Trip reports from the mountains — hiking, skiing, mountaineering, and biking through the Cascades, Rockies, and everywhere in between.
This 7.5-mile hike climbs about 2,550 feet through hillsides of red huckleberry to the top of Yellow Aster Butte. From the top, Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan fill the skyline, with a basin of alpine tarns right below.
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This 7.2-mile loop from Rainy Pass climbs past Lake Ann to Heather Pass and Maple Pass. I started in falling snow and finished under blue sky, with golden larches and red huckleberry slopes along the way.
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This 5.4-mile hike gains about 2,300 feet over granite boulder fields to a restored fire lookout on the summit. On a clear September morning, Mount Rainier floated above a sea of fog to the south.
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This 12-mile round trip climbs 4,000 feet from Cascade Pass to Sahale Glacier Camp. The route winds through wildflower meadows and over rocky ridges, with amazing views of jagged peaks and turquoise alpine lakes along the way.
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This 7.5-mile hike gains about 2,200 feet through forest, meadows, and rocky slopes before reaching a historic fire lookout. At the top, the close-up views of Mount Baker make the climb completely worth it.
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This 8-mile hike into the North Cascades climbs through wildflower meadows and over alpine granite to a historic fire lookout. From the top, there are incredible 360-degree views of jagged peaks and the deep-blue Hidden Lake below.
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I hiked to Camp Muir, a base camp at 10,188 feet on Mount Rainier. The route gains more than 4,700 feet and passes glaciers, deep crevasses, and wide-open views above the clouds. It was a tough climb and one of my most memorable days in the Cascades.
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I biked Sunrise Road in Mount Rainier National Park before it opened to cars for the season. With snowplow crews still clearing the upper road, cyclists and hikers had the alpine scenery almost entirely to themselves.
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I spent a week skiing Vail, Breckenridge, and Keystone, chasing powder and exploring some of Colorado's best-known terrain.
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I visited the Maroon Bells and spent some time exploring Aspen, surrounded by some of Colorado's most iconic mountain scenery.
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After moving back to Chicagoland, I headed to Salt Lake City for a Christmas ski trip filled with storms, deep snow, and a few unexpected adventures.
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I biked Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park while the upper section was still closed to cars. With snowplow crews working higher up, cyclists and hikers had a rare chance to enjoy this iconic road without traffic.
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My season as a ski bum in Bozeman included 69 ski days, more than 700 miles, and 629,000 vertical feet. I also skied my first double-black run at Bridger Bowl, a mountain that will always have a special place in my heart.
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I biked 25 miles on the paved trail through Grand Teton National Park. The scenic route stretches all the way to Jackson and is a great way to take in the Tetons at a slower pace.
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I reached the 13,065-foot summit of Wheeler Peak, the second-highest peak in Nevada and the highest mountain I had climbed at the time. The 8.6-mile trip took 5 hours and 56 minutes, with about 3,000 feet of elevation gain and some wild off-trail scrambling near the top.
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I hiked toward Illumination Rock, camped overnight, and returned to Timberline Lodge for a day of summer skiing. Only two runs were open, and the snow got slushy by the afternoon, but skiing in June on Oregon's tallest mountain was an experience I will never forget.
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My first mountaineering-style adventure covered 9.8 miles and 3,453 feet of climbing through deep snow. I ran out of time before the true summit, but glissading back down with the Cascades spread out in front of me was easily the highlight of the day.
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