I can't remember when I first saw a photo of Mount Assiniboine but I do remember feeling a deep desire to see the place for myself someday. Fast forward a few years and here we are on a beautiful mid-September afternoon standing on an exposed ridge, miles and miles from any sign of civilization, breathing in the majesty of this impressive peak. The day before we had hiked 18 miles in rain and snow deep into grizzly country, arriving at Lake Magog to the mountains shrouded by clouds. The next morning, though, blue sky and sunshine greeted us, as did the snow-capped pyramidal peak of Assiniboine. Oh, what luck.
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A Day at Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park
Yoho National Park is a true gem. It is home to the most stunning scenery in all of the Canadian Rockies, including the prized Lake O'Hara. Our visit to Lake O'Hara was the highlight of our trip, despite cold temperatures, rain, snow, and a cold that inevitably afflicted me after a few days of hiking in the rain and sleeping in hostels. Lake O'Hara is one of the most scenic areas in all of the Canadian Rockies - turquoise alpine lakes, hanging valleys, snowcapped mountains, and premier hiking. To make it even more special, Parks Canada, the country's national park service, restricts access to the area to preserve its special, fragile landscape.
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After a cloudy and rainy start to the day we are delighted by afternoon blue sky and sunshine. Mount Robson's peak is elusive.
Backpacking the Berg Lake Trail in British Columbia
Just as we are about to get on the road to kick off our ten day trip to the Canadian Rockies it starts to pour. The ten day forecast calls for chilly temperatures, rain, and clouds. Sounds like standard PNW fall weather, so why not start fall a little early? We drive in an incessant rain for the entire five hour drive to Bellingham, Washington, where we spend the night. We wake early and get on the road. The drive to the US-Canada border is beautiful. Clouds and fog hang low in the valley and the sun that breaks through illuminates the striking Northern Cascades.
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Taking in Dragontail Peak and the stunning blue of Colchuck Lake before ascending Aasgard Pass.
Enchantments Thru Hike
A year or so after we moved to Portland from New York my wife's coworker told her about the Enchantments. He described an otherworldly place marked by a dozen high alpine crystal blue lakes and jagged granite peaks. A place not easily accessible and to see it would test one physically and mentally. I did a quick Google search for the Enchantments after he described this majestic place and I was blown away that such a magnificent place could exist - let alone within a few hundred miles of Portland.
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Mt. Jefferson glows as the sun sets.
Backpacking Jefferson Park
July was a packed month of weekend trips and new adventures, which included starting a new job at Mt. Hood Community College. With so much going on over the weekends I fell very far behind with blog updates. Hopefully you can forgive me!
In July, Lindsay and I traveled to Montana to visit friends at Flathead Lake and explore Glacier for a few days, we competed in our first Olympic duathlon (5k run, 40 k bike, 10 k run), visited with cousins in Seattle, backpacked to Jefferson Park in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, and made the 10 hour round trip drive to Leavenworth to thru hike the Enchantments with my brother and cousin. Phew. I'm exhausted just typing this! Hopefully you understand now why I fell a little behind.
Lindsay and I had wanted to backpack in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness ever since our second backpacking trip brought us to Pamelia Lake, a beautiful lake right off the Pacific Crest Trail that boasts old growth forests and views of Mt. Jefferson. Jefferson Park is a large flat alpine wonderland dotted with a handful of lakes on the north side of Mt. Jefferson. Wildflowers paint the meadows in July and August. The price to pay for such beauty? Blood thirsty mosquitoes.
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Beginning our descent from the saddle above Ptarmigan Tunnel.
A Weekend in Glacier National Park
In honor of the National Park Service's centennial, here is an overdue post recounting our recent trip to Glacier National Park. The Fourth of July weekend we traveled to Glacier for three days. Happy birthday, NPS! Thank you for protecting and preserving this nation's beautiful spaces and places.
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A Weekend at Paradise Park
I've lived in Oregon now for almost 5 years but somehow have never visited Paradise Park on Mt. Hood. Lindsay and I started backpacking two summers ago and have been to national forests and wilderness areas all over the Pacific Northwest - Olympic, Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Bull of the Woods, McKenzie Recreation Area. Mt. Hood's Paradise Park has always been on our list.
Paradise Park is a beautiful alpine meadow area above timberline on the south west side of the mountain. It is best known for wildflowers in July and August. Our original plan was to do a one nighter but once we read the Perseid meteor shower was supposed to still peak on Friday night we decided to set out on the Pacific Crest Trail Friday after work and find a site with an open view of the sky. We hoped to get lucky. We did.
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Backpacking in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness
Last weekend, Lindsay and I kicked off our summer with a three-day, two-night backpacking trip in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness in Mt. Hood National Forest. We spent a few days researching hikes and potential destinations - we did not want to run into swarms of day hikers or a significant amount of snow at higher elevations. I came across Big Slide Lake and Bull of the Woods Wilderness in a backpacking book - the hike seemed like it was exactly what we were looking for - a moderate hike (too far for most day hikers) to a beautiful destination with ample day hiking options from our base camp at the lake. And, to top it off, Bull of the Woods is far less traveled than the other Mt. Hood wilderness areas. While we weren't expecting solitude, we knew we would see fewer hikers. We were pleasantly surprised by this wilderness gem.
