Nova's Hikes

A December push into Avalanche Basin below Mount Constance — rainforest waterfalls, a turquoise alpine lake, dark talus fields in the fog, and 5,900 feet of climbing through the wettest mountains in Washington.

Seven miles of bushwhacking along Kachess Lake's wild northern shore — scrambling through blowdown, navigating creek crossings, and watching Nova swim in turquoise water under clearing October skies.

Three days on the Boundary Trail through the Pasayten Wilderness — from golden larch ridges at 8,350 feet to a historic tungsten mine buried under the first snow of winter. Forty-one miles with a hailstorm, bear tracks, and a cabin full of names.

Three days on Olympic National Park's biggest backcountry loop — 47 miles through Grand Pass, Cameron Pass, Lost Pass, and Gray Wolf Pass, climbing from subalpine forest to barren scree basins above 6,000 feet. Four major passes, one waterfall swim, and a summit panorama from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Mount Olympus. Service dogs only.

A three-day traverse of Olympic National Park's wildest coastline — from Oil City to Third Beach, through all three tidal restrictions at levels well above NPS recommendations. Twenty miles of sea stacks, headland scrambles, old-growth forest, and waterfalls. Service dogs only.

A two-day, 34-mile ridge loop through Henry M. Jackson Wilderness — up West Cady Ridge through peak fall color, north along the Pacific Crest Trail past Lake Sally Ann, over the high point near Dishpan Gap with Glacier Peak filling the horizon, camp at Blue Lake, and back down Bald Eagle Mountain and Quartz Creek.

An attempted Lime Ridge high route that turned into a bushwhack survival epic — fording the raging Suiattle, cliffing out on a non-existent trail, following Milk Creek's riverbed through alder and bear country to reach the PCT, then a stunning ridgeline sunset and sunrise above the clouds near Glacier Peak.

An evening ridge traverse from Mount Defiance to Putrid Pete's Peak — scrambling along an exposed ridgeline with golden hour light and dramatic sunset clouds over the I-90 corridor.

A two-day high route through the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness — from the Middle Fork Snoqualmie up through granite basins, past turquoise tarns, and across the high country near La Bohn Gap.

A two-day extension of the Alpine Lakes High Route — 38 miles through the granite heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, bivying at 5,700 feet, and traversing alpine plateaus that felt like the top of the world.

A three-day combination high route linking Paddy-Go-Easy Pass to Klonaqua Lakes to Robin Lakes — a rarely done traverse through granite basins, over brushy cliff scrambles, and along exposed ridgelines deep in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Possibly the first time with a dog.

An overnight backpack through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness — over Alta Pass and down to the turquoise waters of Chikamin Lake, with Nova leading the way.

A quick scramble up Silver Peak near Snoqualmie Pass — talus fields, summit panoramas, and Nova surveying the Cascades from 5,600 feet.

A rugged overnight along the North Tieton Rim — volcanic landscapes, wildflower meadows, snowfields, and Nova camping under the stars at 7,000 feet.

A steep scramble up Guye Peak via the Snoqualmie Gully — exposed rock slabs, golden hour views, and Nova surveying the Cascades from above.

An overnight backpack to the stunning Charlia Lakes basin — alpine lakes, jagged peaks, and Nova swimming in crystal-clear water.

A fifty-three-mile off-trail loop through the Glacier Peak Wilderness — campfire sausages, a rainbow at ridgeline, Nova swimming in alpine lakes, lahar devastation, lion's mane mushrooms, and miles of crimson huckleberry with the volcano watching.

Three days through Holden Village, Lyman Lake, and over Spider Gap — golden larches, frosty dawn reflections, and a 7,000-foot pass crossing in early October.

A forty-six-mile loop through the Pasayten Wilderness — from Harts Pass along the Pacific Crest Trail to Devil's Dome at nearly seven thousand feet, then down to Ross Lake and back. Three days, eleven thousand feet of climbing, peak fall color, and one golden retriever who wouldn't trade a single mile.

A Tuesday morning blitz up Granite Mountain before sunrise — 3,750 feet of gain in under two hours, summit lookout to myself, Rainier glowing in the early light, back at the car before 9 AM.

A 37-mile loop from Harts Pass through the Pasayten Wilderness — down to the river, up to a lake camp under granite walls, then along Buckskin Ridge at 7,300 feet with golden larches turning and the entire North Cascades spread out below.

A steep Tuesday morning scramble straight up Mount Snoqualmie — 3,175 feet of gain in under two hours, no trail, and a summit above the clouds with Rainier floating on the horizon.

A two-day loop through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness — Melakwa Lake to the flanks of Kaleetan Peak, down to Snow Lake, east through alpine meadows, north along the Pacific Crest Trail past Mirror Lake, and back over the ridgeline. Thirty-nine miles and ten thousand feet of gain. Most of it off-trail.

A Tuesday evening summit loop over Tinkham Peak — 9 miles of off-trail scrambling through alpine lakes, rocky ridgelines, and blue-hour views of the Central Cascades. Started at 6 PM. Finished in the dark.

A two-night off-trail traverse through the Glacier Peak Wilderness — alpine tarns, granite basins, larch-studded ridgelines, and a high camp beneath the biggest peak I've ever slept under. Smoke on the horizon but blue sky overhead.

A five-hour scramble to the summit of Kaleetan Peak via Melakwa Lake — 4,900 feet of gain, Class 2-3 rock, and no photos until the top.

A soaking wet scramble up Preacher Mountain in the pouring rain — 15 miles and 5,600 feet of gain through old-growth forest, slippery slab waterfall crossings, and zero visibility on the summit. Two photos survived.

A three-day loop over Mount Daniel — the highest peak in King County — from Circle Lake up the glacier to 7,958 feet, then down to Venus Lake for a night in one of the most dramatic cirques in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

A Tuesday evening push up Bandera Mountain in full overcast — 3,500 feet of gain into the clouds, turned around before the bushwhack to the true summit, Nova soaked and grinning on the way back down.

A three-day off-trail circumnavigation of Mount Hinman through the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness — 33 miles of granite, snowfields, and turquoise lakes from Lake Rowena to an unnamed glacial remnant lake that doesn't appear in any trip reports. A lightning storm lit up the ridgelines Friday night and started fires we'd watch burn come morning.

A three-day loop through the Glacier Peak Wilderness — ridgeline camps above the clouds, alpine meadows thick with wildflowers, and Glacier Peak framed in every sunset.

A late-afternoon push up McClellan Butte in full cloud cover — scrambling wet rock into fog with no summit views, just Nova and the gray.

An overnight scramble into Gothic Basin with summit pushes on Del Campo Peak and Gothic Peak — fourteen miles of old mining road, alpine talus, and exposed ridgeline above the Monte Cristo ghost town.