A Suiattle Sooner can't wait to hike the Suiattle any sooner!

Count me to be one of the Suiattle Sooners. That is, I plan to rush the magical Suiattle Valley as soon as the road is reopened which should be sometime late this summer. Finally! Access to the much of the Suiattle Valley and Whitechuck River Valleys was lost in 2003 when devastating floods claimed the Forest Service Roads leading through them. Lost was access to miles of some of the most magnificent hiking trails in the Northwest. And with loss of access, came loss of maintenance and a threat of permanent loss. Which was the case for the Whitechuck, the road washed out in so many places that not even the most stimulus happy Congress could ever justify or provide the funds to rebuilt it--not to mention new environmental concerns as well.

The Whitechuck Trail was a favorite for many and I will always cherish my Halloween 1999 hike on It to Kennedy Hot springs. They're gone too-reclaimed by the earth they once bubbled up from. Lake Byrne will still be accessible via Lost Ridge and the upper Whitechuck still accessible by the Pacific Crest Trail-now fixed and fortified as well. These destinations will be within the backpacking domain-and that's okay, leaving them for the more adventurous intent on a bigger payoff of solitude and true wilderness. But day hikers have plenty to rejoice about too, for Green Mountain, Sulphur Mountain, and Huckleberry Mountain will once again be within their sights.

Thank God-my Day Hiking North Cascades Books has been pitching them for years. And the most glorious spot of all in the Suiattle Valley, Image Lake and Miners Ridge will once again be hikeable from the west. I hiked this area from the east this past summer for my upcoming Backpacking Washington book and can conclude that Image Lake is truly one of the most spectacular places in all of Washington-make that the nation! Yeah, sure there will be a few more people there in 2012-but it's still a 16 mile slog from the west-one that only the hardiest and most determined backcountry trekkers will attain-and they deserve it! Bring on the Suiattle-I can hardly wait-hope to see you on the trail-I'll be there first thing on opening day, pack on and boots ready to kick up some tread!

(photo-Glacier Peak rising above the Suiattle River Valley from the Miners Ridge Lookout 08.10)

The most beautiful place on earth!

Okay, well that may be a slight exaggeration-or then again maybe not! Ever since I first landed my hands on Spring and Manning's 100 Hikes in the Glacier Peak Wilderness guidebook back in the fall of 1989-just a few months after moving here from the east-and caught my first look at Image Lake in the Glacier Peak Wilderness-I wanted to see it and experience it firsthand! It took 21 years and an impending deadline on my Backpacking Washington book to finally get me there-And with the Suiattle River Road washed out since 2003, I came to this magical backcountry locale via Spider Gap and the Lyman Lakes. With friends Don and Chris Hanson of Scottish Lakes High Country Camps fame-we entered the lake basin in early afternoon. Set up camp and caught our first glimpse of the famous Glacier Peak rising behind Image Lake scene in early afternoon. Returned with a half platypus of red wine for the evening show. But it was the early morning show that completely WOWed us! In all of my years hiking the Northwest -over 21-and all my miles hiking the Northwest -approaching 14,000 miles now-Image Lake is one of the most beautiful, if not most beautiful place in the state. An absolute must hike-bucket list place for all backpackers. Surreal-ethereal-mystical, magical, spiritual, celestial-pure heaven on earth. Don't miss it. This show is for a limited time only-for once Glacier Peak decides to blow-well Image Lake may very well end up looking like one of the Mount Margaret Backcountry lakes of St Helens.

Making the Cut in my Guidebooks

So-I am often asked:, when I'm putting together a guidebook and I have to decide what to include in it, what is the criteria I use? Well, obviously I am going to include popular trails (I can't possibly leave them out even though I may not care for a few of them!) and my own personal favorites as well as trails that are generally in decent shape and are easily accessible within the geographic area that I am covering. And of course I want to capture a wide array of trails and hikes ranging from easy to challenging-historic-alpine-lake shore-river side -forest-etc- Then I get to make some personal additions based on among other things-advocacy-Perhaps there is an area or trail that I believe is threatened and needs attention-I want to let you know about it-and I want to let you in on a few "secret trails" too that despite the criticism that I may take for it-I find that most people still go to the same trails over and over again and that the people who seek out different places deserve to be there! So, what doesn't make the cut? Generally paved and urban trails (but not always) because they offer more of a walk than a hike (but what is the fine line difference between those two activities?) and if a trail or road leading to it is dangerous, inconvenient or I would be cursed out for sending you there. The Boulder Lake Trail in the Glacier Peak Wilderness which was never officially built was going to go in my Day Hiking North Cascades Book-until the road leading to it washed out. Being user built and now requiring a long road walk or mountain bike to it, lead me to leave it out. Well, now the good news-the road has been reopened and is drivable for most vehicles and the trail has been greatly improved to almost official standards in places. So what does this mean as far as my books are concerned? Count on it being in the second edition of Day Hiking North Cascades. Matter of fact I plan on increasing the hikes in all of my day hiking books by 25 to 150! I will probably yank a few hikes out for various reasons -so count on having at least 20% new hikes in the new editions as well as updates on all the other trails and new extensions and variations. Of course I always welcome your suggestions-is there a trail I left out that you would like for me to cover? Let me know! In the meanwhile I continue to look for great trails throughout the state to share with you!

(Photo-despite the cold weather, Heather works in a nap at Boulder Lake)

Red, White, and Blue!

Heather and I spent the weekend in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. What a weekend! We hiked up the North Fork Sauk River Trail which is in wonderful shape. Kudos to the Forest Service for the great work recently done on this trail. It is still long-don't believe the old reports of 8.5 miles-it is closer to 10.5 miles-and it is still steep-you'll climb 3,000 feet in 3.5 miles. But the payoff? Red Pass. White Pass. And Blue, blue skies. We hiked north on the PCT up and over Red Pass and then dropped 1,000 feet into Glacier Meadows where we made camp by a small stream at the edge of the meadows. While White Pass was hopping with climbers, horse parties and lots of other hikers-Heather and I practically had the entire Glacier Meadows to ourselves. Picked berries the next morning-scrambled the White Chuck Cinder Cone- had lunch on a small knoll above Red Pass-had to retrieve Heather's camera after she dropped it about 500 feet off the pass-still works! Then did a side trip to White Pass. Made it back to the truck at sunset. It was a 27 mile weekend and a highlight of the summer! Yep! This glorious destination will be in my upcoming Backpacking book--how'd you guess?!