Conversations » Hiking Report

Hiker’s checklist

nrcima — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:52:00 +0000

It took me a while to understand, compile and build this checklist. Now you may not need or feel like carrying everything thats listed out here. But it is always a good idea to go through the checklist before leaving anything behind.

Map
Never set out without a map especially if the trail is not well marked. It is very easy to get lost in an easy to explore wilderness and do not count on wireless phone signal or the phone GPS for help. A map that has the trail path on it is a plus.
Compass
Always helps to carry a compass to complement the map.
Food
Compact high energy snacks like energy bars are good. We dont realize but a hike no matter how easy/difficult and long/short will make the hiker hungry by the time the hike is complete.
Clothing
Although a personal choice, warm, rain and windshell clothing is always prefered.
Shoes
Hiking shoes always recommended. You can find some good hiking shoes at REI or other sports shops.
Sunglasses
Helps with the bright light at altitudes, avoids the snow blindness and helps with good looks in pictures.
Sunscreen
Never start without one.
First aid
Always carry atleast the basic firstaid kit.
Pocket knife
A multipurpose knife with the likeness of the swiss knife is recommended.
Matches
Matches or lighters are a must if it is a multi day hike. Day hikers may not need matches as much unless they plan on day camping.
Firestarter and wood
Similar to matches.
Water
Always carry enough water for the entire hike. The way we do it is carry two sets of water bottles with cold water in one and the other is half frozen. We drink the cold water on the way to the hike. The frozen water starts melting by the time we head back and we have cold water for the way back too.
Bug repellent
If the hike is through a lot of thick growth, bug repellents are a must.
Walking stick
Depending on the difficulty of the hike, walking sticks are a must. Most people find using a walking stick makes their life easier even for a hike rated 1.
Blanket (throw)
We always carry a blanket to use when we reach the destination. Most of the hikes dont have a place to sit once you reach the point. Having a blanket on hand makes it easier to sit down and relax for a while before heading back to the trail head.

Lake 22, Mountain Loop Hwy

nrcima — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:26:37 +0000

Difficulty – 7/10

Scenic – 10/10

Length – 5.5mi

Living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest gives us access to a lot of serene picturesque locales not found elsewhere. Its weekend again and we set out on our Saturday hiking trip. This time we headed out to Lake 22 on Mountain Loop Hwy.

Full of old growth trees and with more than half a dozen water falls, this is a must do trail for all enthusiasts. Although rated as easy to moderate, we found that this trail was more of moderate to difficult with all the rocks and steep gradient along the trail. The trail is 5.5 mile roundtrip with no access to bikes or wheelchairs. Pets are expected to be on leash and we were glad to see most of the hikers follow these rules.

Hikers are expected to register at the trailhead incase of an emergency or if they get lost which as I understood can happen a lot. The easy to explore wilderness tends to lure people into taking shortcuts which combined with foggy conditions can make them lose track of the trail paths. The trail starts off in parallel to the Mountain Loop Hwy and you can hear the vehicles passing by. Soon the trail veers off in to thick growths and rocky trails. There are a lot of smaller water falls and streams all along the trail that keep the hikers excited.

Some wild flowers and plants along the trail.

The first mile is easier after which the trail becomes very rocky. This is the most difficult part of the trail but if you endure this, you are in for a treat. The last half mile is really easy but muddy for most of it. A bright clear day would give ample opportunities for nice pictures. Once you get to the lake, there are no simple words to explain the beauty of Lake 22. BTW, who would give such a dull name to this lake? A nice wooden walkway runs all along the perimeter of the lake that you can walk on. Lake 22 is rated 10 of 10 for scenic beauty.

To get to Lake 22 trailhead, go 11 miles East on Mountain Loop Hwy till you reach the Verlot Park Ranger station. Keep going for another 2 miles, past the Mount Philchuck road to get to the Lake 22 trailhead which comes on the right.

For full trail information, contact the Verlot Public Service Center, 33515 Mountain Loop Hwy or the Darrington Ranger District.

Here’s a quick look of the location on bing maps.

Link to Live Maps

Hurricane Ridge – Olympic National Park

nrcima — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Now, I have been to this place atleast a half dozen times in the last 1 year and yet the scenic beauty doesnt cease to amaze me. Every time I feel like I am looking at something new and awesome. Thats the Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Forest for you.

For more on Hurricane Ridge visit think link on Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ridge

Wallace Falls State Park, Gold Bar, WA

nrcima — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:30:00 +0000

Wallace Falls Trail hike has got to be the best hike I have done to date. There are only a fewer better trails within such easy reach of the Puget Sound region. Wallace Falls is one of the best falls in the Cascades with about 9 drops of atleast 50 feet. The biggest of them all is about 250 ft and is visible from US highway 2.

