I have had a Tonga Ridge snowshoe on my to-do list forever so with no trip report on the Foss River Road since November, I figured I would go check things out. I had considered Surprise Lake but with a considerable avalanche forecast, I opted for safety. I think typically to snowshoe on Tonga Ridge,…
Checking Out The US 2 Road Closure And A Visit To Heybrook Lookout
While on winter break last week, I decided to drive up US 2 to check on the closure and support a business in Skykomish which has been adversely affected by the severe lack of cross-state traffic since the middle of December. In case you missed it (not sure how you could have) but we had…
A Post To Mark 10 Years Of Must Hike Must Eat
I wasn’t planning to post today but I realized that January 5th was the anniversary date for the blog and counting on my fingers I then realized that this anniversary marks 10 YEARS of writing in this space so I decided it was worth a short post. Yay, me! In honor of today,…
Book Review: The Cold Vanish And The New Wilderness
If there is one thing I learned in 2025, it is that I can not read and write at the same time. I set a goal at the beginning of the year to read at least 12 books (one a month) and actually managed to read 36 books! There were many things that I could…
Good-bye To 2025 And Hello To A New Year
Dearest Gentle Reader, As the last day of 2025 comes to end, I want to send you well wishes and warm thoughts as we say good-bye to all that was the old year and welcome a new one on the horizon. If you are reading this, you can count yourself as blessed to have made…
Umami Mushroom Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Well M’s, thank you for the distraction this last week. What a great season, now it’s time to cheer on the Blue Jays! I have been on a mushroom kick lately, ever since I found some delicious chanterelles on a backpacking trip in September. I have been trying to add mushrooms to EVERYTHING. …






