Those 4am wake-up calls are a hard sell for a lot of folks! I haven't yet found a consistent hiking buddy/mountain mentor, but these are the things that I'm currently doing: Bribes. Beg your closest friends to get up early anyway and bring coffee, trail snacks, surprise them with a cooler full of cold beer, etc etc. You'll be the mentor here, but at least you're getting outdoors! Aggressively follow through when you meet someone like-minded. Text them frequently, ask about their adventures, and be persistent until they agree to hike with you! Join your local trail community! Washington state has WTA.org, where hikers often post trip reports. I'm starting to match hikers that I met on the trail with their trip reports, and this is where I'm learning the most from more seasoned hikers. This is a long con toward finding a mentor, but will hopefully pay off!  Best of luck finding the advice and company that you're looking for. It's definitely a challenge! ... View more

My girl Ruth went wildflower-hunting with me last Friday! The fields of balsamroot were absolutely jaw-dropping.  Ruth chilling with some wildflowers ... View more

Absolute first thing at the end of a hike - change into my driving sandals! I also keep a cooler of light beer to sip on while evaluating where to eat. Good local burrito spots can be hard to find, so my hiking buddy usually picks a brewpub. If you hike with me, you can always trust I'll order the pub nachos for the table while we wait for the real food to arrive!  ... View more

That's quite a full schedule! I admire you for dedicating time each month. What's your secret for blocking your calendar (ie, no social events on the 3rd weekend of every month)? ... View more

This time of year in Seattle we get periodic "false springs" - lots of sunny weather that gets me thinking about hiking that quickly turns back to gray! Unfortunately, it's also already 6 months out from August/September, so a bunch of the prime camp sites and permits have been snatched. When will I learn to plan earlier?! That said, I do have one big trip on the books! After scouring the REI Adventures, some friends and I decided to steal an itinerary and plan a trip in our own backyard. This August, we'll spend 4 days backpacking the High Divide/ Seven Lakes Basin in the Olympic National Forest. We had to get a little creative with the permits, so we'll tack on a few extra miles and have one long (10-mile) day in the middle. We also booked a room at the Sol Duc Hot Springs to soak our feet and rest up before driving home. Nothing else officially on the books, but lots of ideas. Chinook to White Pass, Ozette Triangle, Baker Lake overnight... I'd love to hear other Washington recommendations, too! And, big thanks to REI for the itinerary! Don't worry, I'm spending more than the cost of the trip just updating my gear this year.  ... View more

@OldGuyot   @REI-JohnJ  Thanks much for the insights! TBH I think you've convinced me to go with the Copper Spur. The quick setup and freestanding design would make things easier when my dog starts bumping into things.  Also, really appreciate the info on the trekking pole tents. Definitely something I'll keep in mind when I'm ready to upgrade again.  ... View more

@REI-JohnJ - I've been torn between the Big Ag Copper Spur and the Tiger Wall UL 2. Overall weight is important - my tent buddy is 70lb and furry. But that overhang/vestibule on the Copper Spur is appealing, too. Have you heard much about rain protection (or lack of it) for the Tiger Wall?  ... View more