Crest of the Goat Rocks: Old Snowy Mountain Hike

With a name that sounds like it should inspire gentle and sweet poems, Old Snowy Mountain is a misnomer and a grind of a hike.

Half-Day Hike at Devil’s Tower

The middle of nowhere perfectly describes the location of Devil’s Tower in Wyoming – and there is nothing wrong with nowhere. Rising from the earth suddenly, Devil’s Tower becomes visible from miles away as you drive into the Park. There isn’t much else on the horizon – a few ranches or farms, a handful of

Exploring Colorado’s Mountain Passes: 4 Epic Mile-High Hikes

Over the Labor Day weekend, my husband I traveled to Colorado to compete in the Grand Traverse. A point-to-point ultramarathon, the race runs up and over two mountain passes connecting Crested Butte to Aspen. While the race didn’t go in my favor, the week long trip was not a complete bust – exploring four different

Big Views: Sleeping Beauty Hike

If your calves and quads were snoozing from the car drive to this remote Washington hike, they are bound to wake up as you ascend Sleeping Beauty. Short but steep, this 2.6-mile round-trip hike rapidly gains 1400 feet of elevation to pop out of the tree-tops. Featuring views of four mountain peaks (Adams, Hood, Rainer,

Hiking to God’s Thumb

Somethings are worth getting up early for – and this hike is one of them. With a heat wave rolling through the Pacific Northwest a few weeks ago, I was super lucky to already have a coast weekend on the books. My college friends all converged on Lincoln City for a long 4-day weekend. If

Strong, slow, and steady: Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro

As the sun warmed our backs, its orange-red glow illuminated our path. Gravel, scree, and boulders were all we could see. From the soles of our dust-covered hiking boots to the white-wispy clouds in the sky, it never ended. We never gave up. The highest point on the African continent, Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of

10 Gear Essentials for Fall and Winter Hiking in the Pacific Northwest

Let the wind whip, the leaves fly, and the rain drizzle this fall and winter, but don’t let it stop you.  As the seasons change, you just need to change with it. So leave the days of flash packs and beer cans behind you and stock up your backpack with warm layers and the ten

Ski season is almost here!

While it may still be September and the sun is shining in Oregon, winter is coming! And with it snow, skiing, and mountain bliss. To kickstart ski season, I hiked up to the top of the Palmer Glacier today, about 8500 feet up Mt. Hood, to get in a few early turns. To continue with the

A Rainy Mt. Rainier Weekend

Over Labor Day weekend, I attempted my first glacier mountain climb. I practiced, gathered gear and got as much sleep as possible before heading to Mt. Rainier for the early morning start. And after a summer of record heat in Washington and Oregon, alas the climb didn’t go as planned. Rain, rain, rain, downpour and

A Walk of Wine and Whiskey in Park City

Let’s just call it a shot of hiking motivation. Floating up into the sapphire blue sky on the Town Lift, we set out for a morning of hiking as part of the Park City Food & Wine Classic. Geared up with Osprey day-packs and new Ice Breaker T-shirts thanks to Backcountry.com, we looked the part