OUR TOWN
HIKING around
eastern washington Story by Max Hughes | Photos by Zahn Schultz | Design by Itzel Montoya Stepping out of the car, you are immediately faced with navigating across a river with no bridge and walking uphill for hours on a steep incline. Fun, right? Well, for Matt Martinson, senior lecturer for the English Department and avid hiker, the feeling when you reach the top is a sense of accomplishment that makes the journey worth it. Along with Martinson, many other Washingtonians find joy in spending hours hiking within nature and viewing the picturesque scenes at the peak of the destination. It may be hard work, but the views are worth it. What are you waiting for? The sun is shining and the time is now to get outside and explore. Discovering Eastern Washington When Martinson first moved to the Kittitas Valley, he did not think he would enjoy hiking in the area since initially, it did not seem like the terrain had much to offer. However, after some exploration, he came to love the area and its various trails. Knowing where the trails are is the first big hump when setting out to hike in any area and finding a hike nowadays can be as easy as downloading an app or entering a quick Google search. Websites like Washington Trails Association, Green Trails Maps, Hiking Project and AllTrails have routes listed and mapped out in Washington and just about every other part of the world. Google Maps also has trailheads and information if you already know the name of your destination. Green Trails sells maps of various trails. Martinson says that getting a Green Trails map helped him find trails all around the forested Teanaway area. If you’re looking for a longer hike, Martinson recommends combining part of an 10
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Ingalls Lake route with a trail that leads to Longs Pass, which creates a fun 12-to-15-mile hike. Blewett Pass is known for hiking and even snowshoeing during the winter. It also happens to be the favorite hike of Meredith Massey, freshman Communication Studies major. If you are looking for a gorgeous sunset view, Massey recommends Red Top Lookout, describing it as short and good for watching a sunset. The lookout at the end of the hike provides a view of the surrounding area and puts you in a great position to take in the colorful sky. Cailin Popejoy, freshman Secondary Education Major, says her favorite hike in the area is Howard’s Way Trailhead. The trail follows a section of the Yakima River and goes through Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park. If you’ve walked this local favorite, you may have noticed signs and illustrations along the trail telling a fun, short story about forest critters. Umptanum Creek Falls is another shorter trail that Martinson takes his children on. He says it becomes more challenging in the winter when ice covers the trail and notes that students often fall while traversing the slick ice. Despite this, if you enjoy waterfall destinations, this hike may be the one for you. One more favorite that Martinson notes is The Enchantments Wilderness trail which lies within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and Cascade Mountains. Consisting of an upper and lower basin, hikers can explore miles and miles of stunning lakes, mountains and scenery. Martinson assures that your hard work will not go to waste once you reach the peak which yields indescribable views. Wildlife in Action If you’ve ever wondered what kind of wildlife calls your favorite hike their home, The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has lists on their website of animals around Washington, some of which may be spotted along trails.
