Around the Chiwaukums in a Day

This past Wednesday marked yet another 20-plus mile day hike I have engaged in this season. In fact, at 24.5 miles--it was my longest day hike of the year. Why so many miles in so little time? Why, I must admit that I do enjoy the challenge and I am doing all that I can to stay fit as I slide into a major milestone next year (Gasp, will I really be turning 50!?)--but the main reason for the serious hiking is that my Backpacking Washington book deadline is moving in on me! A two year project encompassing 70 hikes ranging from 15 to 50 miles (most in the 18 to 35 mile range) from around the state--this project has been my toughest and most challenging writing project ever. It would have been hard enough completing this work just alone on the magnitude of the hikes and the geographical range of them-but then add in all of the foreseen and unforeseen obstacles that can slow me down-actually frustrate my progress. Things like incessant rains, lingering snow packs, washed out roads, forest fires, unmaintained trails, other nagging deadlines and just plain being wiped out!! So here I am with 5 weeks left to finish Backpacking Washington. I have 61 of the 70 hikes completed and 50,000 words of the 75,000 word manuscript written. This all coming off of just completing (and now editing) my Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge Book. It has been one heck of a hiking season for me-and it will indeed be a record year for mileage. Of course there is no resting once this project is complete, for Day Hiking Eastern Washington is due next summer! By the time I turn 50 next spring I should be in pretty damn good shape-or totally wiped out!!! Hope you enjoy the books when they come out-I've worked hard to get them to you!

(photo- 24.5 miles is easier to handle with hiking partners, Don and Barbara-two hiking machines!)

Summer Freeze Makes Me Feel Not so Fine!

With all due respect to Seals and Croft; that song brings back so many fine memories of hot humid summer days back on the East Coast. Now just a memory as I spend my 22nd summer in the Northwest-and well, I am anticipating-no wait-looking for-no wait a minute-pleading for summer to arrive! I just finished up a 16 mile hike to Dublin Lake in Oregon's Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area in which I was treated to heavy down pours and 36 degrees. I have been working on my Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book now for a year and am really close to finally wrapping it up. What a difference this year has been. Last June I launched the project working in one week of hot humid -well just like East Coast summer weather-in which I dodged afternoon summer thunder storms and peeled a dripping with sweat shirt off of my back at the end of the day. This year- I am dodging hail and rain and snow and strong breezes and piling on the Goretex as I trudge the trails. I'm waiting for the Summer breezes to return before I finish this project-which is soon. In the meantime, you can have the summer freeze!

Bitterroot Memories

You might have noticed that the frequency of my blog posts as grown longer. That can only mean that I must be spending more time in the field. And I am! As the days grow longer and the weather grows better (mostly) I spend an inordinate amount of time on the trail scrambling to complete hikes for my three current book projects, hikeoftheweek.com, and various magazine articles. Its hard to post when deep in the woods--and I do go offline (gasp in this day and age) for periods of time. And you know something-it is kind of liberating! Anyhow, I will try to keep up with informing you on my projects as well as on current environmental and trail issues. I do post more frequently on Facebook and I invite you to "like me" if you don't already. Kind of sounds middle schoolish doesn't it? Do you like me? Aw shucks! Anyhow, I have just returned from eight excellent days (kind of like a hiking Hanukkah receiving gifts of nature each day) of research (my tax status term for hiking) in the Columbia Gorge. Among the things that you absolutely have to know right now is that the flowers are superb-especially in the gorge's eastern reaches. So, get out there now-and especially to Catherine Creek located between Bingen and Lyle, WA. One of my favorite blooms, the Bitterroot is now in full blossom there. Its bittersweet-savor it!

Mapping a new future (map!)

Green Trails Maps recently released a brand new Mount Rainier National Park Map which includes:

Trails within the entire park

Trails along the park's periphery including the Cougar Lakes Area

A close up climber's map of Paradise and Muir Snowfields

A profile of the entire Wonderland Trail

And all of it is water proof and tear resistant. How cool is that? I was part of the mapping team last year that put it together. We tracked every trail in the park to make sure they were accurately measured and accurately portrayed. This map is a must have in you hiking resource library.

And heads up-I am currently busy working with cartographer Marc Rothmeyer to produce two new Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area Maps. These maps too will include some great features including the entire Deschutes River Trail and new trails on the Washington side of the gorge as well as indicating the newly expanded Hatfield Wilderness. The first map for the western half of the Gorge will be out next spring-just in time for the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area's 25th Anniversary celebrations and the release of my Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book. Of course, my book will have all its hikes referenced to the new maps. The book and the maps will be worth waiting for. Meanwhile don't wait any linger to do some good hiking-get out there and enjoy the spring weather!

