A Pacific Northwest Hiking Blog — Pacific North Wanderers

Hiking Suntop Lookout Trail

Ten miles north of Mt. Rainier, located in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Suntop Lookout sits at an elevation of 5,270' and overlooks the valleys of the White River and Huckleberry Creek. On a clear day, the views go on for miles, reaching all the way to the Olympic Mountains to the west and Mt. Baker to the north. Originally built in 1933 to watch for forest fires, the lookout is now open to the public. Hiking to the peak can either be challenging if you opt for the 16 mile route or easy if you choose the 0.5 mile option. Still not easy enough? You can also drive all the way to the top.

HikingPacific North WanderersSeptember 29, 2016Pacific Northwest, Lookout, WashingtonComment

Camping At Pacific Beach State Park

Some of our trips require well thought out plans. Sometimes though, we just need to get outdoors. The work week had been hectic and we miraculously ended up with a free evening. We seized the opportunity and found a campground with open spots. It's been awhile since we paid a visit to the Pacific Ocean, so over the weekend we made a drive west to Pacific Beach State Park. The park is adjacent to the beach and is surrounded by the town of Moclips. It's a 10-acre park with 2,300 feet of sandy shoreline, which makes great for beach combing.

Visiting Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

If you're looking for a variety of animals to photograph, and you don't have the time to wait and get lucky while hiking, Northwest Trek is a good alternative. Here you can take a 50-minute tram ride that loops through 435 acres of free-roaming mammal habit, get up close and personal with some of the smaller animals in the forest animal viewing decks, and more.

ExploringPacific North WanderersSeptember 8, 2016Pacific Northwest, WashingtonComment

Review of WIN Detergent

WIN Detergent is made for those that leave behind an odor of which they don't feel comfortable with while being around others.

ReviewPacific North WanderersSeptember 6, 2016Pacific NorthwestComment

Camping At Bridgeport State Park

Bridgeport State Park is out there in the middle of eastern Washington, which is a region of little rain and desert-like conditions. You would think the long drive out this way wouldn’t be worth it when you could easily find something much closer, on the western side of the state, where nature is more lush and welcoming. We didn’t expect anything great, but hey, we’re trying to knock out a visit to every state park, so we still made our way out there. The park greatly exceeded our expectations and is actually much nicer than some of our nearer parks. We loved it!

CampingPacific North WanderersSeptember 1, 2016Pacific Northwest, Washington State Park, Gorge, WashingtonComment

Hiking The Grove Of The Patriarchs Loop

Want to take a step back in time? A time when humans were as small as insects in comparison to the surrounding forest? This is the place for you. No time machine required.

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to Sheep Lake

This easy hike along the Pacific Crest Trail leads to the beautiful Sheep Lake. It's a pretty short trek, just under an hour for us even though we stopped for lots of photos along the way. It's easy to see why the area is so popular. The water is clear and looks inviting; the peaks, meadows, and tress make for a beautiful backdrop; and the peacefulness throughout the area makes it hard to leave. With this being an easy to reach trailhead, as well as an easy hike, everyone should make it out here at least once. The rewards for the lack of difficulty are hard to find elsewhere.

HikingPacific North WanderersAugust 4, 2016Pacific Northwest, Lake, National Forest, WashingtonComment

5 Places to Beat the Heat While Exploring the Pacific Northwest

Summer is here, maybe. Actually, it comes and goes every few days. We're still trying to figure out this crazy weather. However, when the sun is around it warms up quite a bit! Enough to discourage many from leaving home to explore. We don't want you to stop your adventures because of the heat. So we put together five great spots worth checking out on a hot day. Each location will keep you cool enough so you don't melt!

Review of Bushman Kobuk Cotton Safari Shirt for Men

Enjoying the outdoor lifestyle in the Pacific Northwest is special for many reasons. The scenery is top notch; the climate and setting give you that "into the wild" feeling; and being surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, animal and flora, is a wonderful way to connect with nature. Getting outdoors, away from the urbanization of the world, is nothing less than amazing. However, if you're not properly prepared, that amazing feeling can quickly change to a miserable one. Wearing the right type of clothing plays a huge role in how much you're enjoying hiking, camping, and exploring. Read on to see how the Bushman Kobuk Cotton Safari Shirt kept me enjoying the trail on a cloudy, damp, and thick-brushed hike.

