Looking for the perfect post-hike stop in the Columbia River Gorge? Thunder Island Brewing Co in Cascade Locks offers Mountain View’s, craft beer brewed with adventure in mind, and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Whether you’re coming off the trails near Bridge of the Gods or just exploring the Gorge with your kids, this spot is the ideal place to unwind, refuel, and take in those incredible river views.
Brewery is on the first floor
This is one of our favorite stops when we are hiking in the Columbia Gorge area. The restaurant/ Brewery is beautiful and who can resist a staircase that reminds you of Dog Mountain? Love it!
Always the more difficult ! Love this reference to Dog Mountain
They offer a great mix of food .. burgers to tofu ! We were pleased with the many choices and having such a large group it really was great we could all order something we liked.
Thunder Mountain Brewery Co perfectly captures what we love most about the Pacific Northwest: community, craftsmanship, and the great outdoors. Whether you’re winding down after a family hike or planning your next mountain adventure, this cozy brewery is the perfect place to raise a glass to good trails and great company.
October in Washington State is one of the most beautiful seasons and the perfect time to visit .
Look at all the beautiful fall colors that are so vibrant and welcoming🍁
Heading up to Heather Pass
The Golden Larches were on full display and we were lucky enough to catch them..they turn the bright golden color for such a short time before they lose their needles .It was interesting to touch them .. they were so soft .
Look closely you will see a beautifully hidden lake (Lewis Lake ) just past the larches .. thanks to my friend who spotted it! Viewpoint at Heather Pass
We also talked with another hiker .. Keith from Ohio who recommended a short trail off of the Maple Pass Loop …the Wing Lake Trail ..where he captured the most beautiful hike through the larches .
The weather in the North Cascades is a little of everything …sunshine,rain and even some snow and the mountains are basking in the final streams of sunshine as they prepare to welcome winter.
Heading to Maple Pass
We experienced all their weather including the snow and enjoyed all the beauty of fall. The pics look so unreal but the actual views were so much better! The camera never captures the full experience .So thankful to be able to experience all this beauty! . “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalms 113:3 NIV
Descending Maple Pass is so beautiful! You see the path as it zigzags along the mountainside and everywhere you look you see mountains. If you look closely you will see other hikers who look like little specks .
Look to the left of the picture .. do you see the path through the trees? We hiked all the way around and could see the other side from where we were.. so cool! That zigzag is our path down
Views of Rainy Lake as we were descending back to where we parked.
Here are our stats⬇️
📍Maple Pass Loop
🧭 Winthrop, Wa
🥾 6.5 miles RT ( we came in at 7.9 miles)
🏔️ 2162 ft elevation gain ( we gained 2254 )
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
The Larches in all their beauty this past week at Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascade Mountains was such a blessing to experience. So thankful we were able to catch them during this magical transformation.
Maple Pass Loop also connects to Rainy Pass with the PCT Trail and we had the privilege of catching up with one of the PCT hikers,Daniel and his dad who was there to provide refueling snacks for those on the trail. Daniel started hiking in April from Mexico and had it had been 179 days since starting and he had just a few more to finish the PCT ! So impressive! He looked great and by the time we finished the hike he was already on the trail again but his dad was still there to cheer on the PCT hikers and us! What a nice guy! You can follow all his adventures on his YouTube channel I linked below ⬇️
Colchuck Lake has easily become a yearly favorite . The first time I ever had the privilege of doing this hike it turned into a crazy day . We had an injury in our group, we experienced bouldering for the first time , many of us ran out of water , it took us way longer then we planned , and we met our first skinny dippers at the lake 😂 Since then, we have had so many laughs looking back at that first time.
Here is some of the first boulders we experienced.. but stay to the right and you will find a path that makes it easy to get through.
This hike is so captivating that when you first get the glimpses of the water you are in awe that you have just stumbled on this hidden gem . It is surrounded by two of Washington’s tallest peaks ,Dragontail and Colchuck Peak. Literally, I could stay there all day ! So beautiful and the water is so clear .
Colchuck Lake is one of the two gateways to the Enchantments. It’s an iconic hike in itself but if you want to challenge yourself more ,you can continue on to Aasgard Pass, the door to the Enchantment Core. Makes me think of a portal to another world , which now after doing Aasgards ,it actually does seem like a whole different world you step into . Look for that post later!
Kamiak Butte Trail is a beautiful trail tucked into the rolling Palouse farmland and comes with some great view points that is near Pullman ,Wa.
It was the perfect trail to stretch our legs after a long drive and take in the beauty of the area. I love that the landscape is so differant there . It reminds me of parts of Texas with its rolling fields that look like a quilt of patched farmland everywhere you look.
There is also a beautiful park with playground by the parking lot if you are looking to have a picnic with views and want to skip the hike.
Here are the stats ⬇️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍Kamiak Butte Trail 🧭 Palouse , Wa 🥾 2.5miles RT ( we came in at 2.57) 🏔️ 715ft elevation gain ( we gained 704) ⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What does climbing mean to you? . For me…There is something about each step I take on the way to the summit. There is a release of everything in my mental to do list or all the things in my life that are demanding my attention . Instead , my mind is filled with awe in all the beautiful details that I know my picture or video will not capture as accurately as I see it . Then the next step , the emptying of all my strength and full reliance on Gods strength, and constantly saying to myself “Oh my goodness , I can’t believe I’m doing this!! Praise be to God!” . Wherever you are today in whatever journey your on , I pray that you will keep going …one step at a time. If you have any summit plans I would love to hear ..drop it in the comments below so I can be praying for you ⬇️
Lake 22 was one of the most beautiful hikes we did in 2024 . The pics don’t even begin to do it justice or show just how huge the rocks are…Amazing!
