Craig Romano's Blog

I love wilderness areas—especially wilderness areas with a large W. In those federally protected areas I am assured that the land I will be hiking or camping in is protected from incompatible uses such as resource extraction, roads, and developments. It will remain untrammeled. No bikes, motorcycles, motorized equipment, drones and other modern day intrusions, too. Federally established Wilderness Areas are managed to protect the environment with very little human manipulation and impact. Even group size is restricted within them. But hike in any Wilderness Area close to a major metropolitan area or popular tourist getaway and you’ll quickly see that even when group size restrictions are adhered to and enforced—the entire concept becomes almost futile if there are hundreds or thousands of people crowded into a small area.

One of the biggest allures for me hiking in a Wilderness Area is to have a wilderness experience. And that certainly can’t be achieved on a crowded trail that more closely resembles a city park than a wild backcountry. Land use managers have long racked their brains on the crowd conundrum when it comes to managing wilderness areas. Restricting group size means little to adhering to wilderness principles if there is an endless stream of people crowding a certain area. This is especially evident on trails like Snow Lake or Colchuck Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. While one of the solutions (albeit a very unpopular one with many recreationists) is to implement day use quotas to thwart crowding—I have found a less onerous solution for having a wilderness experience.

           I often shun Wilderness Areas for non-wilderness areas when I am seeking solitude. Because the non-wilderness areas lack the coveted big W title, they are often off of the radar for many hikers. When I worked for the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire back in the 1980s there was much discord among the folks I worked with on whether we should include the off—the-radar Kilkenny Roadless Area as a Wilderness Area. It met all of the criteria to be added to the wilderness system. But it was overlooked by the masses of hikers who came from the Boston area.  Those of us who knew the Kilkenny, loved that while its landscapes weren’t as dramatic as the ones found within the Great Gulf or Pemigewasset Wilderness areas—it provided us with a true wilderness experience. It was a place where we could travel in solitude and perhaps see some of the national forest’s megafauna like the Canada lynx. It was a true wilderness even though it wasn’t a federal Wilderness. Many of us feared that if Kilkenny became a Wilderness Area, crowding would follow and we would lose the solitude we loved about the place.

            Here in Washington I have found thesame story to be true for many of our national forest motorized roadless areas.The mere fact that these areas are motorized, meaning that motorcycles are allowedon many of their trails keeps many hikers away. The thought of having to listento the whine of motors holds little appeal to many hikers. But here is theirony; I can’t count how many days I have hiked in the Sawtooth and Entiat motorizedroadless areas and have encountered absolutely no one! Other days I haveencountered just a couple of motorized users—almost all who have been incrediblycordial and welcoming. I’ll take a couple of encounters with friendly motorcyclistsany day over having to endure a conga line of hundreds upon hundreds of hikers—manyleaving litter behind, blasting music and doing other boorish things.  

            Of course there are boorish motorcycliststoo—and some motorized areas resemble speedways and I have no interest in hikingthem. But several of our backcountry areas that are open to motorizedrecreation remain remarkably quiet and wild. Legendary guidebook authors HarveyManning and Ira Spring railed against motorized recreation and often denigratedthe folks who partake in it. While I have no interest in dirt biking and I believethat many areas that are open to motorcycles should not be because ofenvironmental degradation—I accept that folks who enjoy motorized recreationshould have places to enjoy their pastime. And I have accepted that I can coexistwith them on the trail in certain low use areas—especially when it means I willhave a wilderness or near wilderness experience. To me—this is one of thegreatest ironies in all my years as an outdoor writer, conservationist, and trailsadvocate. Thirty years ago I would have never imagined that the trail lesstraveled was imprinted with wheel tracks.

Looking for the Trail Less Traveled? B oth my Day Hiking North Cascades and Day Hiking Central Cascades books contain detailed info on many—including trails within the Sawtooth and Entiat Roadless Areas.

325.1 miles hikes and more than $7700 raised for our trails!