Tracks of my Tears

I like to mountain bike too-so bear with me on this post-although I am more of a logging road type of biker than a trail rider, I see the fun and worth of this pursuit. But what I am growing more and more alarmed at over the years is the amount of backcountry degradation and disregard for land management rules that mountain bikers are responsible for. Granted, most mountain bikers are decent people who hold the natural environment in high regard-but I have found too many of them to be thrill seeking yahoos who don't. On a recent trip to the spectacular Columbia Gorge area known as the Coyote Wall, which is pretty much a mountain biking playground, you can see some serious environmental degradation. There are trails-or as the bikers like to call them-tracks- all over the place- gutted, rutted messes across gorgeous meadows- erosion-inducing gouges and flattened plants. I have seen motorized backcountry areas in better shape. And in the forest below the canyon wall there are all kinds of illegally built bike "catwalks"-again I have seen motorcycle areas in better shape. And this is just the Coyote Wall. I have seen plenty more fat tire mayhem on our public lands-it's growing. Harvey Manning was concerned about it back in the 1980s. I'm growing more concerned about mountain bikers on our public lands too-especially as they are getting more organized and demanding more land and trails being open up to them. Do you think that is a good idea? I love to mountain bike too-but I also realize that there are places that my bike shouldn't go. As the public weighs in on the Coyote Wall and nearby Catherine Creek, it's quite possible that two user groups (hikers and mountain bikers) that should be working together will instead be going to battle against each other. In the long run that is not good for either of us-or if you are like me-both of us. I think mountain bikers have to reign in more of their renegade riders. What do you think?

(photo- rutted track on the Coyote wall-and this is one of the good ones)

The Most Eloquent Public Restroom in the West

I don't care how badly I have to go-if I am in a major metropolitan area, the last thing I am going to do is head to a public restroom. You see I'd rather endure excruciating pain than fight disease, risk stepping on a needle, rub shoulders with people who smell like what I need to do, walk in on a drug deal, trick, or God knows what else that is taking place in some of the most vile and foul buildings on the planet! But if it was 1935 and I was strolling in Portland's Forest Park and I had to go; you wouldn't be able to get me out of the public restroom nestled in the Balch Creek Ravine. What a gorgeous and eloquent building-of course proudly built by the men of the CCC. On a recent hiking research trip for my upcoming Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book I was out patrolling trails and parks in Portland. I'm including some of the best places to hike in both Portland and Vancouver in this book. While hiking a section of Forest Park's Wildwood Trail I came upon the famed old stone house. I had no idea what purpose it once served. I pondered--a summer cottage, inn, stage house, tea house perhaps? Nope-turns out after researching the history of the park, I found out that the classic stone house of Balch Creek was not a tea house but a pee house. It served walkers with active bladders until the 1960s. I suppose the surrounding trees had significantly grown in by then to offer alternative relief spots. The Balch Creek rockin' restroom is truly an architectural gem-an aesthetically appealing building in a beautiful part of Forest Park. I only wished that I had the chance to experience it the way it was meant to be--but alas when it comes to places to pee, Urine some, You lose some!

Hiking the Tick-a-Klat Trail!

I love spring time and I love hiking in the eastern, drier, sunnier reaches of the Northwest, but I hate ticks! Throughout my younger years hiking in New England I only had one tick encounter. In my Explore America years during the 1980s I pulled a record 16 ticks off of me while out hiking one March day on South Carolina's Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. This weekend while out hiking the Columbia Gorge's Klickitat Trail I shook off eight of the disgusting and vile, but fascinating critters.

I had just parted ways with hiking partners Kim and Susan and was on my way to Lyle-a good eight miles of rainy hiking ahead of me. Stopped to get some water and a granola bar and then I spotted him-a lone tick inching up my sock. This immediately triggered my tick defense system. Snapped the sock lines-check! Scan the calves-ick-two more marching up. Scan the hairline on back of neck-shake the cap-clear! Check socks once more-this time in and about shoe tongue-oops-missed those two-

Check the armpits, sleeve lines-and waist band-whew-safe-then finally-check the shorts-tug them down a bit-and shake them-yep- as I suspected -a tick marching up my thigh still on my shorts liner-phew that could have been close! Thwarted six!