Stairs This log was huge!
This trail was not at all what I expected. With the elevation being under 2000 gained I was thinking easy but it was not. It was a great workout and the views were stunning! It was rocky which I wasn’t expecting and had some bouldering . Definitely one of my top favs!
Huge boulders Look at how little these hikers look on one of the many rocks Lake 22Huge bouldersOther less traveled side of Lake 22Best view!
The stats for this trail are ⬇️
📍 Lake 22 Trail
🧭 Granite Falls, Wa
🥾 5.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8.38)
🏔️ 1446 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1526ft)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Trail to walk around Lake 22View on the opposite side of Lake 22
Espresso Chalet has one of the best views of Mount Index . It was the perfect stop to grab coffee after hiking Wallace Falls & Heybrook Lookout. Both hikes are within a few miles of each other with the Espresso Chalet between them. Look for the Bigfoot and you will know you are there.
We ordered our drinks and then went to soak in some more Mountain views… amazing! Perfect place to stretch your legs and grab some drinks or snacks before heading home .
A fun fact : this was an official location from the movie Harry and the Hendersons … anyone remember that movie?
We had the opportunity to stay at one of the Mt. Rainier Huts and jumped on it! We really had no idea on what to expect since it was our first time ever doing something like this but it was a great first time experience for our family and we can’t wait to go again!
The Hut was a welcome sight after the hike in with all our gear. Cabin on top of the mountain.. what’s not to love ! The Hut was clean and fully stocked and even had extra gear in case it was needed like poles or snowshoes. We were greeted with a banner of multi flags that reminded us of Everest basecamp , which we loved! It was a well appointed hut with a mudroom to leave your gear in like snowshoes, boots , poles and shoes . There was a kitchen , several tables to eat at or play games and a few couches by the fire. There was running water and electricity by solar . Upstairs hosted several sets of bunkbeds and some individual beds (twin) for sleeping.
The fully stocked kitchen Fireplace View from the outhousePlaying a game
The stats for this trail are ⬇️
📍 CopperCreek Hut viaRainier Vista Trail
🧭 Ashford, Wa
🥾 10.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8 )
🏔️ 1692 ft elevation gain ( we gained 800)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
The road was open for us so this changes the stats. If the road is closed then it would come in closer to AllTrails.
Coffee after the hike up
Watching the sun set was amazing! So beautiful!
The next morning , we headed out to explore some more . Look at this view we found!
We hiked to the Tenth Mountain viewpoint and it came in at 3 miles rt . We were able to just use our microspikes but we did post hole some. Overall we hiked about 11 miles and a 1000 elevation including the hut rt .
You do have to make reservations to stay. You can do that here ⬇️
Here is some more info from Mount Tahoma Trails Association has on their website.
Copper Creek is located in the North District and is only open during the winter. The maximum capacity of the hut is 14 people. Copper Creek Hut is located within the Mt. Rainier Gateway Forest, a wildlife preserve, so please leave your dog at home. Dogs are not allowed in the North District.
How far is it to Copper Creek?
The trek to Copper Creek Hut is:
3.2 miles with 800’ of elevation gain from the upper sno-park.
4.3 miles with 1,070’ of elevation gain from the middle sno-park (least frequently used).
5.4 miles with 1,570’ of elevation gain from the lower sno-park.
Cleaning supplies – dish soap, hand soap, Clorox, etc.
Toilet paper, paper towels
Water Filter System: Rain water is collected in the summer. In the winter, water comes from snow melt. There is a water filter system to provide clean drinking water.
Other Items: Some other amenities you will find:
Books/MagazinesRestrooms: An outhouse are located outside of the hut.
We were able to finally make it to Hurricane Ridge ✨The trail has eluded us for a few trips due to closures. The drive up was beautiful .The parking lot was quickly filling so once we parked , we geared up and set out on the trail . There were already several groups of snowshoers on the trail so plan to go early .
The trail was absolutely beautiful! Trees covered in snow and really perfect conditions when we started. After we let the more popular turnaround point to continue to the summit , the snow became softer and was harder to navigate with just spikes so we changed to snowshoes.The snow became less packed and even with snowshoes there was still some post holeing making it difficult to climb . The path was also getting hard to see because the snow was covering tracks and even with navigation it was difficult. With white out conditions, we turned around about 1/2 mile from summit . Sometimes knowing when to turn around is one of the hardest decisions when you are so close .
Trail Stats ⬇️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍 Hurricane Ridge 🧭 Deming , Wa 🥾 3.4 miles RT ( we came in at 4.58 ) 🏔️ 826 ft elevation gain ( we gained 758 ) ⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Hurricane Ridge is in avalanche terrain, so it is best to check the NWAC avalanche forecast before venturing out (updated every night at 6pm).
Check out our Snowshoe at Artist Point ~ Mt. Baker ⬇️
We recently had an overnight at a Mt. Rainier Hut and so I knew I wanted some coffee for our stay . I picked this up at REI and I was so impressed with it! First of all , how can you not love the name basecamp when you are doing an outdoor mountain adventure? . As soon as we made it to the hut and after getting settled , I made a cup of coffee. It was so good! There is something about being on top of the mountain in a hut with a cup of hot coffee in hand. My friend and I headed out to the deck to enjoy as our littles played in the snow and we savored each drop with the beautiful background.
I really love the design and functionality of the coffee. Each filter fits into your cup and you tear the top off then pour hot water . Delish! Perfect pour over ☕️ It is perfect for outdoor adventures and officially added to my hiking gear .
