7/27/2019 - 7/28/2019 The Ragged Ridge is an aptly named, rugged subrange of mountains in the North Cascades that rise sharply above the Fisher Creek Valley. Access to them is inconvenient, to say the least. The peaks are either reached by significant amounts of tedious side-hilling on steep and unforgiving terrain or by bashing your way straight up the valley via thick bushwhacking and steep, loose rock. Fern and I set off with the tentative goal of climbing all 4 Bulgers on

7/13/2019 - 7/14/2019 As masters of the alpine start, Fern and I got going from Rainy Pass at the impressive hour of 1:30 pm. The vast majority of our hike in would be gentle miles on the PCT, up and over Cutthroat Pass and into the Snowy Lakes basin, so we felt good about just hiking fast and hopefully getting to Golden Horn that evening. Thank goodness for long, summer days! After being stuck behind some slow horses (I didn’t know they were allowed here) we eventually were

6/30/2019 I make a pilgrimage to the Phelps Creek Trailhead about once a year. The area is home to some of the biggest peaks in Washington, complete with beautiful meadows, lakes, and larches in the fall. This particular trip was an early season venture into Spider Meadows with the hopes of climbing Dumbbell and Greenwood – Washington's 73rd and 74th tallest mountains respectively. These peaks are in an impressive location, with intimate views of Bonanza and the Fernow group

6/9/2019 Silver Star Mountain makes its presence known on Highway 20, rising dramatically above the Washington Pass area. It is a big mountain with many rugged sub-peaks including the Wine Spires, which contain Burgundy Spire, known to be one of the hardest mountains to climb in the state. Thankfully for me and Fern, the true summit of Silver Star is not as hard to reach but still presented a fun challenge. There are two options when climbing Silver Star – a quick and dirty a

8/17/2018 The Pickets hold a special place in the lore of the North Cascades. They are ultra-remote, rugged and wild, and are guarded on all sides by deep, densely wooded valleys. Ever since our trip to Luna Peak a year prior, Fern and I had been hoping to make a return trip to the range. McMillan Spires reflection on a slightly hazy day We concocted a (perhaps foolish) plan to climb West McMillan Spire, the only non-technical summit in the southern Pickets, in a day. Althoug

7/28/2018 I have had a mild obsession with Mount Shuksan for as long as I can remember. It is a Pacific Northwest icon and is a perfect example of the ruggedness of the North Cascades. I love how it towers above the Mount Baker ski area and how its glaciers pour off it. When the opportunity arose to climb it, I jumped at the opportunity. Fern, Erik and I decided on the fun and varied route called the Fisher Chimneys. It is a bit more challenging than the standard Sulphide G

7/14/2018 - 7/16/2018 Fern and I had talked about sleeping on top of a volcano for years, and the opportunity finally presented itself in July of 2018. He had been dealing with a stomach bug for a while and hadn’t eaten a proper meal in days but was finally feeling better and said he was good to go despite the calorie deficit. What a hero climbing partner! The weather forecast was looking HOT (at least in the Puget Sound area) and was going to be clear and sunny in the mounta

7/1/2017 - 7/2/2017 Gothic Basin is a popular place for a reason. It is a high bowl dotted with lakes – the crown jewel of which is Foggy Lake – and surrounded by the rugged peaks of the Mountain Loop. Our goal was to get up there before the crowds of mid-summer to do some camping and peakbagging. Creek crossings were melted out Fern and I got a relaxed start in the early afternoon and before long were hoofing it up the steep hillside toward the basin. The creek crossings, wh