Wow. I am still catching by breath and catching up with my work after an amazing August. Since 2012 I have participated in the Washington Trails Association’s annual Hike-a-thon as a way to have a little fun and help give back to the trails that have enhanced my life. When the Pandemic struck this spring things were looking bleak for many non-profits and I wondered how WTA’s hike-a-thon would fare. But as I write this with just two days left to collect donations, more than $150,000 has been raised—making this the most successful hike-a-thon ever for the organization!

And it was my most successful Hike-a-thon as well.  I really decided this year to go all out. I set three goals for myself. Three goals that I knew would have me working hard to achieve. They were:

And I amecstatic to announce that I met and/or exceeded every one of my goals! As ofthis writing because of the generosity of 90 of you (my record amount of donorsto date) I have raised more than $7700! I did indeed hike or run a trail everyday of the month alternating easy “rest” days on some of my local trails withhardcore mileage days in the backcountry. And I not only reached my 300 milegoal for the month-I exceeded it big time by completing 325.1 miles. This includeda kick off day of 33 miles on the trail and a grand finale on the trail withanother 33 mile day! I did a handful of 20 milers in the mix too! This allaveraged out to just shy of 10.5 miles a day. I’m beat!

While all of this was incredibly satisfying, one of my underlying motivators was to give myself a big goal to do something positive during this incredibly difficult time. The constant barrage of news about the Covid-19 Pandemic, spiraling social unrest, deepening economic inequality, and political ineptness and polarization—I just couldn’t take it anymore! It was refreshing and recharging to become totally absorbed in my Hike-a-thon and so deeply satisfying to challenge myself—and exceed my expectations—and have such positive results to show afterward.

This whole process has recharged me and has given me reasons to stay hopeful while the outside world remains gloomy. I empathize with my fellow hikers and runners who are stressed, anxious, and depressed. These are indeed difficult times. Consider setting some goals for a greater good for yourself and community. It will help you stay positive and focused. We will get through this—and I believe that ultimately it will make many of us better people.

So a big thanks to all of you who donated to my hike-a-thon, accompanied me on the trail, and provided support. My hike-a-thon would not have been as successful without all of you. And if you donated, stay tuned for September 8th when I announce the winners of the Oboz Footwear hiking shoes (Thanks once again Oboz for donating them). And if you haven’t donated, you still have until tomorrow to make a donation. You will automatically be entered into the Oboz drawing and become a WTA member. And if you donate $50 or more, I will thank you with a special series Green Trails Map (Thanks once again Green Trails and Mountaineers Books for your generosity). Just click here and make your donation! And to all, Happy Hiking as we move into my favorite time of year to hit the trail!

And if you need some great suggestions to find excellent autumn hiking destinations, my books are packed with detailed info—including on many trails less traveled!

Long before Covid-19 disrupted our lives and closed or strongly altered many of our activities, I avoided crowds. I just don’t care to be around large groups of people. I’m no introvert. I love company and companionship—but not crowds—and especially unruly and clueless ones.

It’s no secret that our trails, parks, and forests have been inundated with people this year, due to the fact that hiking and camping are a few of the things that you can safely still do during this pandemic. But many of our natural areas simply cannot sustain the number of folks currently taking to them. And exacerbating the problem is the sheer number of clueless visitors that are wreaking havoc on our public lands by leaving garbage and human waste behind—ignoring rules and regulations—and doing what they damned well please.

No thanks.I don’t want to be around any of that. I hike and go to the woods forrejuvenation, not frustration. And during these trying times I want to be faraway from boorish, selfish, and slovenly behavior. I am fortunate in that I canhike weekdays and travel far from cities to hit the trail. And hike far up thetrail. And so far this summer I have been having a great time on the trailoften seeing no one, or just a couple of folks. I always welcome fellow hikers whoare respectful of Leave No Trace principles and practice good outdoor etiquette.

The trailsI have been hiking all summer have been so lightly used that I have seen a bearnow every week! It has been a great hiking season for me so far—especially becauseI know what is going on in the popular trail corridors and I know what I amstaying far away from.

