit toilets with paper we came to a 5-foot section of standing water. were open. Don’t plan on mak- We retraced our steps and continued counter- ing a fire if you visit in the clockwise around the pond until coming to the winter. Day 2) The bridge for standing water again. This is a beautiful area Staircase rapids is out still, so with moss-covered maples and rocks and many, if you want to hike more than many British Soldier lichens. We saw an oozle a mile, make sure you are on and a bufflehead pair. the east side of the river starting out. We wanted to make After the hike we drove to the end of the it to Flapjack Lakes but made Hamma Hamma Road. This is possible only terrible time (made it about with a high-clearance vehicle. There was a very short icy section of road near the bridge that crosses the river at the end of the road. We walked the short distance to Rocky Brook Falls to see how the rains had added to the size of the falls since we were there last Sunday. Not only were the falls greatly enlarged, but there were also secondary falls above the creek. The scene was awesomely beautiful and pictures were difficult to take because of the spray from the falls!

After viewing Rocky Brook Falls we drove north on 101 and parked at the gated Fallsview Campground and walked the short loop trail to view the falls across the canyon. We then dropped 200 feet to the today brown (normally 42 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

6 miles instead of 8) because MOST of the bridges were out and the water level was high. Mount Rainier TONS of trees over the trail. Don’t bother going if you can’t hop a couple feet off the ground with a pack on. At about .25mi in, trail slide into the Skokomish and there is a somewhat scary path you can take around the precipice but I suggest just taking the somewhat not- noticeable path around. A mile in, there is a decent little bridge made out of a log that has a handrail. Three more rivers between 6 inches and 24 inches deep, fast flowing current though. We managed to get over all of them by rock hopping and carefully sliding along fallen trees. The final doozy is the bigger river (forget the name) 2 miles after the turn off the main trail to get to Flapjack. The bridge crossing the 14 Carbon Glacier gulley was smashed by a tree and nearly folded Green Trails Mount Rainier #269 in half. It is still there and you could *probably* December 30, 2009 by PastorDan cross without dying, but it would be foolish to try. Instead we spent the better part of an hour Christmas vacation means I needed to get picking our way down the ravine via a “bypass” out of town. My friend and I left Enumclaw that leads to a river 3 feet deep and flowing at 6 a.m., parked at Carbon River entrance to fast. Lots of logs to jump across on but not for Mount Rainier at 6:40 a.m. Our goal was the the faint-hearted because if you fell it would suspension bridge, but we had no idea what at a minimum be fairly scary and very cold conditions were like in late December. I hadn’t (especially if you are carrying 45 pound packs been to the bridge since before the road closed like we were). By this time it was about 3 pm in 2005. Hiked the 5-mile mostly clear road to and since it starts getting really dark under the Ipsut Campground, then plowed ahead through trees at 4 pm we decided to call it. There was ever-deepening snow (but never too deep for a great little camping spot just on the other hiking boots) along the trail towards the bridge. side of the river that we called home. Day 3) Had to find creative ways across a tributary The way out was easier because we knew how of the river at one point—not easy with wet, to cross all of the streams. Took about four icy logs and slick rocks. Made it just short of to five hours to pack the entire distance back the Northern Loop turnoff (2 miles from Ipsut) to the car (about 7-7.5 miles) including a little and came to an impassible (for us at least) lunch break. Overall a great little adventure for washout. Went back to Ipsut, cooked up some a 3-day weekend. Gotta go hiking in the rain good ramen noodles, and hiked back to the car. more often! We didn’t see a SINGLE soul on Approximately 14 miles round trip—boy were any of the trails, just a couple of people at the we tired. Back in Enumclaw by 4 p.m. Condi- car and one guy taking pictures at Staircase tions weren’t ideal—the weather played a huge campground. role, of course. It rained on us, snowed on us, Carbon Glacier. Pho- and trees perpetually bombed us. Over-the-pack to by Tony Valente. poncho helped, trekking poles were a must. Had Yaktrax but never used them; also probably could have snowshoed past the campground. All in all, a great adventure. We’ll try for the bridge again in the summer!

