- Klahhane Ridge
A year ago, almost to the week, I drove up into the Olympics in the dark with a… Read more: Klahhane Ridge - Silver Star Mountain
On my first trip to this corner of Washington, I counted three waterfalls. This time I counted five… Read more: Silver Star Mountain - Loowit Falls
I’ve known Mount St. Helens most of my life without ever setting foot on it. This morning I… Read more: Loowit Falls - Naches Peak Loop
Usually the sun finds me on the trail. I’ve chased a few sunsets, but most mornings I just… Read more: Naches Peak Loop - Sunrise Rim Trail
Some days go to plan. This one went to Plan B, and I’d built it that way on… Read more: Sunrise Rim Trail - Maple Pass Loop
The week started in a dark room full of booths and dinner plates, with a songwriter telling us… Read more: Maple Pass Loop - Upper Crystal Lake
Some mornings I plan for. This one started without me. My flight had gotten in last night, and… Read more: Upper Crystal Lake - Ballinesker Beach ☘️
My family left Ireland during the famine. That is the whole story as I have carried it, and… Read more: Ballinesker Beach ☘️ - Howth Cliffs ☘️
Some things are easy to say and hard to answer. A reason to get up in the morning… Read more: Howth Cliffs ☘️ - Cliffs of Moher ☘️
I came to Ireland to look for family who have been gone hundreds of years and friends who… Read more: Cliffs of Moher ☘️ - Sourdough Gap
I have stopped being surprised by how often I go looking for one thing and come back with… Read more: Sourdough Gap - Coyote Wall Loop
Some weeks give us plenty to carry. But every so often, a trail asks us to set all… Read more: Coyote Wall Loop - Chain Lakes Loop
The best things I carry up a mountain are rarely the ones I find in my pack. I… Read more: Chain Lakes Loop - Ancient Lakes Trail
We spend years becoming who we are, yet almost no time thanking the person who set us on… Read more: Ancient Lakes Trail - Little Si Trail
I almost talked myself out of this hike. It was late in the afternoon, the light was already… Read more: Little Si Trail - Myrtle Falls, Skyline
I still lay everything out the night before a hike, then pack a little more than I know… Read more: Myrtle Falls, Skyline - Kelly Butte Trail
We don’t always notice the things that shape us. Sometimes it takes a shift to bring them into… Read more: Kelly Butte Trail - Hurricane Hill
Some mornings stay with me for reasons I never see coming. Yesterday’s drive toward the Olympic Peninsula gave… Read more: Hurricane Hill - Crystal Peak
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: Some questions arrive loudly. Others just sit quietly and wait. Long before daylight… Read more: Crystal Peak - Trail of Ten Falls
SILVER FALLS, WILLAMETTE NATIONAL FOREST, OR: Some journeys begin before the first step ever touches the trail. Mine… Read more: Trail of Ten Falls - Melakwa Lake
ALPINE LAKES WILDERNESS, NORTH BEND, WA: I slipped out of the driveway before 4 AM while the world… Read more: Melakwa Lake - Dog Mountain
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, WA: The drive south to Dog Mountain felt quieter than usual, even during daylight, with… Read more: Dog Mountain - Dungeness Spit
DUNGENESS WILDLIFE AREA, SEQUIM, WA: been unfolding long before that. I drove under the pre-dawn sky, windows down,… Read more: Dungeness Spit - Tunnel Falls
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, CASCADE LOCKS, OR: The road felt different than it usually does before a hike. Normally… Read more: Tunnel Falls - Mailbox Peak
MIDDLE-FORK SNOQUALMIE, NORTH BEND, WA: There’s something about leaving the house before the rest of the world has… Read more: Mailbox Peak - Mount Townsend
BUCKHORN WILDERNESS, OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WA: The morning air, a crisp thirty-eight degrees, hit me as I stepped… Read more: Mount Townsend - Teneriffe Falls
MOUNT SI, NORTH BEND, WA: I’ve always found the hours before the world wakes up to be the… Read more: Teneriffe Falls - Greenline to Wedekind
CAPITOL STATE FOREST, OLYMPIA, WA: I stepped into this day with a quiet anticipation that felt serene, the… Read more: Greenline to Wedekind - Kalama Falls
The trail itself asked very little of me. It was gentle and green in every direction, and quieter… Read more: Kalama Falls - Skyline & Crest Summit
SKYLINE REGIONAL PARK, BUCKEYE, AZ: As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, I felt a… Read more: Skyline & Crest Summit - Rampart Ridge