But what if you can’t take off on a weekday- drive a little farther or hike a little farther? Do you really still want to be on a trail with hundreds or thousands of people—shoulder-to-shoulder during a pandemic and having to endure scores of people who will be blasting music, crapping on the trail and leaving other filth behind? If this is the case—take a break from hiking for a while! You can still get outside and get a great workout by doing other activities.

Some of myfavorite hiking alternatives include kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, bicycling,and running. It’s easy to find a small quiet body of water nearby—or a largeone with lots of space to ply away from the masses. If you live west of theCascades you are close to plenty of protected coves and bays on the Sound andStrait. And there are lots of quiet backroads nearby—particularly on the islandsoffering great biking options—and crowd free. And wide open rail trails away fromthe city are great for mountain biking (as are old logging roads) and running.

Maybe this is the year that you try a new outdoor pursuit? Hopefully next year the trail madness will subside. The trendy hikers will have moved on having exhausted their selfie allotment—other things will have opened again siphoning the less-than-enthusiastic newfound hikers—and a few newbies will have actually become good trail stewards. Hopefully too our elected officials (let’s work on voting in some enlightened ones) will also see how badly underfunded and inadequate our parks and trails systems are—and start expanding and enhancing them so that will also alleviate crowding.

But in themeantime—I will look for you on a remote trail somewhere far from the cities—oron a rail trail, placid lake, protected saltwater cove, or on a quiet countryroad!

And if you are looking for plenty of trails free from crowds, please pick up one or two of my well researched books offering lots of trails less taken.

Covid-19 is no doubt a serious health threat, and we should be doing all we can to avoid contracting it. However, so is hepatitis and a buttload of other nasty diseases—and having to negotiate a fecal minefield is just as risky as being in a crowded room of people coughing and sneezing.

While Iapplaud our government agencies for implementing openings of our trails and parksin a safe manner—leaving privies and restrooms locked is not very prudent. It actuallycreates even more unsafe conditions leading to water contamination and anenvironment conducive to spawning all kinds of nasty fecal-borne andtransmitted diseases.

The latest studies show that the chances of catching Covid-19 from surfaces are pretty low, therefore restrooms should be opened. There is more of a public health threat of contaminating water sources and fouling trails by keeping them closed.

The sadfact is that so many hikers—particularly ones just discovering the joys of ourtrails are not versed in proper human waste disposal procedures. The amount ofsurface pooping and toilet paper blooming on many of our trails is simply astonishingand utterly revolting. Closed privies at trailheads is not helping thissituation. It’s making it far worse and threatening our public health.

Yes,hikers should always have their own toilet paper, hand sanitizer and know how toproperly poop in the woods. But so many don’t and they simply will poop right alongthe trail and right next to that closed outhouse.

What needsto be an absolute emphasis right now is that government agencies fully fund restroommaintenance, keeping them open, cleaned, and regularly stocked with toiletpaper and hand sanitizer. And what also need to be implemented is a an all-outpublic education program beginning right at the trailheads through informative signsand volunteers—and extended through social media and other websites addressing howto properly deal with human waste in the backcountry.

During this age of Covid-19, the emphasis from the get-go has been to wash your hands and practice good sanitary disciplines to help stop the spread of this virus.  The emphasis on stopping the spread of hepatitis and other nasty fecal-borne diseases should be treated with the same seriousness. It seems like a terrible idea to compromise our health and environment and spread diseases because of a policy that was aimed at stopping another disease.

Please check out any of my books for plenty of detailed information on trails less traveled. I thank you too for buying my books and supporting my work so that I can continue bringing you up-to-date, accurate and detailed hiking information. Happy Hiking!

Poop Emojis courtesy of FreePNGLogos.com

Did I missthe memo? The one that said that the Covid-19 Pandemic is over. Because by theway many of our trails and parks looked this past weekend—and how so manypeople were behaving in public—you’d swear that we just subdued that nastylittle virus and there was nothing more to be concerned about.

