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My Hiking And Scrambling Experience
Hi, My name is Jim Kuresman and I have been hiking the trails of Washington state for 34 years. This web page is now over 13 years old (4-2-02). I joined the Mountaineers in 1987 and have been fairly active with them. I split my time between Mountaineer group hikes, small party hikes, and solo trips. All three are lot's of fun. Outdoor recreation is a year round pastime. I hike, scramble, snowshoe, and cross-country ski. For those not familiar with scrambling, it is off trail trips, usually to a summit. Scrambles can be almost as easy as a maintained trail or a real brush beating bushwack. They can also have potentially fatal exposure. If you try any of the trips I list on these pages please turn around when you are no longer comfortable. A trip that is easy for an experienced scrambler can be fatal for a novice. If you are think you would like to try scrambling, check out the Mountaineers. They offer a class each year to help you build the skills needed for off trail trips. There are many types of trips. I prefer to get to a summit and soak up the views. There are also great trips to mountain lakes, and wildflower covered meadows. I backpack when time allows but most of my trips are only for the day. This year I hope to get in at least 3 or 4 backpacking trips. Living in the Seattle area offers a nearly unparalleled opportunity for outdoor recreation. Tiger Mountain is only 20 miles from salt water yet reaches 3007' at it's highest summit. Tiger is actually 6 summits of varying height. Those who follow my trip reports will see that I take full advantage of this wonderful hiking area so close to the city. We also are blessed with terrific diversity within the state. The jagged peaks of the North Cascades contrast with the gentler Central Cascades. The Olympic rainforest is lush while the Eastern Cascades are hot and dry in the Summer. The park land of Mount Rainier is a carpet of wildflowers in the Spring yet is winter like much of the year at higher elevations. The Seattle Times ran an article on me and this site. It can be found here: Seattle Times Article My first 34 years have been full of memorable hikes. I fully expect the next 34 to be every bit as good. I doubt if one life time is enough to see all that this area has to offer. Wait a minute. In another 34 years I may be lucky to still be walking. Maybe I'll still be out on the trail. |