ReviewPacific North WanderersAugust 2, 2016Pacific Northwest, WashingtonComment

A Foggy Hike to Glacier View

To the west of Mt. Rainier lies Glacier View, a 5,450' peak which normally provides wonderful views of some of Rainier's magnificent glaciers. During our hike the weather was cloudy with fog, which prevented us from seeing much of anything in the distance. Upon reaching our destination, however, we were more than satisfied. It appeared as though we were on a ship, sailing through a sky of mist.

Eocene Period Fossils at Racehorse Creek Landslide

About a month ago we set out in search of fossils at Racehorse Creek Landslide in the Mount Baker foothills area. Although we were on the wrong path, and didn't make it to the actual landslide location, we still managed to find a pile of recently fallen rock with some good leaf fossils scattered about it. We'll make our way to the landslide one day, but for now we'd like to share a little info about this area and what we found.

Hiking to Lake Christine in Glacier View Wilderness

When is summer going to arrive in the Pacific Northwest? That's a question we keep asking ourselves. Earlier this week we were once again met with rain, clouds, and chilly temperatures during our hike. We were hoping for views of Mt. Rainier's glaciers but the majority of our journey through Glacier View Wilderness left us with seeing no more than the tops of nearby trees. This certainly didn't stop us, and shouldn't stop you, from trekking to the beautiful Lake Christine.

HikingPacific North WanderersJuly 14, 2016Pacific Northwest, National Forest, Lake, WashingtonComment

Review of Men's Liberator Convertible Pant by KÜHL

I received a pair of the Liberator Convertible Pant for Men by KUHL a few months ago and I’ve been putting them to good use. I’ve worn them while trail hiking, cave exploring, and working around the house. They’ve proven to be a very versatile pant which works great in just about all situations.

ReviewPacific North WanderersJuly 12, 2016Pacific Northwest Comment

A Star-Spangled Hike to Summit Lake

In the Clearwater Wilderness, at 5,400 feet high, lies a pristine, calm, and dark blue alpine lake. Reaching this magical area in the early summer months will have you hiking your way through forest, switchbacks, and trail junctions, as well as passing other lakes, fields of avalanche and glacier lilies, and if you're lucky, wildlife. During our visit we were accompanied by clouds hanging right around the treeline. However, we've seen photos of a nearly-cloudless day there and the views are amazing. Nevertheless, our trip was a great one and the clouds that day simply give us another excuse to revisit soon.

HikingPacific North WanderersJuly 7, 2016Pacific Northwest, National Forest, Lake, WashingtonComment

Exploring Ape Cave

A 13,042' long lava tube lies beneath the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, south of Mt. Saint Helens. It was created by a rare eruption that sent fluid basaltic lava flowing down the southern flank of the volcano for months, if not a year. The top of this lava flow hardened, forming the ground today that rests atop the cave, while the lava was free to remain flowing under it. This is the third longest lava tube in North America, and the longest in the country, which was created during an eruption roughly 2,000 years ago.

Review of Rob Keller MD's Glutathione Rapid Boost (GRB)

We recently were given the opportunity to review Glutathione Rapid Boost (GRB), a nutritional supplement drink mix by Rob Keller MD. We are on the go a lot and a little boost is a welcome bonus.

ReviewPacific North WanderersJune 28, 2016Pacific NorthwestComment

Fort Columbia Historical State Park

One of many coastal defense sites in the United States is situated at the Columbia River estuary in Chinook, Washington. It is well intact with 12 historical fort buildings, including the officer's house, artillery batteries, and two coastal artillery guns. The site is one of the many associated to the Lewis and Clark National and State-Historical Parks in Washington and Oregon. Construction of the 643 acre original fort lasted between 1896 and 1903, with additional construction during World War II. The fort was fully manned and operational for approximately 18 years before being transferred to the state in 1950. Today the park provides three miles of trails, a museum, wildlife viewing opportunities, and two historic vacation houses for overnight stays.

Snoqualmie Tunnel

The Snoqualmie Tunnel is a 2.3 mile abandoned train tunnel which was built from 1912 - 1914 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) for part of the Chicago to Seattle line. The last train to pass through the tunnel was on March 15, 1980. After that, Washington State acquired the right-of-way for recreational use. Now part of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail rails-to-trails project, this tunnel provides no light, is roughly 20 degrees cooler than the outside, and leaks water throughout. Sounds like a great place for a first date!

ExploringPacific North WanderersJune 16, 2016Pacific Northwest, Attraction, WashingtonComment

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