15 Nisqually Vista Loop, Sky- line Trail Loop Green Trails Mount Rainier East #270 December 24, 2009 by Hikingqueen

Back in 2005 I lost a significant amount of weight, 50 pounds or so. I wanted something different than the same old exercise and tread- mill, so when I read about these ranger-guided snowshoe events at Rainier where you rent the snowshoes for a buck, I was very intrigued and www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 43

talked my friend into going with me to check it 17 out. From that day forward began my love for Hummocks Trail hiking, snowshoeing, and Rainier. I remember USGS Elk Rock running up this little hill and being so ALIVE January 18, 2010 by el tigre and FREE! It was a feeling I had never experienced before, it was truly amazing! My lungs A mildish day in the lowlands so we took a were burning from the cold and I loved every chance at the base of Mount St. Helens. Fifty- second of it. eight degrees in Castle Rock became 43 with So in memory of the beginning of how it all a fierce wind on the trail! Naturally it was started, I did that little loop today (Nisqually deserted. The mountain is all in white, as are Vista Loop). The trail is perfect for beginners, the surrounding foothills—a nice change from View of Mount St. well marked and easy. And that hill I ran up the usual summer scenery. The trail is relatively Helens from the years ago, it was way bigger in my head than dry, a few beaver ponds as usual. This trail is Hummocks. Photo it actually was today. But then again, it’s the snow-free. Bundle up, but this short hike is a by Eli Boschetto. beginning of the season. Then I crossed back to the parking lot and nice change of pace in the middle of winter. went up toward the skyline trail. Views got better with each hour. I was in HEAVEN! There were a few people sledding, skiing, snowboard- ing, and snowshoeing. It was a perfect weather day, no wind, blue sky, perfect powdery snow. I took my time and soaked it all in. Basically the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve, if you ask me! Hike #105, not that I’m really counting anymore.

South Cascades

16 North Fork Tieton-Tieton Pass Green Trails White Pass #303 January 2, 2010 by mytho-man

I led my second Saturday Snowshoe for the Cascadians to the North Fork Tieton River Road today (“Tieton River Meadows” in Dan Nelson’s Four-Season Giving Program book, Snowshoe Routes - Washington). We only Monthly and Quarterly Donations walked as far as the bridge over Miriam Creek (2.5 miles), had lunch, and walked back. The WTA’s Four-Season Giving Program is a safe, secure snow was fairly well compacted with a break- and convenient way to put your money to work for able crust and not too difficult to walk on. The weather was mild with mostly low clouds and the trails and wildlands you love, year-round. As a periods of drizzle, but we did see some blue Four-Season donor, your pledge will be automatically sky and filtered sunlight strong enough to cast processed each month or quarter. a shadow. It all made for a nice leisurely day. Sign up today at www.wta.org. 44 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org

Inland Northwest 19 White Bluffs - South USGS Savage Island, Hanford January 13, 2010 by MaryC