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: Dawn was just coloring the horizon pink and gold as I set out… Read more: Rampart Ridge - Hurricane Ridge
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WA: The crisp morning air accompanied me as I drove toward Hurricane Ridge, in Olympic… Read more: Hurricane Ridge - Rosario Head + Lighthouse and Lottie Point
DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK, WA: Dawn broke slowly behind the overcast sky. The trail was familiar, but each… Read more: Rosario Head + Lighthouse and Lottie Point - Snoquera Falls
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Driving toward Snoquera Falls in the early morning darkness, the world outside felt… Read more: Snoquera Falls - Dry Creek & Bridal Veil Falls
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE NATIONAL SCENIC AREA, OR: With an early morning start that really felt like the night… Read more: Dry Creek & Bridal Veil Falls - Fragrance Lake Trail
LARRABEE STATE PARK, BELLINGHAM, WA: As I stepped onto the Fragrance Lake Trail this morning, the world around… Read more: Fragrance Lake Trail - Hole-in-the-Wall + Hoh + Ruby Beach
I had three trails, one day, and a long drive to the coast before any of them. I… Read more: Hole-in-the-Wall + Hoh + Ruby Beach - Dirty Harry’s Balcony
MIDDLE FORK SNOQUALMIE, WA: As I stood at the trailhead for Dirty Harry’s Balcony an hour before sunrise,… Read more: Dirty Harry’s Balcony - Mount Walker
OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Arriving at Mount Walker just before dawn, I stepped out into the crisp air,… Read more: Mount Walker - Skyline to Glacier Vista
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, PARADISE: In the darkness of my early morning drive to Mount Rainier, anticipation kept… Read more: Skyline to Glacier Vista - Chambers Creek Trail
UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA: Today, I started my final hike of 2025 at Chambers Bay, feeling the crisp air… Read more: Chambers Creek Trail - Spruce Railroad Trail: Lake Crescent
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WA: This morning, as dawn began to unfold along the Spruce Railroad Trail at Lake… Read more: Spruce Railroad Trail: Lake Crescent - Dash Point Trail
DASH POINT STATE PARK, FEDERAL WAY, WA: This morning, I found myself at Dash Point State Park, sticking… Read more: Dash Point Trail - Point Defiance Park
POINT DEFIANCE PARK, TACOMA, WA: My early morning drive to Point Defiance Park felt familiar in the dark,… Read more: Point Defiance Park - Bellevue Botanical Garden
WILBURTON, BELLEVUE, WA: This morning, as steady rain fell in the Pacific Northwest, Ronin and I set off… Read more: Bellevue Botanical Garden - Twin Falls Trail
OLALLIE STATE PARK, NORTH BEND, WA: Today, I ventured to the Twin Falls Trail near North Bend, WA,… Read more: Twin Falls Trail - Colchuck Lake
For most of my life, I thought being present meant paying closer attention. Narrow the focus, notice every… Read more: Colchuck Lake - “One Square Inch of Silence”
HOH RAINFOREST, OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WA: Before the sun began to rise, I set out on yet another… Read more: “One Square Inch of Silence” - Packwood Lake Trail
GOAT ROCKS WILDERNESS, WA: As dawn was about to break, I found solace in the quiet of my… Read more: Packwood Lake Trail - Falls Creek Falls
GIFFORD PINCHOT NATIONAL FOREST, WA: As I turned off Wind River Highway, about 20 miles north of the… Read more: Falls Creek Falls - Lake Angeles Trail
About a hundred feet from the lake, after more than four miles of climbing, a sign told me… Read more: Lake Angeles Trail - Crystal Lakes Trail
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Reaching the Crystal Lakes Trailhead, still enveloped in darkness, I felt a mix… Read more: Crystal Lakes Trail - Franklin Falls and Badger Mountain
SNOQUALMIE PASS & BADGER MOUNTAIN, WA: As the sun dipped low in the sky, I found myself standing… Read more: Franklin Falls and Badger Mountain - Burroughs Mountain Trail
Autumn tends to arrive for me as a feeling before the calendar catches up. This year it came… Read more: Burroughs Mountain Trail - Glacier Basin Trail
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: The early morning air was crisp as I drove toward the Glacier Basin… Read more: Glacier Basin Trail - Sheep Lake Trail
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, NACHES, WA: As the sun began to rise over the horizon, casting a blend… Read more: Sheep Lake Trail - Annette Lake Trail