Continued hiking doing random stops and checks-caught two more-

On the drive home-defense system went up every time I felt a tingle-usually just a hair or lint-but can't be too safe-

In the shower that night-a thorough cleansing-and more checking that would make an over-zealot airline security guard proud. I'm almost sure I saw one of those little suckers spin down the drain-that could have been close-Yep, hiking in the spring in the Northwest's drier locales has its downside. If you see me on the trail acting weird and paranoid-just chalk it up to my nervous tick! Happy spring everyone!

(photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Burning down the sh*t house!

To quote one of my all time favorite bands-the Talking Heads:

Hold tight, wait 'till the party's over
Hold tight, we're in for nasty weather

My house S'out of the ordinary
That's right Don't want to hurt nobody
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Burning down the house

That's what went though my mind on Oregon's Nesmith Point when I stumbled upon this pitiful privy, this dilapidated house of defecation, this languished log cabin, this crumbling crapper, this bombed out bun warmer! Okay, you get my point. I have a soft spot in my heart and a rumble in my stomach for outhouses and I often shed a tear and pass a little gas at the thought of seeing one of these structures that has served me and others so well left abandoned, abused, unloved and fading into the anals (yes, that's no word usage error) of history. Let's all bow our heads now, a little moment of silence-RIP!

Time for some good ole fashion mud-slinging!

Sorry my partisan friends, not that kind of mudslinging. But do go right ahead and continue to sling mud at Obama, Pelosi, Reid, McConnel, Boehner and any the other politicos that are currently driving you crazy. Why should Beck, Olbermann, Hannity and Matthews have all the fun?

But, seriously if you want to partake in some clean mud-slinging-actually slogging-head on down to Portland's Forest Park. While this amazing urban hiking destination with its over 80 miles of excellent and well maintained trails is unsurpassed when it comes to a major metropolitan area wilderness park--never have I hiked such muddy trails!!! And this is a mild winter with below average rainfall. The mud traps along the Wildwood Trail can swallow a small dog or child. Be sure to wear good boots, long pants and maintain your balance! And of course if you are taking along some little tykes for a hike-particularly young boys-be forewarned about the potential mud bathing and splashing that may occur. So-go ahead and partake in a good ole fashion mud sling and head to Portland's Forest Park soon!

Bridge Back over Troubled Water

Hey, you have to love those stimulus funds! Some of them are actually making it to our trails and for the first time in two decades I'm not throwing my hands up in despair when I hear of a new washout. Now, there's a good chance that the washed out trail may actually get repaired before I become a senior citizen. Hallelujah! Latest revelation is in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. You can now go beyond the Triple Falls once more on the beautiful Oneonta Trail. The washed out bridge has been replaced! I plan on checking it out pretty soon as the Oneonta Creek, Rock of Ages and Franklin Ridge Trails will all be in my upcoming Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book. Hope you plan on checking it out too!

(photo-Heather hikes behind Ponytail Falls on her way to the Oneonta Creek Trail)

Beware of illicit sexual behavior!

Yep, I just may have to put that warning in the information block on the Rooster Rock Hike in my upcoming Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book. The trail described in my book won't yield any unwanted or inappropriate imagery, but a hike down on the beach just may. Even in January. I was well aware of Rooster Rock's gorgeous Columbia River sandy beaches as being a legal clothing optional beach. However, what I wasn't aware of was that it has the reputation of a San Francisco Bathhouse. Now hear me out-I'm not anti-gay, homophobic or on the moral high-horse here. I'm just talking about good ole respect and decency on public lands-land that is supported by tax dollars and fees. Nude beach, fine-you are warned about it-continue if that doesn't bother you. But no one needs to feel threatened with unwanted sexual advances or have to witness sexual behavior, gay or straight while recreating on their public property. And people need to know that this goes on, lest a family goes for a hike on this beautiful beach and walks into an uncensored scene from broke back beach! Not cool! Anyhow-you've now been warned if you weren't aware of this place's reputation. And why aren't other books and guide warning you about this? Feel free to hike Rooster Rock's forested trails with peace of mind. Hike its beaches without snooping around to see what is making the rustling in the willows. Enjoy the views up the Columbia instead and reflect; isn't it a tad bit ironic that Rooster Rock's original name was Cock Rock. Except it was in reference to its phallic shape not to male chickens. Talk about what's in a name!

Clark County Shutters Its parks!

