Tag Archives: North Bend Bar & Grill

Mason Lake Hike, November 2015

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Mason Lake
Date: November 13, 2015
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
Distance: 6.5 Miles / 10 Kilometers Roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,550 Feet / 777 Meters
Time: 3 to 4 hours
Location: Exit 45, I-90
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass
Trail Conditions: Wet to Very Wet
Hiking with: Jim Darmiento, Rick Massie and my faithful dog Macho

During the summer you are lucky to find a parking spot at the Ira Spring trailhead, but we were the only brave souls to utilize our rain gear on this blistery rainy morning. This was my first time in 10 years to see only our car in the parking lot all day…it was just weird.

Wet and damn wet. That pretty much describes our saturated hike to Mason Lake www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/ira-spring-memorial. We started off determined to summit Bandera Mountain, but when we came to the split to Mason Lake or Bandera my good friends Jim Darmiento and Rick Massie voted for the less exposed and the more sheltered type route to the lake.

If it wasn’t for the new bridge across Mason Creek, this would have been a short roundtrip hike of 1.6 miles. The creek was raging and it was dangerously impossible to cross without the bridge. We finished this hike with a bowl of Jambalaya and a proper pint of Mac & Jacks www.macandjacks.com at the North Bend Bar & Grill www.northbendbarandgrill.com.

On the drive back to Seattle, Jim Darmiento and I decided to stop at Snoqualmie Falls, the falls were rampant and furious due to the substantial precipitation in the last few days.

Granite Mountain Hike, August 2014

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Granite Mountain
Date: August 1, 2014
Difficulty: 7 out of 10
Distance: 8.6 miles / 13.8 Kilometers roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,800 feet / 1,158 meters
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Exit 47, I-90
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass Required
Trail Conditions: Dry to the top
Hiking With: Rick Massie

The last time Rick Massie and I hiked up Granite was in extreme cold windy weather in November. This hike was just the opposite with plenty of sunshine and warm weather; on the descent you welcomed the shady areas because the sun was getting a little too warm.

We finished the hike with a cold pint of Mac & Jacks and a hot cup of Jambalaya soup at the North Bend Bar & Grill.

Mt. Washington Hike, January 2014

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Mt. Washington
Date: January 1, 2014
Difficulty: 6 out of 10
Distance: 9 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,200 feet
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Exit 38 near North Bend, I-90
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass Required
Trail Conditions: Damp to lightly packed snow on top.
Hiking With: Mike Curry, Rick Massie & my dog Macho

After a year of traveling, playing, wining and dining I tell myself that I am going to reduce my excessive indulging of life! Well…at least cut back on the calorie intake. I try to start every New Year’s Day with a hike to start the year off right.

I asked Mike Curry and Rick Massie to join me for knocking off Mt. Washington on the first day of 2014. Usually Mt. Washington is a fairly quiet hike with only a few cars at the trailhead on any given day, well today the parking lot was full with a Seattle “Meet-Up” group. We took off before the 30 plus group got started and made it to the top to claim the only dry large rock available. It wasn’t long until we were surrounded with this group of friendly men and woman.

We ended the hike with a cold Mac & Jack’s at our favorite pub in North Bend, Washington…the North Bend Bar & Grille.

Granite Mountain Hike, November 2013

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Granite Mountain
Date: November 22, 2013
Difficulty: 7 out of 10
Distance: 8.6 miles / 13 Kilometers roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,800 feet / 1,158 meters
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Exit 47, I-90
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass Required
Trail Conditions: Wet to Frozen to Packed Snow.
Hiking With: Rick Massie and Macho the dog wonder.

It has been unusually cold and sunny here in the Northwest, but to see the sun in November is a treat and one should take advantage of that. Rick Massie and I decided to hike Granite Mountain about one hour west from Seattle knowing we would have beautiful skies and abundant views from the summit.

We got an early start with only one car at the trailhead. The trail became snow packed about half way up where we stopped and put on our traction devices. It was damn windy as we came out of the trees into the open, we stopped and added layers. The wind was blowing a constant 30 mph plus on top, the last time I had so many layers on was maybe when summited Mt. Rainier in 2005.

After the hike, I warmed my mind, body and soul with a bowl of jambalaya soup at the North Bend Bar & Grill.

Granite Mountain Hike, August 2013

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Granite Mountain
Date: August 29, 2013
Difficulty: 7 out of 10
Distance: 8 miles / 13 Kilometers roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,800 feet / 1,158 meters
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Exit 47, I-90
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass Required
Trail Conditions: Wet
Hiking With: Jim Darmiento, Rick Massie and Macho the dog wonder.

It has been over a year since I have hiked up the beautiful Granite Mountain so I was overdue. My friends Jim Darmiento and Rick Massie joined me for this wet fest of a hike. Seattle hadn’t had any rain for two months and today the rain decided to retaliate during our hike. The air was warm so we started off without rain gear, but of course we were saturated within the first mile. No biggie, we had dry clothes to change out at the top with.

Jim hadn’t hiked for a while so the pace was a little slower going up, but still made it to the look-out tower in a respectable time.

We started our Labor Weekend today and ended it with a cold beer at our favorite after hike hang out North Bend Bar & Grille.

Mailbox Peak Hike, August 2013

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Mailbox Peak
Date: August 9, 2013
Difficulty: 9 out of 10
Distance: 5 Miles / 8 Kilometers Roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 4,000 feet / 1,219 Meters
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Near North Bend, Washington
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass
Trail Conditions: Dry
Hiking With: Rick Massie and Macho my wonder dog

This is my second time this year I knocked of the famous thigh pounding Mailbox Peak. If you are looking for a personal challenge or conditioning training, the Mailbox Peak goo.gl/y3ANNn is the hike for you.

