Ronald, Washington

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness named “The Enchantments” draws explorers from all over the world. On a four day backpacking trip you can take day trips from camp to explore over a dozen crystal clear lakes, summit surrounding peaks, and camp at an alpine lake of your choice! Before you set out to c...

At the Snow Lake Trail, you start at a elevation of 1400 feet and run up to Nada Lake 5000 feet at 5.6 miles. From here, you make your way to Lower and Upper Snow Lake, 2.2 miles. There are a lot of campsites in this area, but you have to apply to stay the night at these lakes. You will need to...

Friday after work I headed out to Snow Lake Trail and found my perfect camping spot. There is a sign that says no Camping but I broke the rule since I got the ok from the Forrest Department of Agriculture. Spent the night at Snow Lake and then Saturday I ran over to Gem Lake and notice no one t...

Being one of the lucky recipients of an Enchantments overnight permit can't happen for everybody. So, for the rest of us, taking to the mountains in the winter is an awesome way to bypass this system and experience the central Cascades in a completely different, colder way. The suffering is almos...

The Enchantments are an amazing experience in themselves.  Yet one of the most striking features of any hike into the core zone of the Enchantments is that of Prusik Peak.  This pyramid like spire rises dramatically from the many puddle lakes and boulder fields you pass along your way.  With it's...

Goldmyer Hot Springs is a beautiful little gem nestled within the wilderness of the stunning Cascade Mountains. This hot springs complex is situated on the old remains of a mining town, and delivers steadily flowing water to a set of tiered pools along the mountainside. The “cave” pool at the top...

Ira Spring trail offers up great views prior to reaching the ridge that you go over to reach Mason Lake. The lake itself is an amazing sight—beautiful water with rocks and trees along the shores, making this 6.5-mile roundtrip hike well worth it. The trail to Mason Lake, the Ira Spring trail, pr...

I backpacked to and setup basecamp at Rainbow Lake and then I ran over to Island Lake. After enjoying the peace and quite I ran up to the top of Bandera Mountain and enjoyed the views. Then, I ran back to basecamp and spent the night. The following morning I ran up to the top of Mount Defiance a...

The trail was not crowded although when we got to Snoqualmie Lake there were only a couple camping spots left. The trail up from Dorothy is not too hard at all. The weather was perfect. After passing Dorothy you have to ford a creek where the bridge has been washed out. We went through it on foot...

Start off by traveling along Highway 2 and turning towards the Money Creek Campground. Turn off onto Forest Road 6410 and follow that to the Lake Dorothy Trailhead (about 9 miles).This first section of the hike can be pretty crowded on a nice summer day as the trail is very family friendly and it...

This hike is definitely one of our all-time favorites. The first time we did it was in August 2015 and due to the exceptionally mild winter that year, fall was already beginning to show its colors. We wanted to see it again in the springtime when everything was in bloom, so we decided to go again...

This is an abandoned trail that heads south along Rainy Creek, off of the downstream section of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail, and up to Rainy Lake. The lake is popular among fisherman, since it is home to lots of trout, but be warned -- route-finding skills are a must on this trip. I do my be...

Prepare in advance to hold your jaw from dropping. Stunning views of Mt. Rainier await visitors of Grand Park. A quick jaunt through the forest via the trailhead leads first to Lake Eleanor. Well groomed campsites are available for overnight stays.Head past Lake Eleanor and you're on the way to G...

This one can be a bit tricky to find. The trailhead is unmarked and is a bit hidden around a curve of Middle Fork Road so it is easy to miss. At about 9.80 miles from the junction of 468th St. and Middle Fork Road, look for two signs on the right warning of upcoming gravel patches (probably will ...

This is the Section J hike of the Pacific Crest Trail between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. It is about a 70 mile hike, and I started near Stevens Pass heading South. The PCT starts at the Stevens Pass Ski Resort off of Highway 2. The trail starts out under chairlifts and through ski runs – I chos...

Park at the Sunrise Point parking lot and find the Palisades Trail at the northeast corner of the parking lot. If you bring along a pair of binoculars, you can stop at the first overlook on the left and scan the adjacent mountain slopes for the white dots of mountain goats. Continue down the trai...