In many ways I am not surprised, but I am saddened and disheartened nonetheless. Yes, I know Quarantine fatigue has set in and an 80-degree sunny weekend is a tempting offer to get out and let loose. But as I write this, more than 83,000 Americans (probably more) have died of this nasty virus that we have no cure nor vaccine for. And as I write this, the number of positive cases continues to go up throughout much of the country and here in Washington. The number of younger people getting seriously ill from and dying from this insidious menace is also rising.

But you’d never know it if you passed by the Mailbox Peak Trailhead and counted an astonishing close to 200 cars lined up—or the fiasco that resembled a jamboree at Little Mashel Falls—or many of the other notoriously crowded trails and locations—places that should be the last place anyone would want to be during a pandemic of a virus that has no cure and can kill you.

And you’dnever know the virus was still here by the amount of nonrelated groups of peopleclustered together on the trail and parks; and the blatant disregard that manyfolks had to keeping a safe 6 foot distance from others while encountering themon the trail; and the refusal by many to wear a mask in busy public places. Andwhile there has been much written lately about the lower risks of catching thevirus in opens spaces—close contact to an infected individual is still the primeway this contagion works.

Yes,exercise and getting outside is important to our mental health. But we can’tprotect our mental health by compromising our physical health and the health ofour fellow citizens. It won’t be long before various governing agencies willbegin opening up more public places and trails. And it won’t be long beforemelting snow allows us to move farther into the backcountry and away from eachother. But until that happens, it is reckless and selfish to ignore publichealth guidelines by contributing to crowding and ignoring social distancingand donning a mask when in close contact with others. And by acting selfish andentitled to keep doing what we have always done will most assuredly mean thatour Covid-19 positive cases will continue to rise, more people will die, andour economic recovery and return to a somewhat normal life will take evenlonger.

I do not feelthat my rights are being violated because I cannot access a certain trail atthis moment—or that I have to wear a mask in certain situations. I feel I ambeing asked to be responsible, be selfless, and to work collectively as anation to help thwart this virus until we get a vaccine to vanquish it. Aresome of these measures inconvenient? Yes. Would I like to be able to travelfreely again? Yes. But sometimes we need to look beyond ourselves and do what isright for the greater good of our society. Unfortunately to many this has beenlost, was never learned—or is simply resented.

I marveledat the tales my grandparents used to tell me about how they lived through theGreat Depression and World War II. There were many “We” moments. Most people felta sense of duty to their country and their countrymen and women and eagerly joinedmovements to overcome these largescale threats to the nation. We need to thinkthat way again. People rationed items and volunteered service for years duringthe War. They readily participated in programs to defeat the enemy. Theydelayed gratification knowing that sacrifice was in order if life was to resumeon a normal pace again someday.

We are beingasked to avoid crowded places, socially distance, and wear masks when aroundothers—hardly rough sacrifices and certainly not a violation of our rights. Wehave a moral obligation to keep each other healthy and to get all of us throughthis Pandemic. And we will if we act together for the greater good.

Wars, disasters, crises, and pandemics bring out the best and worst of us and really show the world what we are made of. I have been given much hope too in seeing so much love, support and unselfish behaviors from my fellow citizens as well. We need to support each other and be positive forces and we will get through this. I know that most of you are already there and I thank you. We will have unfettered access to roam our hills again someday. But in the meanwhile let’s do the right and noble thing and stay away from crowded trails and parks—keep a safe distance from each other—and respect each other knowing that many of our fellow citizens are going through tough times right now full of fear, dread and despair. Showing that we care about them can make a huge difference in helping them and our country move forward and get through these challenging times.

Please check out any of my books for plenty of detailed information on trails less traveled. I thank you too for buying my books and supporting my work so that I can continue bringing you up-to-date, accurate and detailed hiking information. Happy Hiking!