The trailhead is in the city of Goldbar which is on US-2. There are clear directions from US-2 to access this trailhead. The trail head has enough parking but is always full given the amount of traffic this trail gets all round the year. There are two ways of reaching the falls via the trail. One is the woody trail which is of moderate difficulty and is about 1.5 miles while the other is of railroad grade and adds about a mile to the woody trail. Both are accessible from the trail head.

The trail head is directly under Puget Sound Energy (PSE) power lines. Once we get past the cackling noise of these lines, we reach the split for the two trails. These two meet again at the lower falls. The lower falls has a nice lunch spot for family hikers who usually bring a picnic basket upto the falls and spend time with their family. The middle falls is another half mile and the upper falls adds up another .4 miles. The hike from lower to middle falls is of moderate difficulty and not suitable for amateur hikers or beginners.
The trail is not accessible to bikers, although the railroad grade trail leads the bikers to a different spot altogether.
The falls and the trail are open all round the year and a must see/hike for all enthusiasts.

Twin falls trail, Snoqualmie, WA

nrcima — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Twin falls trail is the trail that leads to the Twin Fall waterfall on the South fork of the Snoqualmie River (Sno), in the Twin Falls/Olallie State Park. The fastest way to reach the trail head is to get off at exit 34 on I-90. Although the route I took and would recommend is via WA202 which leads through the beautiful Snoqualmie Falls if you are driving from Redmond, WA.

This tree was so huge, I could actually walk through that tree trunk

This was taken on the way to the Falls. The Trail head itself is very picturesque and mention worthy. Not all trail heads look this gorgeous. The trail is at a moderate level of difficulty with steep hikes and narrow paths leading up to the falls. The trail is quite a hike and not recommended for first timers. Rated as easy to moderate, the trail goes a total of 2.6 miles round trip with a nice family friendly walk.

Looking forward to Wallace Falls next week.

Rattlesnake Trail

nrcima — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:25:00 +0000

Rattlesnake trail is just off of I90 at NorthBend. To get to rattlesnake, get off I90 at exit 32, keep right after the exit and just follow the 436th street till it becomes Cedar Falls road which will take you right to the Rattlesnake trail. The distance is about 3+ miles for those who want to watch how far the trail is from the highway.

Rattlesnake hike is not your regular everyday trail. The slope is very steep at places and is not recommended for folks with injuries and definitely not for firsttimers. There is a small 5 mile roundtrip hike to the top of the mountain to begin with and goes upto 20 miles for people who want to go all through the snoqualmie valley.

The trail zigzags through muddy pools of water and takes you on rocks, though cut trees, wooden bridges and to astounding beauty of nature. I stopped at the Rattlesnake ledge, that gives an overlookpoint to look over the Rattlesnake lake down below. You can spot your car from teh top of the ledge that gives you a sense of achievement and makes the hike worth all the trouble.

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes-of-the-week/rattlesnake-mountain-trail

Camping checklist

nrcima — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:55:00 +0000

This is the checklist for camping for amateurs. The list is very exhaustive and is not in the order of importance.

Sleeping:

Enough tents
Tarp, foam pads or air mattresses
Sleeping bags / comforters
Extra tarp to cover cooking area
Basic toiletries
Swimming trunks/suits, hiking shoes, Hats
Quarters – for using the showers at the campsite

Essentials:

Flashlights/ Lanterns
Extra layers of clothing
Insect repellents
Stoves
Propane cylinders -
Matches, lighters -
Grilling pans/Sauce pans/other cooking utensils
Paper plates -
Paper cups -
Paper Napkins -
Spoons -
Ladles –
Skewers
Can openers -
Knife/peeler -
Sun screen -
Coolers/campers (ice pack) -
Trash Bags -
First aid kit -
Ice for the icepack -
Firewood/Starter wood
Games – Catchphrase, Dodgeball, Frisbee -
Boom Box / Zune/ FM Transmiiter & CD’s
Foldable chairs

Food

Water (big jerry cans) -
Veggie/Meat burgers/Hot dogs -
Bread/ buns-
Cheese/Butter
Grease (Pam Spray) -
Soup cans /2 minute Noodles-
Tomatoes, Onions, Cucumber
Salt/Pepper/bbq and other seasoning
Chips/Soda/beer
Whole corn
Lime/Lemon
Scrub (for utensils)
Egg Beaters
Pancake mix/Other cereals
Milk
Coffee/Tea Powder
Sugar