Mt. Rainier 4 Day Summit Climb. A deposit of $300 per person secures your reservation.
Payments may be made via MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or check. Final payment is due 90 days prior to the start of your program, and we will send a payment reminder approximately three weeks before your payment is due. If your final payment is not received within 90 days of the program your reservation will be cancelled and all fees forfeited. Trips departing within 90 days from the reservation date must be paid in full at the time of reservation. Once we receive written notification (mail, e-mail, or fax) that you are canceling an individual participant or your entire reservation the following fees will apply. Cancellation Insurance: We strongly suggest that everyone purchase travel insurance. We also reserve the right to cancel any program due to inadequate signups, weather or route conditions. Date changes are subject to availability and apply only to the current climbing season.
Safety is RMI's number one priority. Heather - Maple Pass Loop. Featured In: Day Hiking: North Cascades, by Craig Romano.
Buy the full book, including maps, elevation profiles, photos, and more: » REI » Amazon A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. Among the many supreme North Cascades Highway hikes, the Maple Pass loop is perhaps the most exalted. More than a few hikers have been caught humming Julie Andrews tunes while sauntering on this scenic sojourn. On loops I normally prefer to ascend the steeper direction, giving my knees a respite from pain on the descent, but I deviate here. From the trailhead immediately leave the paved path that heads to Rainy Lake. Continuing through deep timber you'll pass several marshy areas.
At 2.3 miles reach Heather Pass (elev. 6200 ft), where a way trail branches right to Lewis and Wing lakes. Meandering along the cirque rim, Lake Ann glistening 1000 feet below, the trail approaches Maple Pass (elev. 6600 ft) at 3.5 miles. Driving Directions: Blue Lake. Gothic Basin - Monte Cristo. Featured In: Day Hiking: North Cascades, by Craig Romano.
Mount Pilchuck. Featured In: Day Hiking: North Cascades, by Craig Romano.
Buy the full book, including maps, elevation profiles, photos, and more: » REI » Amazon A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. Rising 1 mile above the surrounding countryside and perched on the western edge of the Cascades, Pilchuck packs some of the best panoramic viewing to be found in these parts. Black Canyon. Expand report text Hide report text Fabulous fall foliage -- who knew that Eastern Washington had quaking aspen trees?
Best to approach... Fabulous fall foliage -- who knew that Eastern Washington had quaking aspen trees? Best to approach from the Yakima end of Wenas Road since it is paved. We came from Ellensburg end, which is very scenic but includes about 13 miles of gravel road (good shape). Too much snow on your favorite flower trail? Here are 5 hikes you can do now, with blooms aplenty. Originally published July 27, 2011 at 7:00 PM | Page modified July 30, 2011 at 12:27 PM Wildflowers worth watching for Glacier lilies (Erythronium grandiflorum) and Avalanche lilies (Erythronium montanum) are so eager to bloom they poke out of melting snow.
How to remember which is which: think "G "(glacier) for gold lilies and "A" (avalanche) for white lilies. They prefer meadows and open slopes in subalpine zones (5,000-7,000 feet, June to August), growing in masses, blanketing the ground. Indian paintbrush (Castilleja miniata) belongs to the figwort family, ranging from lower-elevation trails to mountain meadows, often blooming in proximity to lupine and valerian. Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) belongs to the evening primrose family, blooming below 10,000 feet June to September, growing from 2-8 feet tall. Shooting stars (Dodecatheon jeffreyi) belong to the primrose family. Red columbine (Aquilegia formosa), of the buttercup family, can be found in montane woods and meadows. Great Desert Hikes.
The desert steppe country of Eastern Washington is the place to hike in May.
In spring, the steppe is warmer, drier, brighter and under much less snow than the Cascades and Olympics. Balsamroot sunburst by Alan Bauer. First time hikers in this region will be surprised and delighted about what this country has to offer: abundant, diverse and colorful wildflowers; lakes, ponds and marshes full of birdsong; sweeping vistas of mountains and rolling hills; intimate canyons with steep basalt cliffs; and through it all the mighty Columbia River. What's more, you can enjoy plenty of solitude. We've selected nine excellent hikes in Central and Eastern Washington.