The new paved parking lot is open now, which is nice to be able to put on or take off your gear and not stand in gravel, dirt or mud. I don’t think most people know that the parking lot is open or even exist; people are still parking in the old dirt lot. The new 5 mile trail hasn’t opened yet, but when it does…I want to be one of the first to utilize it.

Rick and I made it up less than two hours, which is pretty good for a very hot day. Macho my dog wonder was struggling with the heat and we found him hiding in bushes at times to hide from the intense sun. I had no water left for the last hour of the hike and I was pretty dehydrated; I must have drank two quarts of water from the creek at the bottom. We decided to hydrate ourselves at our normal watering hole…North Bend Bar & Grille.

Lake Melakwa Hike, August 2012

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Denny Creek Trail to Melakwa Lake
Date: August 12, 2012
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
Distance: 9 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,300 Feet
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Near North Bend, Washington
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass
Trail Conditions: Dry all the way to the Melakwa Lake.
Hiking with: Linna Freeman, Cathrine Howe, Beatrice He, Andreas Wieberneit and Macho the wonderdog.

I haven’t hiked up Denny Creek to Melakwa Lake this year and knowing that all the ice was gone from the lake it was time to gather a few friends to enjoy a body numbing experience. Linna (my wife) invited a couple that she recently met in Seattle, Andreas Wieberneit & Beatrice He. We all met up at exit 17, off of I-90 along with another friend, Cathrine Howe.

It was a sunny day with temperatures in the eighties, so by the time we got to the trailhead we had to park along the road due to the amount of people; I figured there would be many on a warm sunny Saturday. After the 4 1/2 mile hike up to lake I was more than ready for that body numbing experience! Yes, the water was ball shrinking freezing, maybe 36 to 40 degrees. After a nine mile hike on a hot day meant for a cold beer at the North Bend Bar & Grill.

Iron Horse Bike Ride, August 2012

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Iron Horse Bike Trail
Date: August 3, 2012
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
Distance: 40 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,000 feet
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Exit 32, I-90
Users Group: Hikers, Horses & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass Required
Trail Conditions: Dry
Hiking With: Rick Massie & Jim Darmiento

I usually hike over the weekend, but a good friend and co-worker Jim Darmiento suggested we bike the Iron Horse trail along I-90. I met up with Jim and Rick Massie at Starbucks in North Bend, Washington for a little java and trail discussion. The beginning of this trail is very close to North Bend, on exit 34 off of I-90. The official name of this trial is the John Wayne Pioneer Trail; it’s an old railway, so the trail grade is very constant and gradual with the maximum grade at 2.2%. The trail is lightly graveled and thicker in some spots, especially over the numerous trestles.

Our destination was the Snoqualmie Tunnel under the Snoqualmie Pass, so we had 20 miles uphill and 20 easier miles downhill on the ride back. You can actually take this trail all the way to Idaho. Within three miles from our start I had a flat tire; Jim was caring spare tubes so I was back riding in 10 minutes.

We had a casual ride up to the tunnel and stopped to have a snack before we entered the dark, damp, cool tunnel. I took my helmet off and put my headlamp on and turned on my light as I entered the darkness, but for some reason it was still very dark to me. I actually stopped and looked at my headlamp to make sure it was working…it was, so I put it back on my head and started off again. Same thing…couldn’t see, so I stopped again, but this time I found the problem…I still had my sunglasses on!

On the way back down to the starting trailhead, Jim completely blew out his back tire, not the tube but his sidewall on his tire. He was close to exit 47, so Rick and I quickly cruised back to Jim’s truck to drive back to pick up Jim at exit 47. We ended our day at our usual spot, North Bend Bar and Grill.

Mt. Si Hike, May 2012

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Mt. Si
Date: May 25, 2012
Difficulty: 6 out of 10
Distance: 8 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,400 Feet
Time: 3 to 4 hours
Location: Near North Bend, Washington
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass
Trail Conditions: Dry all the way to the top
Hiking with: with my wonder dog Macho

Peak Heart Rate

I could have gone to the gym for a work-out, but why would I do that when I have the mountains in my backyard. I needed a quick calorie burn without the hassle of bringing my snow gear, so I chose the first big elevation gain hike from Seattle…yes, the famous crowed Mt. Si. Well, if you hike during the week, it’s not so crowded and the views are wonderful when there are no clouds. Today it was just my wonder dog Macho and myself..

I started at the trailhead at 9:30 a.m. and made it to the first opening at the top at 10:45 a.m….yes, only one hour and 15 minutes; this is only possible when you are by yourself…you get to control the interruptions or the lack of! I went straight up with no breaks except grabbing for my water bottle at the one mile mark. I had a personal best for my peak heart rate…186!

It was a beautiful day on top; I changed out my wet shirt and munched down a peanut butter sandwich before heading down. I stopped at my favorite after hike dwelling, the North Bend Bar & Grill for my usual Jambalaya soup and a cold pint of Mac & Jack’s African Amber.

Mt. Si Hike, April 2012

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Mt. Si
Date: April 13, 2012
Difficulty: 6 out of 10
Distance: 8 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,400 Feet
Time: 3 to 4 hours
Location: Near North Bend, Washington
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass
Trail Conditions: Dry to packed snow on top
Hiking with: with my wonder dog Macho

With the amount of snow in the mountains, you are not going to find a hike without snow. Right now Mt. Si and Mailbox is your best bet for elevation gain and view for the central Cascades. I decided on Mt. Si since I was by myself…of course I had man’s best friend with me.

I started around noon and got to the top in 1 1/2 hours only stopping once to put on my traction devices at the 3 mile mark. Up on top I threw snowballs for Macho while munching down a peanut-butter sandwich. After the hike I stopped by North Bend Bar & Grill for a cold beer.