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  • hiking guides
    • intro to hiking
      • how to pick a hike
      • hiking gear
      • hiking basics
      • free resources
    • backpacking guides
      • backpacking 101
      • a guide to washington’s backpacking permit system
      • 10+ north cascades national park backpacking itineraries
    • hiking lists
      • best hikes around seattle
      • a larch guide | 20+ crowd-free washington hikes
      • washington hike-to-scramble progressions
      • 35+ common wildflowers of pnw
    • winter season
      • things to do in the “off-season” // how to hike in the rain
      • winter hiking
      • beginner’s guide to snowshoeing | resources for 20 washington hikes
    • trip report index
  • backcountry skiing
    • the ultimate beginner’s guide to backcountry skiing | washington
    • 25+ low-angle washington ski tours
    • backcountry skiing: tips and tricks
    • comprehensive guide to all my ski tours
  • blog
  • print shop
  • portfolio
    • published work
    • elopement photography
  • about
    • contact
  • pnw

    early season exploration | hex mountain ski tour

    Sometimes you just need a ski tour that still feels like you're getting out there (aka not next to a ski resort) but also chill enough to make... // 8 miles . 2700 ft gain . 5050 ft high

    January 22, 2024
  • pnw

    painting the hills | rainbow ridge high route backpacking

    I’ve known about the Rainbow - McAlester loop for a while now. But it’s a pretty long trail and while you can do it in a long trail... // 31 miles . 8200 ft gain . 7895 ft high

    October 16, 2023
  • pnw

    bike, hike, scramble, camp | chelan slam (emerald, saska, pinnacle)

    Every year I tell myself to prioritize exploring the Glacier Peak Wilderness. But every year, I barely even make it to the area. Thanks to Scott’s Bulger climb... // 29 miles . 10500 ft gain . 8420 ft high

    September 20, 2023
  • pnw

    sunrise scramble | columbia peak overnight

    Monte Cristo subrange always seems like an elusive area. Hiking to the ghost town itself is already 8 miles round trip, through on relatively flat and well gravel... // 23.5 miles . 6600 ft gain . 7172 ft high

    August 17, 2023
  • pnw

    take it easy | tomyhoi & yellow aster butte overnight

    We were planning to backpack a different summit camp but weather pushed us here to Yellow Aster Butte instead. I’ve always wanted to camp here by all the... // 15 mi . 5800 ft gain . 7439 ft high

    August 11, 2023
  • pnw

    snoqualmie pass traverse | snow-wright-roosevelt-kaleetan-pratt

    3 peaks and 7 lakes. I’ve been eyeing this Snoqualmie Pass loop for a while, but honestly without tagging the peaks, so I have to give... // 19.5 miles . 6500 ft gain . 6260 ft high

    August 3, 2023
  • pnw

    this ain’t a fairytale | whitehorse mountain

    What started as a weekend dedicated to ski Mt Adams quickly turned into trying to find a fun alpine climb with other friends. The idea of another non-volcanic... // 13 miles . 7000 ft gain . 6840 ft high

    June 13, 2023
  • pnw

    a classic cascadian caper | sloan via bedal creek

    Sloan. The Matterhorn of the Cascades. That one pointy peak that you spy from nearly any other Cascadian peak... // 11 miles . 5700 ft gain . 7835 ft high

    June 8, 2023
  • pnw

    return to kulshan | c2c baker via squak ski tour

    It all started the weekend before. We had just skied Mount St Helens and I had just come back from a multi-week trip and had only ski toured... // 19 miles . 7850 ft gain . 10778 ft high

    May 18, 2023
  • pnw

    the epitome of spring skiing | rock mountain ski tour

    With a non-ideal weather system coming in, we opted to go a bit further east of the cascade crest with hopes... // 9 miles . 5400 ft gain . 6835 ft high

    April 19, 2023
  • pnw

    first tracks | table mountain circumnavigation via ptarmigan ridge ski tour

    Baker backcountry has been on my list to visit since I first ski toured there right after taking my AIARE 1 class. I think it’s just been... // 10 mi . 3800 ft gain . 5400 ft high

    March 29, 2023
  • pnw

    quiet slopes | avalanche mountain ski tour

    I think people are fairly familiar with Pineapple Pass, Source Lake, and the Chair Peak Circumnavigation. But it seems that as people are chasing the super... // 8 miles . 3000 ft gain . 5330 ft high

    March 22, 2023
  • pnw

    very-much-whoopy | not-so-sasse peak ski tour

    With the weather forecast calling for a snow storm in Western Washington and high winds on the east side, we chose to take on the winds on some lower... // 10 mi . 3500 ft gain. 5844 ft high

    February 20, 2023
  • pnw

    floofy cornice central | lichtenberg mountain ski tour

    The Smithbrook area had been on my radar for a while because there’s plentiful low angle terrain with open slopes, which is less intimidating for a moderate skier like me... // 9 mi . 2500 ft gain. 5844 ft high

    February 14, 2023
  • pnw

    acl recovery | granite mountain

    I wrote Part I shortly after my first major hike just under 3 months post ACL surgery and Part II is about 8 months post surgery in a full circle moment back at Granite...

    November 22, 2022
  • pnw

    hunting for larches | golden lakes loop backpacking

    With the massive Bolt Creek Fire near Index closing Hwy 2 we were optimistic to head up southeast GPW. But driving through the smoke... // 24 miles . 5000 ft gain . 8110 high

    October 4, 2022
  • pnw

    double trouble | boston-sahale traverse c2c

    Boston Peak sees only about 10 parties on its summit each year. I didn’t believe it until... // 12 mi . 6100 ft gain . 8894 ft high

    September 12, 2022
  • pnw

    meet me in the afterglow | eldorado peak overnight

    This marks the third time up and down the heinous boulder fields for me. Personally I love boulder fields, but this one has always punched thoroughly each time... // 9 miles . 6700 ft gain . 8868 ft high

    August 23, 2022
  • pnw

    years in the making | three fingers lookout overnight

    I was first intrigued with Three Fingers Mountain when I drove past Darrington from a short day hike. Looking up, White Horse Mountain caught my attention, but I actually... // 21 miles . 6100 ft gain . 6780 ft high 

    August 17, 2022
  • pnw

    peas for breakfast | jade and marmot lakes, dip top gap

    Jade and Marmot Lakes didn’t get on my radar until much more recently. As someone who chases alpine objectives more than pure backpacking destinations... // 25 miles . 6000 ft gain . 6680 ft high

    August 10, 2022
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about me

Hi there! I’m Cherlyn and I love to adventure, from climbing mountains to going down canyons. And you won’t find me on any trip without my camera!  Read more…

recent posts

  • solo sunset mission | glacier point at yosemite
  • bachelorette, climbing & gourmet food | tenaya peak to cathedral lakes
  • house on the hill | hidden lake lookout overnight
  • sidequesting | marmot pass backpacking loop
  • dry, smoky, exposed | shriner peak overnight

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