Mountain Hikes

Hikes are planned for Fridays from May to November when the Cascade Mountains National Forest and Parks are snow-free and the weather is favorable.

We will not hike if rain or high wind is forecast and plans may be changed based upon conditions. You should always be ready for cold and rain!

Our hiking schedule is listed below. We send an email to all registered Friday Hikers by Wednesday, listing the details and costs. We request you notify the sender (either Al or Ron) if you plan to go so we can determine if we have the minimum number of hikers going (four, for safety reasons), as well as the cost per passenger. For last minute changes: call Al Osborne at 253-880-2800 (cell) or Ron McFarland at 256-651-0497 (cell). You can also email Al at: osborne-al@comcast.net or Ron at: ron.mcf@gmail.com.

It is recommended that you come to some of the Tuesday "Walks" before trying the Friday "Hikes"!

Rating Scale: Level 3 has moderate hills, rough trails with rocks and logs to scramble over, and several hundred feet of elevation gain. Level 4 has more difficult trails, or 1000 ft of elevation gain (and/or) loss at higher elevations and hikes of greater than five miles. Level 5 hikes are hard, long uphill switchbacks, higher elevations, maybe some cross country travel (no trail), and longer duration trips.

Photos: The photos below show what you're missing by not hiking with us! Click a photo below for a larger picture. Use your browser's Back button to return to this page. For those of you with Internet access, we have a webpage with photos of the walks and hikes here. Thank you, Ron, for sharing!
 

Grouse

Mountain Goats

Palisades Trail

Skookum Flats Hikers

Mountain Hikes Schedule

Please note these important points: 1. Departure is from the Federal Way Senior Center. Please note departure time ... and be there 15 minutes earlier! 2. You need a good pair of hiking shoes with good, rough tread and ankle protection for these hikes. 3. Bring a sack lunch, water, walking stick, mosquito repellent, and sunscreen. 4. It is a good idea to carry a day pack with rain wear and any medication you might need.  5. Because we hike at altitudes of up to 7000 feet, it can be 10 to 30 degrees colder than the weather "in town". You should have extra clothes to cover the possibility of rain and extremes in weather. 6.*The estimated cost is based upon gas prices shown at the Fuel Gauge Report website as of 11/24/08, as well as having five passengers. We also collect $1.00 surcharge per passenger when using the Senior Center vans. 7. We will send out an email to all Friday Hikers by Tuesday or Wednesday, and it is best to respond to this email. 8. Please notify the Ron McFarland, the hike leader, by 6:00 pm on the Thursday before your hike if you plan to go! We need to know which vehicle we will need, and then calculate the cost per passenger. Ron's phone number is 253-839-0388 and his email is: ron.mcf@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER 2009
DATE and HIKE	TOTAL MILES	ELEVATION GAIN IN / OUT	HIGH POINT	RATING	COST*
September 4: Mt. Freemont / Mt. Rainier This hike starts at the Sunrise parking lot and goes up and west on Sourdough Ridge, past Frozen Lake to the trailhead for Mt. Freemont Lookout. Bring a sack lunch. Departs: 8:30 am	5.2	800/200	7200	4	$6.70
September 11: High Rock Lookout This hike is in the Sawtooth Range in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. It has one of the best views of Mt. Rainier and a view of Cora Lake 1400 feet below. Bring a sack lunch. Departs: 8:30 am	3.2	1400/200	5700	4	$6.60
September 18: Spray Falls/Spray Park The Spray Falls Trail starts at Lake Mowich and has Eagle's Cliff viewpoint and Spray Falls as major points of interest. With an extra mile and 650 feet elevation gain, we may visit Spray Park. Bring a sack lunch. Departs: 8:30 am	2.3/3.3	300-940/ 300	4960/ 5500	3 or 4	$4.75
September 25: Sheep Lake The trail starts at Chinook Pass, and follows the Pacific Crest Trail to the lake for lunch, then returns. Bring a sack lunch. Departs: 8:30 am	5	400/100	5800	3	$6.10