Chush Falls Hike – Summits and Spray

Best laid plans never pan out, so lately my weekend trips have been a bit more ad-hoc. Snow, snowed-out a camping reservation and unusually cold and wet spring fronts have kept me bundle inside more ready for a book than trek. But when it comes to a long-weekend like Memorial Day, classic Pacific Northwest June-uary

Winter Waterfalls

After a week of sub-freezing levels, I headed out to the Columbia Gorge early in the morning to see the winter-wonderland transformation of the area’s waterfalls. Covered in snow and ice, Horsetail Falls, Multnomah Falls, Bridal Veil and Latourell Falls were all spectacular to see!

Devil’s Rest via Wahkeena and Multnomah Falls Trail

While I’ve hiked most of the popular trails off of historic highway 30, the beautiful and lush forest of the Columbia River Gorge and its pounding waterfalls never get old. To mix it up, this last time around I looped together a bunch of different trails to make a nice long, mid-week morning hike. To

A Hidden Gem: Elowah Falls

Hidden just a few hundred feet off of one of Oregon’s busiest interstates, Elowah Falls cascades 213 feet into a beautiful, serene amphitheater.  Enjoy this short 1.3 mile round trip hike on your way to Hood River from Portland on I-84 to briefly escape the noise of road and stretch your legs.

Ape Caves and Lava Canyon

Crawling over boulders 100 feet below the earth’s surface, I was consumed by excitement and pitch black. A damp chill clung to the walls of the lava tube and any exposed skin. The only light, the one I carried. Behind the shadow of the south rim of Mt. St. Helens, ancient lava tubes known as

Hamilton Mountain Loop

With waterfalls, lush forested paths and mountain vistas, the Hamilton Mountain Loop trail has it all for hikers heading out to the Gorge this fall. Follow the 7.5 mile out and back trail to an open plateau and enjoy views of the Bonneville dam and the rugged cliff lines of the Columbia River’s banks. The

Hiking Yosemite’s Half Dome

“If my mother knew what I was doing right now, she wouldn’t like it!” my friend Nigel said as we both stepped up the first rung of the Half Dome cables. “Mine neither,” I replied (sorry Mom!). “I can’t believe they let anyone do this!” With only the morning’s dim glow lighting my path, I

Yocum Ridge via Ramona Falls

With hardly a soul in sight and only the path leading me forward, I savored the feeling of dirt and rock beneath my feet. The air smelled like ripe honeysuckle and high Cascade wildflowers. The wind was cool and crisp against my neck, which tingled with droplets of sweat. The river and streams, roared and

University Falls Hike

Half way between the Pacific Ocean and Portland, University Falls thunders down a small canyon in the Tillamook State Forest for an impressive show of water. Tumbling 65 feet, the waterfall flows from Elliot Creek amidst flourishing grey-green trees. Offering a range of meandering pathways to the falls, the University Falls Loop Hike trail system