I led this hike yesterday for the Fun, Fit and Over Fifty Club in the Tri-Cities. This hike is in the Bauer and Nelson Best Desert Hikes in Washington book. It is in the Wahluke Unit of the Hanford Reach National Monument on the east side of the Columbia River. We accessed it from the south, driving north from Pasco on Road 68, eventually turning north for 10 miles along the Ringold River Road. The day started out rainy but cleared by the time we reached the trailhead by the locked gate where the road is closed off. It is across the river from the old Hanford townsite. We walked a short ways 18 on the road and then took a trail that leads Yakima Rim Skyline northeast up and over a bluff to a high point USGS Selah, Pomona that overlooks a long picturesque valley. From January 16, 2010 by baxter4610 there we hiked along the ridge, eventually drop- ping down to cross the road and head to the Husband and I day hiked from the south trail- sandstone formations that are in my picture. head about 2 miles in then back again. Weath- We did some exploring of trails along the river er: cloudy, 40s, breezy. Road Conditions: mud, after lunch and then with nice warm weather potholes. Parked at USFWS gated entrance and and sunshine, we walked back to our cars. hiked down road to get to trail—MUD! Trail: New sagebrush plantings were evident—part of mud, mud, more mud. Recommend gaiters, the effort to repair burned areas on the Reach. trekking poles and good attitude dealing with There were six of us on this hike and all agreed MUD! Also, ammo shells of every shape, size, it was a perfect day. and color litter just off road and trails; beer cans, bottles and other litter prevalent. Gun- 20 shots heard regularly during hike. (Wear bright Kettle Crest South, Snow clothing.) In addition, three coyote carcasses Peak lined up side-by-side 30 feet off-trail, all shot. Trail easily followed with tall wooden posts USGS Sherman Peak regularly placed along trail (some say “Horse January 09, 2010 by dusty_boots Trail,” but no other signage). Summary: If you’re absolutely cabin-fevered We reserved a night at the fabled Snow White Bluffs. and want a close-to-Yakima hike void of solitude Peak Cabin for a nice winter excursion into the Photo by Jonathan yet full of mud, gunshot & carcasses—this hike mountains via snowshoe. Snow Peak Cabin Brenner. is for you! You’ll have stories to tell ... is off of the Kettle Crest Trail south of Sher- man Pass (about 5 miles from the parking lot) and is reservable online. It features a three- burner propane stove and ample propane for the season, a small mountain of wood ready for the fireplace, and kitchen pots, pans, and utensils galore. It also has sleeping pads and cots, folding camp chairs, and a new LED Solar lighting system. All in all, pretty cush digs for a foggy and chilly weekend. The trail south was well traveled (we took a right at the first junction onto the Sherman Loop trail) and easily traversed. Where the loop trail meets up again with the Kettle Crest Trail about 3 miles south from the trailhead, all the traffic for at least the two previous weeks had taken the left and the loop back to the trailhead, leaving us with an unbroken trail south (to the right at the junction) with only intermittent flags and marks on trees to guide us through about 24 inches of crunchy powder. offIt took us a few hours of www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails Backcountry « 45 trail scouting to make the last third of the trip— old roadbed we took the intersection to the our packs and snowshoes made for slow going. right, crossed the creek, and started back up After following the hillside and crossing the the hill. This section is confusing in the sense saddle on the west side of Snow Peak, we could that it is technically still trail #100 but soon be- see the cabin off in the distance and made it comes trail #110. There is a good sign posted at in there about 30 minutes before twilight. The the place where trail #100 and trail #110 merge, register showed that we were the first visitors and another where they diverge again, but this in over two weeks (accounting for the lack of route requires that hikers stay right at both broken trail and frozen cabin). We soon had a intersections. The uphill section on trail #110 is roaring fire and good food and settled down for approximately 2.5 miles and is easy to follow. a relaxing evening in the mountains. The next At the top of trail #110 the trail intersects the morning, we took a quick sledding trip up the upper Mount Kit Carson Loop Road. There is open field below the Snow Peak summit and a vault toilet at this intersection (although it is then packed up for the trip back home. Having currently snowed in). broken the trail the previous day, the return trip took half the time. For anyone considering this We then hiked on the loop road (a snowmo- adventure, reservations can be hard to come by bile route in the winter—snowshoers should for weekends, so plan ahead. The hike is mildly stay to the side of the road) for approximately strenuous but most people will have no prob- half a mile to the intersection with trail #130 lem with it. The cabin has lots of items already (on the uphill side of the loop road). We stopped there, like shovels and axes and a plethora of off at the CCC cabin for lunch—there is typically well-used but effective pots and pans. Feel free a fire going and there are several picnic tables to bring along a “gift” for future users such as a inside. From there we continued on trail #130, bottle of dish soap, a game or crossword book, crossing the summit road at Bald Knob Camp- perhaps some extra knives and forks. Enjoy—it’s ground and exiting the trail right back at the a great place for a winter excursion! parking lot after completing the loop.

21 The alternate starting location is the bottom Chamna Natural Preserve of trail #100/110 at the hairpin turn on the main USGS Richland road. This parking lot requires a Sno-Park permit but no special grooming sticker. The loop December 30, 2009 by MaryC could be hiked either direction, but I would recommend taking #110 up first, and then across This hike is described in The Mountaineers #130 and down #100 to return to the car (the Best Desert Hikes in Washington trail guide- opposite direction has more uphill). book (#58). It is about 3 level miles winding through riparian, grassy and wooded areas. It is a particularly nice hike in winter and today there was about an inch of snow on the ground with bright sunshine. Some parts of the trails WTA’ s Corporate Partners were icy but not a real problem. We did not see any wildlife but saw lots of tracks in snow To find out how your company can become a partner in WTA’s work to protect —rabbits, coyote and raccoons. The hike was and maintain trails, contact Rebecca Lavigne, development director, at (206) done by the Fun, Fit and Over Fifty group in 625-1367 or [email protected]. the Tri-Cities.

