The Mountains Are Calling: Year-Round Adventures in the Olympics and West Cascades

&ldquo The mountains are calling and I must go . . .&rdquo --John Muir &#160 &#160 Introduction &#160 The mountains are calling. Did you answer with a maybe or a no, waiting for better weather, for more time, or for the kids to grow up? Waiting for the right gear, a companion, or to get more fit? Not to worry. This is your book of yes, of now--whatever shape you&rsquo re in or whatever the weather. Bring the baby, pack a picnic, put on your walking shoes, and head out the door. You don&rsquo t need to be &uuml ber fit, own high-tech equipment, or enjoy roughing it. You need only the hunger for more than screen time and a willingness to get out of your comfort zone and explore with family and friends, or perhaps alone. For some that may mean your first car-camping trip, for others a solo wilderness hike. No matter your threshold for adventure, it all takes risk, and it all brings reward. The glorious Pacific Northwest is full of mountains and lakes and rivers--some right outside the back door or a short drive away--and now is time to enjoy them. &#160 This book is your invitation to hike woodlands or plan an epic multiday trek, to enjoy lodges and campgrounds, to see waterfalls and wildflowers, to soak in hot springs. The Pacific Northwest is studded with mountain ranges that would take volumes to cover in depth. Instead, this book offers a taste of the Coast Range and the western part of the Washington and Oregon Cascades for people starting to hear and heed the call of the mountains but not sure where to begin. The activities emphasize car camping and using the campground as a launchpad for multiday activities. The parks and recreation areas covered were chosen for their proximity to the urban centers of Seattle and Portland for easy weekends away, for the availability of easy to moderate hikes, and for the Scenic Byways taken to reach them. I also chose them out of my own love of hidden gems. This is a book of ideas to spark your Pacific Northwest mountain adventures.