Washington

The last hurrah, the last weekend in Washington, so of course I had to go down swinging. My friends Brian and Tim from home came up for the weekend and I decided I needed to go to the North Cascades and Diablo Lake to cap off my year. With good weather in the forecast, I was really excited to go ...

Chances also are that you haven’t won a permit in the lottery system. Sure, the Enchantments are beautiful. In fact, they’re drop-dead gorgeous. But for those of us who haven’t won it big in the lottery yet, here are some of my favorite alternatives. These five lesser-known Washington gems have v...

Olympic National Park, located in northwest Washington proves to be an excellent destination for the adventurer of any kind. With multi-night backpacking trips all the way to drive through zoos, the Olympic Peninsula is the perfect destination for families, climbers, hikers, and backpackers alike...

The Wonderland Trail is 93 miles long, includes 22,000' of elevation gain and loss, and circumnavigates the tallest point in Washington: Mt. Rainier. It is a world-class hike that has been on my mind for years. Finally being able to complete it was such a wonderful feeling, but it wasn't an easy ...

Winter is in full force up in Washington and for those of you ready to take on the elements, the backcountry has turned into a winter wonderland for adventure. Backpacking destinations that are typically packed with campers all spring, summer, and fall are now your own personal snowy playground. ...

Whether it’s gliding across the lake on a kayak, taking a guided boat tour, or sticking to the trail on a hike, you’re going to fall in love with these alpine lakes in Olympic National Park. Make a long weekend out of it and stay at the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort for a few nights and every advent...

Skip the long lines for coffee or brunch this weekend and head out on a hike for some challenging uphill climbs, stunning lake views, cascading waterfalls, and an escape from the city. Because there are so many options immediately surrounding the city, just choosing your hike is a challenge. We'v...

The hike for Mt. Storm King can be found here. This hike is truly amazing and no walk in the park. If you tried this hike at all right after the winter season then you know that it was quite tricky. Well, there were no ropes. So that added some much needed danger to this hike (sarcasm).   Now th...

We left Edmonds at 5am with high spirits as we drove south to our first stop of the day, High Steel Bridge. Two and a half hours of driving brought us outside of Shelton as we veered onto a forest road just as the first breaking of pre-dawn light graced our presence. Up we climbed among the loggi...

We hiked 17.7 miles in total. A year ago I would've cringed at the thought of such a distance, believing that there was no way I could travel long distances without suffering from my knee pain. Back then, anything over 8 miles with a decent incline would cause throbbing aches in my leg. One of my...

Olympic National Park is home to everything that adventure travelers think of when the PNW comes to mind. Lush green forests, raging waterfalls and rivers, beautiful hiking trails, and soothing hot springs dot the map of this incredible park. You can even book guided boat tours on some of the par...

Snoqualmie Pass is one of my favorite areas in the state. Not only does it have the mountains, forests, and lakes that Washington is known for, it's also home to some incredible waterfalls like Snoqualmie Falls! If you’re in Washington, visit Snoqualmie Pass and go on these 10 spectacular hikes. ...

To start,since moving here back in October, I have been wanting to see these giant rocks emerging from the coast. So getting two days off in a row finally and the weather being somewhat decent I went for it. Leaving from the Tacoma area we embarked on our quest up highway 16. Getting to see The N...

During my recent visit to the Pacific Northwest for the first time I had the opportunity to visit Olympic National Park. Growing up and living in the American Southwest it is hard to imagine that a place like this could even exist. While enormous, the park is the greenest place I have ever seen a...

“I’ve always wanted to go there!” are six words that used to trickle out of my mouth more often than veggies went in. Just as often were the two words “One day…” I once lived a life of hesitation and slept in a deep well of procrastination. I found every excuse in the book for why I couldn’t do s...

For my first story in The Outbound, I'd like to share some pics from one of our most recent trips. It was our first time visiting Mt Rainier National Park even though we live so close to it. The main reason why we don't usually frequent national parks is because we have a dog and they are not all...