These are terrible economic times to say the least. Government agencies from coast to coast are scrambling to keep their parks open. Some agencies have become quite resourceful while others have thrown the towel in or worse. I can understand why Clark County wants to shutter up some of its county parks from Jan 1 to March 1. However, the move to gate parking lots along with closing restrooms and suspending services is not a wise move. Many of these parks are popular year round winter hiking-biking-and running spots and while in essence the parks themselves are still open to pedestrian use, how will users access them? I can see all kinds of problems from park users parking dangerously on road shoulders to trespassing on adjacent private property. The people of Clark County need access to these parks to stay fit and connected with nature during the dark and dreary winter months. Surely the parks department can unlock the gates and enlist volunteer patrols to keep an eye on things to make sure that the parks are still being respected in the absence of any formal operations. I hate to see a pedestrian hit by a car on a busy road or a heated argument with a property owner whose driveway has been blocked due to this action. And of course I believe fully that the people should have access to their parks.

(photo- a popular trail to Moulton Falls will be hard to access this winter)

Slip Sliding Away

One of the most spectacular geological events in Pacific Northwest history was when half of Table and Greenleaf Mountains came sliding down to temporary dam the Columbia River. This massive landslide actually forced the river to bend before it burst over the debris to flow again. Native people recount the story as the Bridge of the Gods. Christians have proclaimed that God can move mountains. He can and did (through a little tectonic action of course) those many years ago moving mountains to form a Bridge of the Gods. A time existed when you could actually walk over the Columbia between Washington and Oregon. And it probably was a better and quicker route than today's congested I-5! The Bonneville Dam has inundated the rapids that the landslide created after the river burst through mounds of boulders and earth, but from the Wauna Viewpoint near Eagle Creek you can get a great perspective of the earth-shattering landscape that was left behind.

The Fate of the Horn

Good article today in the Columbian of Vancouver (WA) on the fate of the Cape Horn Trail. One of the most spectacular trails in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, there's just one major problem with it. The entire trail wasn't officially built. The lower half was pretty much created by bootleg trail builders. Is there a problem with this? Well, a couple actually. Parts of the lower trail traverse near peregrine falcon nests and through sensitive areas. Also, the trail wasn't built to proper standards and can be hazardous in certain conditions. The Forest Service is currently weighing in on several options and is taking input from the public. I'm hoping that a compromise can be reached that would do the following under the following conditions:

Continue the trail roughly over the same route and as a loop while rerouting around sensitive and nesting areas or allowing for seasonal closures; and create safe passage under SR 14 where the trail currently crosses it.

For more information
read here on the Columbian
and here at WTA
Let your voice be heard.

And for more information on hiking the trail consult my Winter Hikes of Western Washington.
And don't forget to sign up as a fan of my guidebooks on facebook.

(photo-hovering on a basalt cliff above the Columbia River, one of the more spectacular and heart-pumping sections of the trail)

New Trail at Columbia Gorge Gateway

The next time you are traveling east along SR 14 (one of the state's most scenic highways) be sure to allot an hour or two to check out the new trail at the Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge located right at the entrance of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. A close getaway from the Portland-Vancouver Metro area, the urban sprawl abruptly ends right here at the gateway. Follow the Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail for 1.2 meandering miles along sloughs and through columns of cottonwoods towards the Columbia River. Want to stretch your legs out more? Then head east or west on the East Dike Trail, a 3.5 mile trail that connects the wildlife refuge with the historic center of Washougal. All of this will be in my upcoming Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book. You won't find it in any other book on the region. And it is just one of several other great trails and locations that is in my new book-but not in my colleague's guides. In the meanwhile-don't wait for my book to come out to explore the refuge-check it out this winter if you can, when wintering swans add to the beauty of this special place.

And don't forget to become a fan at Craig Romano Guidebook Author on Facebook for updates, contests, and more hiking and trail news.

Tomlike is White Mountains like

One of the neat places that I researched (hiked) last week was Tomlike Mountain in the Hatfield Wilderness in the Columbia Gorge. Near the popular Wahtum Lake, Chinidere Mountain and underrated Mud Lake, Tomlike only attracts a fraction of the visitors that its neighbors (except Mud Lake) do. Main reason? The trail to it is more of a scramble path and doesn't show on any maps. But the route is straightforward and quite an enjoyable hike and probably one off the nicest summits with the best views in the entire Columbia Gorge. One of the coolest aspects of this hike was that it felt like being back in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The one mile ridge walk trough krummholtz and shale was right out of the Franconia Range. The immediate surroundings of tree cloaked gentle ridges interrupted with outcroppings and ledges looked straight out of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. But the view of four towering snow-capped volcanoes (Hood, Adams, Rainer, and St Helens) reminds you that you are indeed in the Pacific Northwest. Tomlike Mountain is a little like the Whites-and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the region. Check it out-it'll be one of the 100 highlighted hikes in my upcoming Day Hiking Columbia Gorge Book (Mountaineers Books; spring 2011 release).