Rainier $25,000+ Alpine $1,000–$2,499 22 Mount Spokane - Trail 100, Trail 110, Trail 130 The Alpine Experience USGS Mount Spokane, Mount Kit Carson Dec 27, 2009 by Holly Weiler lululemon athletica

This 8 to 9 mile loop hike can be done in ei- MSR® & Therm-a-Rest® ther direction, and there are two good starting locations. The route my group took started high Olympic $10,000–$24,999 Outdoor Research near the snowmobile parking lot on Mount Spo- kane. Winter users should note that a Sno-Park Pacific Marketing & Publishing permit is required if parking inside the snowmobile lot, but parking along the main road requires no permits. We started with the major downhill section, taking trail #100 almost as far as the lower Mount Kit Carson Loop Road.

Approximately 200 feet before reaching the StockCharts.com 46 » Backcountry March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org A Walk on the Wild Side » BACK COUNTR Y SOMMELIER

What is the best wine to pair with a burrito? Spanish paella—and that obviously requires This is not a question sommeliers are frequently a Tempranillo. If the sausage is spicy or the asked, but it was the subject of considerable shrimp dominates, a sparkly Portuguese Vinho debate around a Washington Trails Association Verde or a Pic Poul from Langedoc will go campfire this past summer. We were working nicely. along Flat Creek, a week in the field some 15 miles northwest of Stehekin. After a day of A cold side of salmon served up with ca- cutting back brush, we wanted nothing more pers and red onions or cucumbers would find than a hearty dinner and peaceful sleep. A nice a perfect match with Roussanne or unoaked bottle of wine would have gone a long way to- Chardonnay. But that’s not the way we serve it ward appeasing our bodies after the hard day. in camp. In the woods, we dab it with butter and lemon, sprinkle on a little pepper, and lay Granted, nobody had brought wine on this out thin disks of onion across the top. Wrap the trip. It was a 6.5 mile hike with full packs from whole thing up in tin foil and pop it onto the where a truck had let us off, and the extra coals, and you can hear the salmon steaming weight hadn’t seemed worth it at the time. Be- inside, picking up all the flavors. Chardonnay sides, WTA does not encourage alcoholic bever- just will not do anymore. This entree takes a ages on volunteer vacations even if it has been Pinot Noir or light Beaujolais. known to happen on occasion. The discussion nevertheless resulted in the crew leader send- Soup and sandwich usually means tomato ing me the food list to see if I could pair wines soup with cold cuts. Picnic food like this calls with WTA backcountry menus. for a picnic wine like Riesling or a light Rose. Steak, on the other hand, calls for a big red Determining the perfect varietal to pair wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel. with mushroom stew is simple enough, but it The spaghetti naturally wants a Sangiovese or depends on the mushroom. Wild mushrooms go Barbera, but, if it is well spiced, a good Nero very well with Pinot Noir, but meatier ones like d’Avola will go down smooth. grilled portabella can take a Barolo. However, when cooked in a stew with potatoes, celery, Chili and corn bread are one of the tastiest carrots, and kielbasa, it has to be Syrah. Syrah backcountry combinations around. Unfortu- has that peppery edge on its base of old raisins nately, it is difficult to pair a wine with chili that adds fruit and zest to a stew without because of all the variations chili can take. fighting with it. Syrah can sometimes take on On WTA work parties, our canned chili with a bacon-fat character as well, and that fits just shredded cheese, olives, several kinds of beans, right with a stew. and rice pretty much covers the food spectrum. Except that it does not include fruit, and Merlot Of course, the chicken curry and chicken stir is a plummy, fruity wine. If you are desperate to Janice fry are easy. They pair well with a Riesling or a have a wine with your beans, Merlot may just Van Cleve Pinot Gris. be the ticket. Hamburger with baked beans offers a bit This gets us back to the burrito. Inside, it can Janice is a volunteer more challenge. The meat leans toward a have chicken, refried beans, cheddar, onions, for WTA and a cook. Cabernet Sauvignon, but the mustard leans to peppers and anything else left over by the time a Semillon. The baked beans don’t lead us any- we get to the end of the week and have to fin- She is past president where. For my taste, a Zinfandel or an Austra- ish up stuff that has not gone bad. Inevitably, of the Seattle Wine lian Shiraz will fill the bill. we are about at the end of our wine selection Society. as well. So if there is any bottle that still has Rice and red beans with sausage and shrimp wine in it, it will do. t is as close as camp cooking gets to a good Thank you for supporting your hiking community!

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Today, WTA has • A lobbying force over 1,300 strong speaking out for our wild places. • Year-round programs to help kids and families go hiking. • Over 2,000 volunteers giving 90,000 hours annually to maintain trails. • More than 400,000 hikers each year who find their next adventure at www.wta.org. Photos by Ingunn Markiewicz, WTA, Wall and Chris

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