Mount Dickerman Hike

Back in 2005, a month after Rachel was born, I hiked up Mount Dickerman with my brother Steve. Fast forward to this summer, and Rachel suggested doing the hike in place of a Mt. Saint Helens hike she had originally wanted to do (her dad missed the permit deadline). The hike is known for its grueling 3,900 feet of elevation gain and amazing views at the top. This time we definitely got in the elevation gain, but no amazing views as they were hidden behind clouds and fog. This seemed to be an ongoing theme for our hikes this summer. Despite no views on the way up, there were still plenty if wildflowers to enjoy and perhaps Rachel's favorite, wild blueberries. Once at the top, we traversed a ridge with two summits. From there, we took a break with hopes of the fog blowing away, but no such luck. Only after we headed down did we get a partial view of Big Four Mountain, which was only one of many mountains that would have been seen on a clear day. In the end, it wasn't all that bad, as we still got in a good workout along with some quality daddy-daughter time on the trail.