Many of Washington’sstate parks and forests will soon be opening back up for recreation. I imagine toothat soon our state’s national forests will be doing likewise. To many hikersand runners including this one who has been adhering to the governor’s stay at homedecree—we welcome this news. However, many others think it is too soon to openup these trails. There is a lot of debate supporting both the need to stay inplace and to allow public parks and trails to open. In any case, I do not wishto argue the merits of either side here—rather to point out that trails andpublic lands are opening soon and what this means in the Age of Covid-19.

It is safeto say that both sides of the open up debate can agree that there is going tobe crowding on the trails due to the fact that recreational use has beenexploding in the past few years and now more folks than ever due to being outof work, out of school, or out of their minds will be hitting the trails. Butthe elephant in the room is that Covid-19 is still with us and we are still atrisk of catching this nasty virus or passing it on to someone else. So where dowe go from here because we all know the positive side of being outdoors and hittingthe trails—it can do wonders for mental health-which as of late has also beenunder assault.

The mostimportant bit of advice I can give you –and if I only give you one suggestion isabsolutely avoid crowded trails. My second suggestion is stay away from crowdedtrails. And my third pointer is to avoid crowded trails like the plague-er- coronavirus.Now more than ever you do not want to be on a crowded trail. I have longwritten about the need to disperse use as not only do our trails and parks havea carrying capacity—but crowded trails—and especially ones with scads of unenlightenedusers to the virtues of proper trail etiquette and Leave No Trace ethics simplymeans a less than enjoyable trail experience.

But now weare talking two outcomes far worse than just having to hike in a conga line ofblaring music, bags of dog crap, toilet paper flowers and boneheads cuttingswitchbacks, trampling meadows and disobeying in place rules and regulations.Now we have to worry about the possibility of contracting or passing on apotentially deadly virus. And whether you believe you are at risk or not—if thereare stampedes of folks on the trails—and our covid-19 numbers begin to riseinstead of decline—you can very well be looking at trail and park closuresagain—and into the summer.

So,please, if I haven’t made my point yet—avoid crowded and popular trails!

Many of uswho have been hiking for a long time can rattle off the biggest culprits; andif you aren’t sure which ones are  thestate’s busiest—just check any large Facebook hiking group, WTA’s website tripreports or Instagram influencers to see where the most traffic is—and don’t goto those places!

To avoid crowds it takes a little more planning and in some cases lowering the expectations for a viewpoint payoff that is less than stellar—but made up with the fact that you may only be sharing it with a few folks. Other tricks are to hit the trail on days of less than ideal weather or very early in the morning. Look for the over-looked trails that are quite often just in the shadows of the popular ones. And drive a little farther—although we should all still be staying pretty close to our home areas. Many off the radar trails can be found in county parks, local parks, land trust or other conversation based organization’s properties. Long distance rail trails also offer lots of room. Head to open to the public tree farms that allow hiking, running and biking on their road networks. Many national forest and DNR logging roads that are either decommissioned or are on their way to being so offer excellent quiet trips in the woods. And do some research. My guidebooks are an excellent source for finding trails both in the backcountry and in the urban areas that are less traveled and off the radar. In coming posts I will be suggesting some alternative areas to the popular ones.

And in any case be it you are on a popular or remote trail, be prepared with your 10 essentials plus hand sanitizer, toilet paper and a mask/buff or bandana to don when passing others in a tight spot. Absolutely no groups. Stick to family members or just one or two others and keep your distance. And pack it in pack it out. Do not leave gloves and wipes on the ground—take them with you and throw them out when you get home. Try to heed nature before you get to a trail—use an outhouse if one is available—or heed the call to nature by doing it properly (which I will be writing about in an upcoming blog or check out this excellent resource).

Okay-youhave been holed up for 6 weeks staying away from others. You should have noproblems staying away from people on the trails now. Happy uncrowded hiking!

Please check out any of my books for plenty of detailed information on trails less traveled. I thank you too for buying my books and supporting my work so that I can continue bringing you up-to-date, accurate and detailed hiking information. Happy Hiking!

Get Your Copies Today!

