6/29/2025 - 7/3/2025 Introduction Gannett is a big undertaking, no matter how you approach it. At 13,810 feet in elevation with over 7000 feet of prominence, it is an imposing, isolated mountain, in one of the most remote wilderness areas in the lower 48. There are two main approaches climbers use to reach Gannett, one from the east and one from the west. The approach from the west (Pinedale, WY) is via the beautiful Titcomb Basin and requires going up and over Bonney Pass on

6/28/2025 The highest point in the Snowy Range in south central Wyoming at over 12,000 feet tall, Medicine Bow Peak was a nice acclimatization hike. This area is the crown jewel of the Medicine Bow mountains, with pretty meadows, lakes, and some surprisingly alpine scenery that are easily accessible from Highway 130. There are multiple trailheads that hikers use to access Medicine Bow Peak. We chose to use the Lewis Lake trailhead because it is the shortest and most straightf

6/26/2025 As part of our acclimatization preparation for Gannett Peak , my dad and I snuck in a quick hike up Grays Peak in Colorado. We camped at Lowry Campground near Silverthorne the night before and woke up early to make the drive east on I-70 to the Grays Peak trailhead. The trailhead is less than three miles from the freeway exit, but is pretty steep and rocky in places, so a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. We got started at around 5:30 am, which seemed like a pr

6/15/2025 The furthest northeast of all the Bulger peaks, Windy Peak feels like a bit of an outlier amongst Washington’s tallest mountains. Its gentle slopes allow a trail to go all the way to the summit, making it the only Bulger List peak with a trail to the top. Plus, it is significantly removed from the Cascade crest, and even its Pasayten neighbors, giving it a remote and isolated feel. Katie, my dad, and I spent the prior day car-camping at Toats Coulee Campground and e

6/8/2025 Katie and I made it to the top of the mighty Charles Mound during a weekend trip to Chicago. Despite it being a hill in a sea of corn and soybean fields in northwestern Illinois, Charles Mound is a surprisingly tricky highpoint to reach. It is located on private property and public access is limited. The owners of the property are gracious enough to allow visitors on the first weekend of June, July, August, and September every year. We planned to visit during the fir

5/31/2025 Brad and I set off to summit the high point of Snagtooth Ridge – Big Snagtooth – starting from the same pullout on the side of Highway 20 that I used to climb Silver Star Mountain via Burgundy col. We immediately dropped down to the river on the familiar junky climber’s path, losing 200 or so feet in the process. We wandered around a bit off trail to find a suitable place to cross the creek, eventually finding a nice log to shimmy our way across. Crossing Early Wint

5/24/2025 - 5/26/2025 Gardner Meadows made for an excellent early season adventure, complete with wildflowers, fun ridge-scrambling and snow-free camping. Our journey began at the Wolf Creek trailhead, which is only a few miles west of Winthrop. Balsamroot was near prime bloom on our drive up the well-graded forest road, which made for a pretty drive and was a good omen for the rest of the trip. Many trip reports allude to the up and down nature of the Wolf Creek trail making

3/6/2025 I had been slowly knocking off summits in the Sultan Basin area, and it was time for Blue Mountain and its 1095 feet of prominence. I brought my trusty old bike, because I knew I could make quick work of the downhill on the road. The entirety of the ascent can be made via a logging road, which takes off shortly before Olney Pass. It was clear from the start that this section was way too steep for me to bike uphill, so I committed to pushing my bike, and did so for mo

2/26/2025 5 miles round trip road walking with some nice views of Pilchuck as well as Baring and Index. This one is accessed via Woods Creek Road north of Monroe and took me an hour and 16 minutes car to car. Sunrise behind Gunn, Baring, and Index Pilchuck Distant Mountain Loop peaks Typical road walking

2/9/2025 In honor of the Eagles playing in the Super Bowl, a morning ascent of Philadelphia Mountain seemed appropriate.   A recent spurt of cold weather had brought a bit of snow to the lowlands, so I wasn’t surprised to see the road to the Lake Serene Trailhead completely covered in a few inches of snow. I was there early in the morning and the road was icy, so I just opted to park in a wide pullout near the highway and save myself the headache of snow driving.  Microspikes

