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Blue Mountain is among many large blobs in the hills between Sedro Woolley and Bellingham. For a really low elevation summit, Blue Mountain has a surprising amout of prominence, 1,428 feet. Probably best as a winter walk, you can count on recent harvest cuts to open up a few views, if the weather cooperates.

Located just out of Packwood in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the La Wis Wis Campground is a good place to stretch your legs when traveling over White Pass. The camping offers nice campsites in old-growth forest and some sites are along the Ohanapecosh River. La Wis Wis means "place of swirling waters". The location is a perfect summer basecamp located at the confluence of recreation between Mt. Rainier, White Pass and the Goat Rocks. The shortest trail from the campsite is out of loop C, the Grant Purcell Falls Trail.

One of the top attractions for visitors to Seattle is The Museum of Flight, located at Boeing Field, just south of Seattle. The Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world. There are hundreds of historically significant airplanes and space vehicles. Along with the museum pieces are many on-site and outreach educational programs that explain the principles of flight, design and space travel. Each exhibit is loaded full of artifacts and information and some even have flight simulators. Most start with the Great Gallery where dozens of original aircraft are hanging or stationed for viewing.

With a ski lift on the summit, Mout Hyak is one of the most visited highpoints in Washington. Mount Hyak is well known for the ski resort Snoqualmie East, formerly known as the Hyak Ski area, or even Pacific West Ski Area. It is the lowest of the 4 resorts around Snoqualmie Pass and the least used. Access to the peak is best after the resort closes but it is possible to snowshoe up while open if you stay out of the way at the resort edge. There are many cross country ski and snowshoe trails just west of the resort. There are some occasional good views reported but you won't see them in this trip report.

Located at the very south end in the city limits of Seattle, Lakeridge Park has been preserved as Open Space. The 35 acre park is a ravine with Taylor Creek dropping down to Lake Washington. Taylor Creek was the site of a logging mill where the creek met Lake Washington, but it closed in 1916. Taylor Creek is the fourth largest creek in Seattle. The half-mile Deadhorse Canyon Trail that meanders through the park was built in 1996 and crosses the creek twice. Deadhorse Canyon has hosted at least one pair of nesting Bald Eagles. Other birds sighted in the park include pileated wood-peckers, red-tailed hawks, and osprey.

The highpoint and possibly the highlight of the Mount Tahoma Ski Trails System is High Hut. This hut has the most outstanding view on the entire trail system and you are truly at the highest point possible along the trail. Similar to the other two huts and the Yurt, you can stay the night with a reservation and nominal processing fee. If not, High Hut makes for a nice place for lunch and a warm drink before turning back for the trailhead.

One of the most popular hikes from Seattle is Little Si. It makes for a much easier ascent than the bigger mountain beside it, Mount Si. For those that don't hear about this hike, they see the trail on the left as they get close to the Mount Si trailhead. So, it is just as popular as Mount Si, but half the parking. So, for many, just finding a spot is the hardest part of the hike. There are two lots but both still fill up on the weekends. Once on the hike, it is amazing how fast you go from the city atmosphere to wooded wilderness. The trail has become well signed so just follow signs to the summit......

As you might guess, this is a peakbaggers name. According to the urban dictionary, it is older slang used in cold weather to place emphasis on how extremely cold it is outdoors. Any name is better for point 5,273, northeast of Big Chief Mountain. Welldiggers Ass would typically be nothing more than a forgotten ridgeline summit if it wasn’t for some key attributes it possesses. First, Welldiggers makes it onto the Backcourt List at number 87. Next, it has the best possible winter access and free endless parking. Third, there are views along the way and at the summit. Finally, the trip has a bit of history to it since it passes through the old Yodelin Ski area.

This 4 mile walk is in West Seattle between Seahurst Park and Lincoln Park. The walk can be done in one to two hours time. The trick is to find a day when there is nice weather and a low tide. Have someone drop you off, they go shopping and pick you up in a hour or two. The hike does cross private beach property but as long as you keep moving, nobody will care. You will be among many other area residents doing the same thing if the weather is nice. The route passes 4 distinct neighborhoods. Between each are small stretches of natural bluffs that are too steep for housing development.

One of West Seattle's best parks is one of the hardest to find. Seola Park is small, undeveloped, and only has room for just a few cars. But if you find it, you can experience the majesty of the Madrona Tree at the Seola Park Viewpoint. This spot is one of the few great Pacific Madrona tree groves left in Seattle. The Madrona often feels like it belongs in some tropical climate much further south but it is native to Puget Sound. It's biggest problem is that this Madrona tree often grows where others can't, on steep hillsides. When they start to block the views, they are often removed or topped.

Mount Fitzhenry is viewed from Hurricane Ridge by all as they peer out southwest to Mount Olympus. Fitzhenry blends into the Bailey Range giving the appearance of being part of the main grouping of peaks that run the range. There are no trails on the mountain so this climb is an adventure, requiring some real effort. Expect a dangerous river crossing, steep mossy slopes, brushy areas, and tedious forested ridge walking. The reward is a seldom climbed peak that gives the impression you are very deep in the Olympic Mountains. Getting intimate with the Bailey Range is a bonus too.