[image error]It was a beautiful March day—a much welcomed break after weeks of incessant rain and a perpetual shroud of grey. My family and I needed to get out for a little hiking getaway. It was March 15th, and as the seriousness of the Covid-19 Pandemic began to register in the minds of most Americans, it was being met with an overwhelming mix of fear and anxiety. We had not yet been ordered to Stay at Home. But we saw the handwriting on the wall. We made the painful decision to cancel our much anticipated vacation to Joshua Tree National Park scheduled to begin on the 24th. It sucked and we held hope for as long as we could, but the virus was now calling the shots.

So we decided a nearby two day getaway to beat the blues, savor the sun and enjoy the outdoors was in order. Well attuned to how contagious this new menace is, the last thing we were going to do was head to a crowded destination. Not a problem as I generally avoid crowded trails even during the best of times. We headed to Harstine Island State Park and were elated to find on this sunny Sunday, just two other vehicles in the parking lot. We spent a couple of hours hiking the park’s wooded uplands trails first—and allowing for the tide to go out. Then we hit the beach and made the one mile glorious beach hike to the spit to McMicken Island. We waited and watched the waters recede—like as if Moses was ahead parting the way for us—then we made the trek across the narrow strip of sand to our promised land. We had a whole (albeit small) island for ourselves—a perfect place to be removed from the chaos of the world.

We hiked the nature trail on the island and then explored its rocky coast—all to ourselves in a surrealistic setting of solace against a parallel world of pandemonium. We hiked back along the shore enjoying evening light dance on towering firs and wind generated waves. Then we headed to our accommodations. As we pulled into our hotel we were instantly struck by the eerie emptiness of it. Normally I welcome solitude, but seeing a four story hotel with only 4 cars parked out front was not comforting. It was ominous. We slept well and enjoyed talking to the staff the next morning—they were all cheery and helpful—but in the back of my mind I couldn’t help think they would soon be losing their jobs. The governor had just announced that all restaurants would be closed. More restrictions were certainly on the way—and soon. I knew there would be no more traveling for us for a while—something that I have grown so accustomed to—something that I love—something woven into my fabric—the freedom to move—and explore unencumbered. And I knew the life we were abruptly transitioning into wouldn’t be short-lived.

After checking out we got in line for the ferry to Anderson Island to spend the day hiking beaches and trails on that [image error]wonderful little South Sound Island. The mood at the ferry terminal was sedate. A person lined up in front of me however was visibly angry. He was exclaiming to a person leaning into his truck that he was being put out of work because of the governor’s new orders. I felt for him, for one of the things I fear as much as heinous diseases and death is economic despair.

We enjoyed a wonderful day on the island walking empty beaches and trails. Embracing some dark humor, my son and I played rounds of Corona tag. But mostly I was wishing the day would never end—as our much celebrated way of life would end with it. I was trying to prolong the day for as long as I could. The drive back home was a combination of utter amazement as I cruised through Tacoma and Seattle slightly above the speed limit on roads that I have never seen so empty—even on Christmas morning. And as my wife finally picked up her phone to read the news to me—and the radio was tuned to special reports—my anxiety rose through the Stratosphere and a heavy blanket of dread, despair, and fear enveloped me. Of course my five year old son was oblivious to all of this and we made sure to keep him protected from the disorder that the world had been thrust into. We had dinner in a parking lot after going through a drive thru (something I never used when things were normal) because restaurants were now all closed. My son was having the time of his life sitting in the back seat eating McNuggets; while I was dreading the future.

That weekend was both beautiful and ominous and now forever indelibly etched into my mind as the weekend our world radically changed—forever. I have since managed (somewhat) my anxiety and stress and go through manic bouts of feeling hopeful quickly doused with doses of fear and dread. But the hardest thing for me—and I imagine for most—is this feeling of unknown. So many unknowns about the impact and duration of this Pandemic. But we must move forward and move on and that can be difficult. Life will go on for most of us and we need to adapt to the new reality of living during Covid-19. I fear this dreaded virus isn’t going away anytime soon. It will continue to cast its shadow on nearly every aspect of our lives. Over the next several weeks I will being writing posts on what this all means for those of us who love to walk, run, and hike—and being outdoors—and how we will need to adjust to a very different world—one that’ll require some serious behavior modifications. Stick with me. We’ll get through it all—and I am convinced (I have to be) that we’ll come out of this better than before. And as always I welcome your thoughtful responses and observations and perspectives. And thanks for all of your support over the years.

