Hiking
Hiking Tips from a Peak Performer
Eighty-six-year-old David Birkner has an unparalleled passion for hiking and climbing
David Birkner has been a Wharton economics student, a naval officer stationed at Pearl Harbor, a travel agent, a freelance writer, a pioneering environmental activist, an outdoor guide, an elementary school teacher and a successful entrepreneur. But mostly, the 86-year-old walks – on all five continents, from the southernmost tip of South America to North Africa to…
Respect New Social Norms While Hiking
Hiking these days requires more thoughtful planning
This story appears in the July-August combo issue of Seattle magazine and Seattle Business magazine. Subscription information is here. The pandemic threw a lot of plans off course, but it didn’t cancel alpine wildflower season, bright yellow autumn larches or mountain waterfalls. Despite social distancing guidelines, there’s no better time to escape to nature. Studies show…
Chasing Waterfalls on the Olympic Peninsula
Tour some of the state’s most scenic falls on a weekend jaunt full of mist, moss and spruced-up photo ops
This article appears in print in the March 2020 issue. Click here to subscribe. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many of the restaurants and places mentioned will be closed and/or offering to-go only. Turn this weekender into a day-trip by leaving early, packing your own food, picking a waterfall and staying safe by following health guidelines as recommended by WA-DOH….
November 2019 Hike of the Month: Licorice Fern Trail
This fall wonderland of a hike is full of mossy trees and crunchy maple leaves
It’s November and shorter daylight hours mean shorter hikes. If you’re not quite ready to bring out the snowshoes and full winter gear, it’s also a good time to explore the lower elevation hikes. Late October brought a round of early snow to the mountains, and closed off a lot of trails close to Seattle…
October 2019 Hike of the Month: Granite Mountain
This hike is a tough climb, but a great swan song for the general hiking season
October is the greatest month for hiking. A hike on a beautiful fall day in the Pacific Northwest is the payoff for all the summer hikes leading up to it, and the incentive that keeps you dreaming all winter of getting back on the trail, if you’re not into the snowy and cold variety of…
SilentHike Receives a Rainy Welcome in Seattle
The national meditative movement takes locals on guided hikes while music and spoken word performance is broadcast to participants' wireless headphones
It’s called a SilentHike, but really it’s neither. Think of it more as a moving musical experience in nature with meditation. A mild workout but with stunning views and quiet reflection, with a new age piano soundtrack. A guided exploration of your psyche but with spoken word poetry and wireless headphones. And of course, since…
September Hike of the Month: Heather Lake
This all levels hike has endless photo ops
It’s September and time for a spectacular early fall hike. Look no further than Heather Lake, an all-levels trail on the road to Mt. Pilchuck, for the best bang for your buck. It’s a hike that has it all: a wealth of varied terrain and a smorgasbord of Pacific Northwest trees and vegetation, all wrapped…
July Hike of the Month: Denny Creek and Melakwa Lakes
This hike takes you from a beginner hiker to alpine expert
It’s the peak of summer—all those spring and early summer hikes prepared you for the main season of hiking. This month, try Denny Creek to Melakwa Lakes for a hike that takes you from beginner hiker to alpine expert in just under nine miles round trip. The first part of the hike is flat and…
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