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: As dawn was about to break, I laced up my hiking boots. The… Read more: Annette Lake Trail - Oyster Dome Trail
BLANCHARD STATE FOREST, CHUCKANUT DRIVE, BOW, WA: As I approached the Oyster Dome Trail off Chuckanut Drive, the… Read more: Oyster Dome Trail - Anacortes Cancer Walk
SEAFARER’S MEMORIAL PARK, ANACORTES, WA: As the sun crested beyond the horizon, bathing the sky in shades of… Read more: Anacortes Cancer Walk - Dewey Lake
It was a Big Chill kind of Sunday. The Rolling Stones and their choir had kept me company… Read more: Dewey Lake - Mount Fremont Lookout
SUNRISE, MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: As the first light of dawn began to paint the sky, today’s… Read more: Mount Fremont Lookout - Snow Lake
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Today, I set out on a hike to Snow Lake in the Alpine… Read more: Snow Lake - Talapus and Olallie Lakes
ALPINE LAKES WILDERNESS, WA: As the clock struck four, I slipped out the door, greeted by the gentle… Read more: Talapus and Olallie Lakes - Skyline Loop Trail
PARADISE, MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: Today marks a poignant milestone, a year since Kelly took her last… Read more: Skyline Loop Trail - Lewis River Falls Trail
The trip started the night before, with a stop I hadn’t planned. I’d found a place to rest… Read more: Lewis River Falls Trail - Rattlesnake Ledge Trail
SNOQUALMIE VALLEY TRAIL, NORTH BEND, WA: Stepping into another week of exploration, I found myself reflecting on life’s… Read more: Rattlesnake Ledge Trail - Carter and Madcap Falls
MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, LONGMIRE, WA: As the first hints of dawn began to paint the sky, I… Read more: Carter and Madcap Falls - Button Rock Dam and Sleepy Lion Trail
BUTTON ROCK PRESERVE, LYONS, CO: It’s mid-June and I find myself in Colorado. In addition to spending time… Read more: Button Rock Dam and Sleepy Lion Trail - Dry Creek Trail
OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, HOODSPORT, WA: Today, I set off for the Olympic National Forest, eager to tackle the… Read more: Dry Creek Trail - Lake Twenty-Two Trail
I don’t listen to music on the trail. That surprises people who know how much of it I… Read more: Lake Twenty-Two Trail - Wallace Falls Lake Loop
MT. BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: It’s Memorial Weekend, one that I don’t recognize. The house is quiet, the… Read more: Wallace Falls Lake Loop - Lena Lake Trail
OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Fueled by confidence from my last waypoint, I felt optimistic about my search for… Read more: Lena Lake Trail - Palisades #1198
MT. BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: It was an early Sunday morning, a day that held a special kind… Read more: Palisades #1198 - Sol Duc Falls, Lovers Lane
OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Returning home this week, I looked forward to getting back out on a beautiful… Read more: Sol Duc Falls, Lovers Lane - Ford Canyon
WHITE TANK MOUNTAINS, AZ: This waypoint takes a delightful turn from the lush Pacific Northwest to a sunny… Read more: Ford Canyon - Crestline, Greenline
CAPITAL STATE FOREST, WA: It’s Easter and a nice cool day for a morning hike. Up and out… Read more: Crestline, Greenline - Upper Big Creek
OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA: What reason would someone have to rise at 5am on a Sunday morning if… Read more: Upper Big Creek - Licorice Fern Trail
COUGAR MOUNTAIN REGIONAL WILDLAND PARK, WA: It was a perfect day for a hike! I must admit, I… Read more: Licorice Fern Trail - Mima Falls
CAPITOL STATE FOREST, WA: I was thrilled for this week’s hike, eager to step up to a trail… Read more: Mima Falls - Puyallup Riverwalk
ORTING, WA: I was truly inspired to hit the trails again today, feeling grateful that my minor injury… Read more: Puyallup Riverwalk - Little Mashel Falls
BUD BLANCHER TRAIL, EATONVILLE, WA: There’s always a first, and today marked a wonderful milestone! This morning, I… Read more: Little Mashel Falls - Dedication
My reflections primarily take place in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, but it feels right to begin with the… Read more: Dedication
● THE WAYFARER
Father, hiker, writer, and grateful soul, finding his footing on the trails of the Pacific Northwest.