Backyard trail builders cut a path through a row of arborvitaes. “We may have to get the chainsaw for the fence,” states Theresa Treadsetter.

Talk about unintended consequences. Thousands of miles of new trails have been built in backyards throughout Washington State in the month of March thanks to antsy hikers cooped up at home. Due to Stay at Home orders during the Covid19 Pandemic, nearly all state and national forest trails in the state have been closed. But thousands of hikers across Washington refused to give up their favorite pastime during this challenging time. So with shovels, hoes, rakes and the occasional chainsaw they started tearing up their flower gardens, patios, front and back yards, and the occasional ugly deck to construct their own hiking trails.

Theresa Treadsetter and Walter Barr tear up their backyard for a new loop trail.

“We built a beautiful loop trail around our in ground pool,” said Pauline Pulaski of Puyallup. “Who needs Colchuck Lake when we have our own blue-green backcountry backyard lake?” Matthew Mattock built a straight shot trail across his front lawn to his Mailbox. “I am constructing a newer trail with switchbacks to it,” he states. “But the old harder trail is there when I want a good workout and leave the crowds behind—wait a minute there are no crowds because of all of the social distancing,” he added. “Matter of fact I haven’t seen my neighbors since I lost sight of them in the Great Toilet Paper Rush at the local Cosmart.”

“There is no way I am going to wait for the Stay at Home orders to lift before I can get some hiking in,” says Catrina Clinometer. “I built some epic loops in my backyard complete with a wildflower meadow,” she stated. “Okay they’re daffodils—but wild enough for me,” she added. The new trail builders love the fact that they don’t need a pass to use these trails. “I was told that if I volunteered to do some trail work—I would get a free NW Discovery Pass,” says Francesca Frugalina.

“I’m kind of sick of the flower garden,” say Treadsetter. “I always wanted a trail to my mailbox instead,” she added.

There have been some complaints of over zealot trail builders taking a chainsaw to a few fences and rows of arborvitaes.  The new views these improvements made into neighbor’s yards —especially ones with hot tubs—were not always met with enthusiasm. “Who needs Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks,” says  Stuart Sanvik “when I have a spectacular trail all to myself complete with views of a Mini Mart,” he says. The store allows him to occasionally go on a longer hike for his essentials—primarily beer, he elaborated.

“I never tire of hiking my own trails,” says Rayanne Rake. “One morning I found some interesting paw prints in the tread,” she said while shooing away the neighbor’s cat. At this rate of trail building, there might never be a crowded trail again in the state. “Now that’s hard to believe,” says Jennifer Thejokesonyou of the newly formed Washington Backyard Trail Association. In any case she added, “Washington hikers are a hardy bunch, they’ll survive this blasted Coronavirus menace and will soon be hitting their favorite trails with a vengeance!”

While April Fools Day was pretty much cancelled this year like everything else this spring: I couldn’t help think that we can all use a little light humor to help us get through these tough times. Stay Healthy, Stay Local, Stay 6 feet Apart, and Stay Hopeful.

[image error]Hike of the Week 03.26.20

Quick Facts:

Location: Throughout the Northwest

Land Agency: families, HOAs, sundry municipalities and park districts

Distance: as far and as long as you like, but do it regularly

Elevation Gain: elevated mood

Contact: Your friends and neighbors (from a safe distance) and share some good news

Notes: Dogs encouraged, no fees, no groups, stay six feet apart, smile and be kind to all you meet,

Access: From Your Front Door start roaming in any direction

Good to know : kid-friendly, dog-friendly, practice Love Thy Neighbor principles

Now more than ever during the Covid-19 Pandemic we need the rejuvenating powers of nature, the outdoors, and being connected to a community. During this unprecedented time we cannot let despair, anxiety, and fear permeate in our minds, families, and communities.  Get outside!