Jovita Station to Edgewood Station is one of the newest sections of the Interurban Trail that runs between Renton and Tacoma. The route is approximately 1 mile in length and follows the old railroad grade through a fairly secluded area. Jovita Crossroads Trailhead has historical interpretive signage, a bike rack, a drinking fountain for people and pets, parking, restrooms and picnic tables. In time, the trailhead will accommodate for travel east as well, (the other direction) dropping down into the valley connecting to the well known Interurban Trail currently ending in the City of Pacific.

Sometimes the best parks are the ones most out of sight, hiding in the forested ravines around our neighborhoods. Clarks Creek Park has been developed into a wonderful place to enjoy the regular park activities or go for a few mile hike all while close to home. There are two access points but both are good for the hiking trails. If you are looking for the 4 lighted tennis courts, the lighted softball field, the parcourse fitcenter, or the biggest play field, go to the north access lot. The south access is best for the kids play area and the largest covered picnic area. The off-leash dog park is between the two parking lots but a bit closer to the south entrance.

As one of the top 10 cities to see on earth, Rio De Janeiro is jammed between ocean and mountain. With all this natural scenery, Rio does exceptionally well using the surrounding terrain to show off one of the most densely populated places on earth. From below, mountains tower above and sheer rock walls force the separation of the city into separate regions. The most famous is Copacabana, one of the worlds best beaches reached by tunnel from the heart of the city. Another region is the city center (Centro) where there are numerous must see sights that don't require a swimsuit or towel.

This walk allows you to experience a part of Tacoma you don't see from the busy streets in downtown. The Thea Foss Waterway Walkway is between the water and railway lines so you don't even notice the heart of Tacoma so nearby. If you do want to get into the city, a pedestrian walkway, the 500 foot Chihuly Bridge of Glass, is located along the route which can take you over the tracks and freeway into town. This 1.5 mile walk is not complete. Although sections are under construction or just in the planning stage, the route is walk-able the entire length on sidewalks. The esplanade is being built for pedestrians, bicyclists, roller skaters, for public events, artwork, you name it.

Moolock Mountain is an unofficial name for a Middle Fork Snoqualmie hike and scramble. Because the majority of the route is on roads, Moolock is not as popular as it should be. The road walk is usually described as torturous, an extreme bore, mind numbing, you get the idea. In reality, it will take just a few hours to reach the ridge views, the same amount of time most mind numbing movies take to watch on TV. The summit is spectacular, a panorama over Puget Sound, with mountain views from Rainier to Baker.

We chose to go with Antonio's Jungle Tours but there are several to choose from that are reputable. These ecological tours focus on getting you far from Manaus where a lodge is set up for several days worth of activities. Antonio's is located on the Urubu River bank, 200 km from Manaus. There you get a feel for the real Amazon and learn about its flora, fauna and ecosystem. At the same time, you get a choice of staying in a comfortable room with toilet and shower or you can sleep in a hammock in an open room where many people are sleeping.

DuPont is full of trails but the star attraction must be the Sequalitchew Creek trail as it drops from the uplands of the town down a ravine to the secluded waters of Puget Sound. This trail has only been official for a few years but it has an extraordinary amount of history to it. Just the beach here alone makes it one of the most historic places in Washington. See the history below! The paved trail leaves City Hall following a wide path through some new trees. It quickly starts to drop into the densely forested ravine and the creek appears below. The trail turn to good gravel but doesn't drop too steeply, this was a rail line hauling explosives!

For a quick tour of downtown Atlanta, you can do something called the Downtown Walkable Attraction Loop. This loop will take you past the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, inside CNN Atlanta, The Children's Museum of Atlanta, and the Centennial Olympic Park. Some attractions outside the loop are the Zoo Atlanta, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Stone Mountain Park, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, Margaret Mitchell House and the Jimmy Carter Library & Museum.

One of the best paved walking paths in the Puget Sound region is located just south of Tacoma in the quiet city of University Place. The trail is a loop that circles around Chambers Bay Golf Course with views out over Puget Sound nearly the entire time. Along the way, there are many park amenities including a few very unique ones. In particular, the relics of the old cement plant. This entire area in the recent past was a 650 acre commercial gravel pit. It was a massive eye sore right on the shores of Puget Sound. Today it is a golf course and public park. Park designers decided to keep parts of the old cement plant, similar to how relic structures were left in Seattle's Gasworks Park.

One of the top ten natural wonders of the world is Iguazu Falls in Brazil. The falls are one of the most powerful and extraordinary sights. Iguazu is not the tallest in the world but most agree they are the overall largest and most beautiful. The falls are a series of cataracts that stretch 2 miles and comprises over 250 individual waterfalls. Having the falls pouring out of the green jungle makes them particularly photogenic. The Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) is the biggest and most spectacular of the cataracts plunging 262 feet. Here 14 separate falls join forces pounding down the cliffs in a deafening sound with so much spray you can hardly get any pictures because of all the water on your camera lens.