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Ramona Falls
Last weekend's forecast projected typical Pacific Northwest spring weather for Saturday - showers and lots of clouds - so we thought we would check out a waterfall we had never been to: Ramona Falls in the Mt. Hood Wilderness.
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16 Hours at Lost Lake
Lost Lake is one of my favorite places near Mt. Hood. My wife and I have visited at least once a year since we moved to Oregon almost five years ago and it has never once disappointed. If you're looking for solitude, though, you won't find it at Lost Lake.
We fell in love with this beautiful place the first time we visited. It is highlighted by the majestic mountain towering gloriously above the lake, a well-maintained campground with fairly large sites, a lovely lakeside old-growth boardwalk and trail. It is the perfect spot to lounge in a hammock with a book and a few session IPAs on a hot summer day.
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Columbia River Gorge - Wildflowers and Sunset
Over the last few weeks I've seen hundreds of photographs of the wildflowers blooming in the Columbia River Gorge. Lindsay and I decided we would head out to the Gorge on Saturday and hit a few popular spots - Columbia River Hills State Park, Rowena Crest, and Dog Mountain at sunset to culminate the day. Rather than then driving back to Portland, we'd camp at Beacon Rock State Park.
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The majestic McKenzie River carves through a lush forest
McKenzie River - Blue Pool and Proxy Falls
On Friday afternoon, I am surprised to see my wife holding flowers outside of my office. She says, "Get your things - we're leaving for the weekend." I grab my bag enthusiastically, unsure of where we are headed. We pick up a coffee and Lindsay shares that we are off to the McKenzie River - a 90 mile tributary of the Willamette River in the Western Cascades - for the weekend to celebrate my 30th birthday. I can think of no better way to celebrate than spending a weekend in the woods hiking and evenings in a cozy cabin by the river eating delicious food with the best company.
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Falls Creek Falls
Gifford Pinchot National Forest in southwestern Washington is home to some of our favorite trails and views and it is generally far less traveled than the other national forests in close proximity to Portland. We had both come across photos of Falls Creek Falls recently - so the hike was high on our long list of new places to explore. We weren't sure what to expect as neither of us had read much about it. I had never expected, though, that it would be the most awe-inspiring waterfall I have ever come across.
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The Crooked River winds its way through Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon's high desert.
Smith Rock
Smith Rock is a truly majestic place. Its towering golden volcanic rocks jut hundreds of feet up from a winding, lazy river canyon. You will feel small here.
I first visited Central Oregon's Smith Rock State Park a few years ago in autumn when my parents visited from New York. I was shocked that such a place exists in the Pacific Northwest. Although I've never been to Utah, I imagine Smith Rock would fit in just fine there - with its deep river canyons, sheer cliffs, and innumerable rock climbers.
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Another rainy winter hike in the Gorge.
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is one of my favorite Gorge hikes thanks to its waterfalls, beautiful old growth forests, creeks, and striking views. I've hiked it now three times and have never been disappointed. Although - I've also never had a clear view from the summit. Some day.
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Lake Twentytwo with a fresh coat of snow.
Lake Twentytwo
I came across a photo of Lake Twentytwo (Lake 22) on Instagram a few months ago. Since then, I've been inspired to hike there to see the place for myself. Although a lot about social media irks me, Instagram in many ways has become a way for me to discover hikes I may never have come across otherwise.
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Dog Mountain
Dog Mountain is a classic Columbia River Gorge hike. A grueling climb, stunning river views, beautiful wildflowers in the spring. Because of this, it also means the place is a zoo on nice weekends in the spring and summer.
Thankfully we are not only fair-weather hikers and are up for a challenge despite what the elements may bring.
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Not so popular view of Multnomah Falls.
Wahkeena Falls Loop
One of my favorite sections of trail in the Gorge is located just a short walk from my least favorite section of trail.
We arrive at Multnomah Falls early on a rainy Saturday to avoid the swarm of tourists that will inevitably flock to marvel at the iconic, magnificent 611 foot Multnomah Falls. And no wonder. The falls is a stunning force of nature. It is worth the visit despite the crowds.
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Fresh snow at Tamanawas Falls.
Tamanawas Falls
This winter has been a delight for the snow-lover in me. Hundreds of inches have fallen on Mt. Hood - creating magical forest scenes and a winter wonderland to discover. I've embraced dreary rainy days in Portland knowing that rain in the city means snow in the mountains - at least for now.
The Tamanawas Falls hike is one for all seasons. I've seen it in the fall and late summer but never winter. I was eager to see it dressed in snow and ice.
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Magic in the forest.
Timberline Trail
Some hikes remain engrained in your memory for years to come. This is one of them.
We have done a lot of hiking within 100 miles of Portland - but somehow never anything northwest of Mt. Hood off of Lolo Pass Road near the PCT. We hoped to encounter our first glimpse of winter's beginnings on the mountain.
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