Yes, I know while this pandemic sweeps the country we are under shelter in place orders and it is irresponsible and selfish to head to our favorite backcountry trails for myriad reasons. So, now more than ever is the perfect time to discover—or rediscover our own neighborhoods and local parks and trails.

Exercise is an essential function. It’s good for our physical health, mental health and spiritual health. Practicing good social distancing skills (no large groups and staying at least six feet apart) head out your front door to your neighborhood and your local parks and trails.

Slow down and appreciate what is around you. New flower blossoms. New bird song. Croaking frogs. Appreciate the breeze in your face. Let the sun kiss you or the rain bathe you. Be dazzled by cloud arrangements and savor brilliant sunsets and sunrises.

Turn inward. Count your blessings. Commit to being a better person. Commit to being a positive force during this time of crisis. Connect to your Creator. Take time to get to know your neighbors (from a safe distance).  My daily runs have been becoming longer lately—not the distance—but the duration. I am slowing down to notice things for the first time and stopping along the way to exchange more than quick salutations. My time out of my house on local roads and trails has helped rejuvenate me and instill hope in me that we will get through this.

The sun will once again rise tomorrow. Get outside and enjoy another day. Get outside and keep yourself healthy. Get outside and be a positive force in the world.

For detailed information on local trails and parks throughout the Puget Sound, pick up a copy of one or more of his Urban Trails books—Bellingham, Everett, Seattle, Eastside, Kitsap, Tacoma and Olympia. Order online from Amazon, Mountaineers Books, or your neighborhood bookstore. Thanks for supporting my writing so that I may continue to bring you the most accurate and trusted trail information possible.[image error]

Seek out local trails. Seek out lightly traveled trails. And keep your distance from fellow hikers.

The world is in the midst of a pandemic. Thousands of people are dying and thousands more are seriously ill. And it is only going to get worse. Our economy is on the brink of a depression. To help fight the spread of Covid-19 we are asked to stay six feet apart from each other and limit our usual activities. Yet for tens-dare I say hundreds of thousands of folks this past weekend it was the beginning of summer vacation. People swarmed to packed beaches- took to trails that are always crowded making them even more crowded and disregarded the fact that they are endangering themselves and others.

While our governor as yet to declare a more restrictive order on our movements, it is coming because too many folks can’t or don’t want to take this threat seriously or adhere to social distancing.

Yes, getting outdoors and being physically active are absolutely necessary for our well-being and especially to abate the huge amount of anxiety we are all under. Yes, hiking is good for you—but not if it involves rubbing shoulders with hundreds of others on crowded trails. We have closed restaurants, stores, countless businesses and events to flatten the curve-but none of that will matter if folks are still congregating in crowded places and spreading the Covid-19 virus. All of our efforts including putting millions of folks out of work will be meaningless if we act selfishly by ignoring social-distancing guidelines.

For the life of me I can’t understand why so many folks can’t comprehend this or refuse to adhere to the need to social distance.  If you want to go out and hike and run—and I know I do-absolutely stay away from the popular and crowded trails. If you arrive at a trailhead and there are cars overflowing down the road-it is pretty obvious this is not the place to be.

Seek a quiet trail-there are hundreds of them. Head down old logging roads-there are hundreds of miles of them.

Don’t hike in large groups!

Stay at least 6 feet away from your fellow trail users.

Stay close to home

Wash your hands or apply hand sanitizer regularly, especially after touching door handles on privies and railings for example.

People are dying and our medical workers and first responders are risking their health and lives for us during this crisis. You can forgo that hike or camping trip you always wanted to do. It will be there for you later-but your neighbor may not be if you insist on doing as you please. We will get through this crisis—but only if we work together and act selflessly.