Image Lake — jewel in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness

Quick Facts: Location: Glacier Peak Wilderness Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 33.0 miles Elevation Gain: 4,700 feet Green Trails Map: Mountain Loop Highway 111SX Contact: Darrington Ranger District: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest  Notes: NW Forest or Interagency Pass required; No camping within ¼ mile of Image Lake—use established campsites; no fires at lake; respect re-vegetation…

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Mount Seymour — See more of the BC Lower Mainland from this classic peak

Quick Facts: Location: North Shore Mountains, North Vancouver, BC Distance: 8.4 km (5.2 miles) roundtrip Elevation Gain: 540 m (1772 feet) Contact: Mount Seymour Provincial Park Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Vancouver, BC (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Trail to Mount Seymour is snow free from July through October. Other trails in park outside of ski area are…

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Wapaloosie Mountain–a wapaloosie of a peak indeed!

Location: Kettle River Range Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 6.0 miles Elevation gain: 2,000 feet Contact: Colville National Forest Access: From Republic, head east on SR 20 for 21 miles turning left  onto FR 2030 (Albion Hill Road). From Kettle Falls, head west on SR 20 for 22 miles, turning right onto FR 2030. Follow FR…

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Greenwood Lake–Solitude in the shadow of High Rock

Quick Facts: Location: Nisqually River Valley Land Agency: National Forest Service Round Trip: 4.0 miles Elevation Gain: 1450 feet Contact:  Cowlitz Valley Ranger Station (Randle), Gifford Pinchot National Forest Green Trails Maps: Randle, WA no. 301 Notes: Road to trailhead can be rough. Trail is open to motorcycles but sees little use as it receives little…

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Fisher Lake–Quiet backcountry lake beyond Tonga Ridge

Quick Facts: Location: Skykomish Valley Land Agency: National Forest Service Round Trip: 10.0 miles Elevation Gain: 1350 feet Contact: Skykomish Ranger District, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Green Trails Maps: Alpine Lakes West Stevens Pass No 176S Notes: Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required Access: Follow US 2 east to Skykomish. Then continue east for 1.9 miles…

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Evergreen Mountain—short and easy hike in the Wild Sky

Quick Facts: Location: Wild Sky Wilderness near Skykomish River Valley Land Agency: National Forest Service Roundtrip: 3.0 miles Elevation Gain: 1,400 feet Access: From Everett head east on US 2 for 50 miles (just past Skykomish) turning left onto Beckler River Road (FR 65). Continue 12.6 miles to a five-way junction at Jack Pass. Take…

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Fourth of July Pass─Declare your Independence this week in the North Cascades

Quick Facts: Location: Ross Lake National Recreation Area, North Cascades Scenic Highway (SR20) Land Agency: National Park Service Roundtrip: 9.0 miles Elevation Gain: 2,350 feet Green Trails Map: North Cascades Ross Lake 16SX Special Note: Dogs must be leashed. Contact: North Cascades National Park Visitors Center Newhalem Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking North Cascades 2nd Edition  Access: From Marblemount…

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Surprise and Glacier Lakes—A surprisingly nice pair of sub-alpine lakes near Stevens Pass

Quick Facts: Location: Stevens Pass area Land Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Roundtrip: 11.0 miles Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet Contact: Skykomish Ranger District: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Notes: Northwest Forest Pass required; Dogs permitted on leash; Wilderness rules apply Access: From Everett follow US 2 east to Skykomish. Continue 10 more miles turning right (just after…

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Black Mountain

Savor sweeping views from mountain to sound to city Quick Facts: Location: North Shore Mountains, West Vancouver, BC Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles) roundtrip Elevation Gain: 550 m (1800 feet) Contact: Cypress Provincial Park Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Vancouver, BC (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Notegate closure times at Cypress Bowl Ski Area so not to be…

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Alpine Lookout –Wallow in good views and a chance to see a mountain goat or two

Quick Facts:Location: Stevens Pass-Lake Wenatchee regionLand Agency: Okanogan-Wenatchee National ForestRound Trip: 10.0 milesElevation Gain: 2,600 feetContact: Wenatchee River Ranger District (Leavenworth): Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Green Trails Map: Wenatchee Lake- No. 145Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking Central Cascades 2nd editionNotes: NW Forest Pass or Interagency Pass Required.Several miles of trails on this hike are also open to mountain bikes…

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