[Allison]

Are you new to the NWHikers.net forums? Welcome! Tell us a little about yourself, what kinds of hikes you like to do, where you go, that kind of thing.

[Dr. Evil]

Thank you for asking. My name is Ed. I've been hiking in the Cascades since my first Boy Scout 50 miler at age 13 (a lifetime ago). I particularly enjoy cross country/off trail hiking (slashing?) I enjoy catch and release with intermittent spasms of carnivorous relapse. Mostly I enjoy bagging new lakes Don't ever get out as much as I want to. Reading WTA trip reports and now NWhiker reports helps ease the pain. My current favorite spot is Purvis Lake. I would love to get back to La Bohn lakes (went 6 years ago with my wife/daughter/son and 2 of their friends). And the most out of the way lake I can think I've been to is Boullon lakes out of Darrington.

[dzane]

Hi ML, My name is Dustin. I live on Whidbey Island. I have been a lover of the outdoors since my first trip to Mount Rainier in 1961 at the age of 6. We saw a BEAR! We also buried a watermelon in a snowdrift to cool. It did. What fun. My first backpack was to a beautiful but somewhat overused Blue Lake near Mount Adams in Gifford Pinchot Nat'l Forest with my dad, in 1967. Since then I have been back there dozens of times and have been a backpacker since. My pack is a bit better nowadays, but it is still a lot of work. Mount Rainier remains my favorite area for backcountry exploration but when I feel the need to escape from the crowds, the North Cascades are my refuge. Snow King Lake is my favoritest backcountry campsite hands down. What a gorgeous place, made even more beautiful by its remoteness and kept that way by the difficulty in getting there. Other interests include hunting, fishing, photography(www.dzane.com), writing, motorcycling, woodworking, playing with grandbabies. I need more time. Near hiking goals: PCT from Columbia River to Manning BC, Snow King again, Wonderland again, and Blue Lake again, coming right up. Oh, and Berdeen/Green.

[Tom]

Dr. Evil. I didn't run into you and your wife 2-3 years ago at Purvis did I? I would have been camping solo with my hammock heading up the next day to Malachite Peak.

[Locutus]

My name is Ricky. I live in Massachusetts, but I try to fly out to Portland or Seattle each summer to hike in the Cascades. I live vicariously through posts here when I'm not able to do it myself. I'll generally hike anything non-technical, be it up a mountain or across a glacial valley. My favorite Cascades hike so far is Mt. Adams.

[Dr. Evil]

Very possible. Because we talked to a solo hammock slinger on our trip. We stayed at the site there on the point; "you" stayed on the other side of the outlet "fjord". That would've been '02. Nice way to re-cross paths. Went back last summer with 3 good friends two of which brought their teenage boys. Stayed first night at Purvis; 2nd night at Panorama. Wind was howling at Panorama (which it often is!), but good times had by all. I wonder if Panorama will even thaw prior to mid-august this year. My biggest goal this year is to get to Big Snow lake and Snowflake; oh yes, and Crawford and Hardscrabble; oh yes, and Jade and Pea Soup; oh yes and.......... ahhh, the stuff of dreams.

[Tom]

Yep, that would be me. Cool.

[Dayhike Mike]

Welcome aboard, all! Nice to have so many new faces! BTW - I've looked down on Jade and Pea Soup from the top of Mt. Daniel and have wanted to visit them for a long time. One of these days, Mr. Evil...one of these days!

[silvi]

New poster, old lurker. Live in the Coast Range of Oregon. Search and Rescue K-9 Handler for the local Sheriffs dept. EMT. Ex-Army Sgt. Enjoy solo hiking, backpacking and cc skiing with other canine handlers, canoeing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, camping, and generally rambling around in the woods. Favorite spots: NOT TELLING!!!

[JustJoe]

Hello Everyone, My name is Joe and I'm from Olympia. I too have been lurking about these boards for the past couple of years and keep coming back because of the great wealth of knowledge and humor to be found here. It's also good to know that there are others out there like myself who appreciate the rewards to be found at the end of an exposed, wet and painful bushwack, or the value of the 20 mile day so one can explore the high country one last day before having to go back to work. My love of mountains goes way back thanks to my dad who always took me along into the Olympic Mountians. Some of my fondest and most vivid memories had their origins up there. From getting chased around Royal Basin by a large billy goat as a 10 year old, the alpine stream "worst headache of my life" head dunk dare, double-decker frogs, spam, and that 3lb rainbow from the upper Skok. And there are many more. Now as a father I am hopefully creating fond memories for my own children. I like hiking and scrambling, particularly in the more remote areas of the Olympics(i.e. Larry of Port Orchard posts). I am also am very interested in Olympic Mountain history and exploration. Here's to many happy posts. Joe

[seawallrunner]

welcome Joe!! I look forward to reading your TRs - you have a beautiful way with words and it will be good to read about the places that you visited. cheers ! CWall

[Pete]

Hi all! I've been lurking here for a while and just decided to register. I'm a native Ohioan (and still stuck here) but try to get out to the PNW once a year or so to enjoy the beautiful country. I've backpacked in the Trinity Alps in CA, Gifford Pinchot NF. and Mt. Rainier NP. I've also climbed up St. Helens and attempted Rainier twice, summiting once. Hopefully I'll be back out this summer. I'm deadset on doing the whole Wonderland Trail, however I got a call yesterday regarding my reservation request; the dates I had requested had already filled up so I may be looking at an earlier time frame. Anyway, I enjoy reading your posts and living vicariously through them. I wish I could just head out into the mountains every weekend. Cheers, Pete

[Snowbrushy]

See Ya on the trail, Pete!

[Chucky]

Been around for a few years mostly my younger days were spent hunting local haunts at lower elevations. Always been a bit woodsy. about 3 or 4 years ago decided to learn more about wilderness travel so took a wilderness travel course with Cascadians in 04 and then a course in glacier travel with Central Washington Mountain Rescue in 05. Summited Mt. Adams in 05!!! Hope to summit Mt Raineer in 06. Have recently learned how to plot GPS courses and now with map compass and gps I hope to do orienteering. I hate to be misplaced! I have had such great expieriences doing mostly solo. It is difficult to find a partner for weekday trips but the solitude is nice. I back pack at least once a month and my choice for backpacking areas are the Bumping Wilderness and off PCT between White and Chinook Passes. I have a grand son whos family does'nt backpack or camp so I'm tring to build a heratige area where by I can learn when and where the mountain goats hang out and of course the many lakes that are seldom visited in the vast area mentioned above so that when he has children he can show them what GOD has given us all. I live in the Yakima Valley am 52 years young and in the best shape Mentally and Physically I've ever been. My ultimate backpack will be Mt. McKinnely in Alaska sometime in the next 3 yrs. I'll let you know if I make it.

[dzane]

Pete, try late September for your Wonderland dates. Fewer people, still good weather (most of the time.) I have done September WT trips twice and most of the time had good weather, except for two days of hard rain and one day of snow and wind up on Emerald Ridge. Fall colors are spectacular in the upper meadows in September.