102.9 Miles

What a week!

I am exhausted today. Why? I had a record week of researching (hiking) these past seven days. I just had to take advantage of the amazing week of weather we just had to get as much trail research in for my upcoming backpacking and Columbia Gorge books. My brother Doug flew in from New Hampshire and he along with my wife Heather and I headed to Trout Lake for the week to set up base. We stayed at the lovely Serenity's cabins and then headed out on a hiking frenzy:

Sept. 20 Devils Garden, Mount Adams Highline-via Muddy Meadows Trail, Mount Adams Wilderness-Gifford Pinchot National Forest 20.1 miles

Sept. 21 Wahtum Lake-Chinidere Mountain-Mud Lake-Tomlike Mountain-Anthill Trail Loop Mark Hatfield Wilderness, Mount Hood National Forest 9.7 miles

Sept. 22 Blue Lake-Deep Lake-Lemei Lake-Tombstone Lake-Elk Lake-Clear Lake- Indian Heaven-PCT-Cultus Creek Loop – Indian Heaven Wilderness- Gifford Pinchot National Forest 18.3 miles

Sept. 23 Observation Mountain Trail-Sister Rocks-Observation Mountain-Big Hollow Trail to Dry Creek Trail-Trapper Creek Wilderness- Gifford Pinchot National Forest 13.1 miles

Sept. 24 Wahtum Lake-PCT to Indian Mountain-Hatfield Wilderness, Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon 9.5 miles

Sept. 25 Dog Mountain-new trail to old trail to summit to new trail to old trail back down the Augsperger Mountain Trail, Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area 8.5 miles

On September 26, Doug flew back to NH and Heather and I retreated to Skagit County. Realizing that the weather was about to change soon-I decided to get up at 4:30 am on Sunday and sneak in one more, albeit long hike-and it was long-almost 24 miles-my longest day hike of the year-should be good training for my upcoming marathon. Yesterday's hike was a classic-

North Fork Skykomish Trail to Pass Creek Trail to PCT to Dishpan Gap to North Fork Skykomish Trail-Wild Sky and Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, 23.7 miles

My grand total for the week (I did have one day off) was 102.9 miles. And for the month? Yet another record for me with 221.2 miles! I believe this year will be a record too-boy, I'm going to need a sedentary vacation!

(photo-crimson trail lining PCT near Skykomish Mountain, Henry M. Jackson Wilderness 09/27/09)

A Deer Dilemma

First off-if you are a regular reader of my blog, you have probably figured out that my lack of blogging in the past week must mean that hiking season is in full swing. Yep! I'm off doing serious research again--working on two new books. Two books? Yep-you know about the Backpacking Washington book-well-the other one I'll be making the official announcement soon-but let's just say that you'll have plenty of territory to gorge on when it come out. Which leads me to-I was out doing research in the Silver Star area outside of Vancouver WA this week when I was dealt a deer dilemma. I was returning from a hike to Little Baldy on a terribly steep and rutted road when all of sudden right in front of me a doe and very young fawn appeared. The doe took off down the road. The fawn dropped and feigned dead. Trouble was the little guy did this right in the road. He was not hidden nor did I have a way around him. I stopped and backed the car hoping that he would rejoin his mom. Nope! Just lied there in the road playing dead. I waited- No movement. Great-how am I going to get out of here I thought. I looked at the road-no way I could scoot around him without driving off the road. That would not be good. I had to move the little fellow I thought. But I was so afraid that I would stress him out (he certainly was stressing me out) and that his mom would abandon him. I did not want to leave my scent on him. I wrapped my hands in two well worn wool socks (that I wore as outer socks) that were full of mud, seeds and other natural scents. I then gently lifted the little guy and placed him a couple of feet to the side of the road. He continued to play dead. I was able to drive by safely. I hope his mom returned shortly. It was quite an experience and I hope that I didn't endanger the fawn. What a dilemma. What would you have done my deer friends?