1/26/2025 Persis seems like it should be a popular winter climb. Proximity to the Seattle area, a safe winter route, and incredible views of Index and other peaks all make it a very appealing destination. The only problem? There is a locked gate on highway 2 that adds 5.5 miles one way of forest road to reach the trailhead.   Chasing cars up the icy road Our group consisted of Mike, Eric, and myself. Eric kindly offered me usage of one of his e-bikes, while Mike, an accomplis

1/19/2025 Enjoyed a pleasant snow hike out to Hurricane Hill with my dad and Katie. The drive up to Hurricane Ridge was easy, the weather was perfect, and the snow was perfectly compact for easy walking.   Olympics in the morning light Heading up on open slopes The summit ahead Good to be above the marine layer Heading down Final Stats: 6 miles / 1,021 feet of gain

1/17/2025 In search of a pre-work hike to a new place, I searched around the Sultan Basin for something that might have decent views. Baby Blue seemed to fit the bill.   Snowy road walking The ascent is made entirely on logging roads (there was no active logging this morning), but you actually get some nice views from the road out to the Skykomish River Valley and Puget Sound, as well as peek-a-boo views toward Vesper Peak.   Fog in Sultan Basin Trees that survived the clear

1/12/2025 Arrowhead is a great winter climb – steep, but avalanche-safe, with a fun and scenic route and great views. Eric and I set off from the unceremonious pullout on Highway 2 just east of a WSDOT maintenance yard. To start we walked back west on the shoulder of the highway and left the road shortly after crossing over Nason Creek. Parking on the side of Highway 2 I was wondering whether snowshoes would be necessary for the lower parts of the mountain, so I took an optim

1/7/2025 The Mailbox Peak Old Trail is infamous for a reason; it is steep and makes for a great training hike. I usually try to get up to the mailbox for a sunrise each winter and was treated to a great one this morning. Sun starting to rise Beautiful colors Microspikes were helpful near the summit Checking the mail Heading down There was some compact snow and ice that necessitated microspikes, but was otherwise smooth sailing.  Final Stats: 5.3 miles / 3910 feet of gain.

1/5/2025 This was a solid choice for a cloudy day with bad avalanche conditions. Despite being a forested hump on the south end of Lake Whatcom, Anderson Mountain boasts over 3000 feet of prominence. In fact, it’s Washington state’s 51st most prominent peak. Because of this, it does receive a bit of attention from peakbaggers.  Most ascents are made from highway 9 on the east side, but I chose to ascend from the north on a trail that is sometimes used by mountain bikers. I pa

10/12/2024 I had been talking about day-tripping Mount Fernow for years and this perfect weather fall weekend as the perfect time to make it happen.   I drove out to the Phelps Creek Trailhead the night before and settled in for the night in the back of my car. Big shoutout to the crews who repaired the final switchbacks up to the trailhead, it was night and day different compared to my last visit a month prior.  The alarm rang nice and early and I was up and moving by 4:00.

9/7/2024 Hike in to Lower Ice Lake   I apparently couldn’t get enough of driving the Phelps Creek Road this summer, so I braved the endless miles of sharp rocks yet again, this time for a solo outing of South Spectacle Butte. There was some haze in the skies from wildfires, and I was hoping it wouldn’t impair the experience too much.  Leroy Basin The climb up the Leroy Creek trail is steep, especially with an overnight pack in the middle of the afternoon on a hot day. I was s

8/30/2024 - 9/2/2024 Day 1: Getting to the Trailhead (aka the crux of the trip) and Spider Meadows  Our annual Labor Day backpacking trip got off to a strong start when Katie realized she forgot her shoes and I forgot my climbing helmet right as we were pulling into the Phelps Creek Trailhead. Sigh . after a three hour round trip back to Leavenworth to buy new gear while navigating the razor-sharp rocks of the road both ways we were finally gearing up (with Katie’s brand-new

8/25/2024 A return trip to Tuck and Robin Lakes was in order, and I wanted to squeeze in a jaunt up Granite Peak while we were at it. I hadn’t been to Tuck and Robin in years, so the anticipation was high as Katie, Eric, and I set off from the ever-popular Tucquala Meadows Trailhead at around 8:30 am.  Cathedral Rock towering above Hyas Lake The first 3 miles were essentially flat, passing Hyas Lake and its nice selection of lake-side campsites. We then began a steep ¾ mile c