Five steps to take your hiking to the next level

I moved to Washington in January of 2019 for work, selling trips for REI Adventures. Imagine my surprise when some of my new colleagues were more familiar with the conditions of the places we were selling trips to — like Everest Base Camp, the Grand Canyon or the Grecian Islands — than they were about the conditions of Washington trails. They might not have known the answers, but they knew enough to know where to find them.

I’d already hiked over 5,600 miles in the last 3 years and guided hikers across the Grand Canyon and up Half Dome — what could I learn from WTA that I didn’t already know?

A lot, it turns out.

Knowledge is power

• How to learn more about hiking in Washington
• New to Washington and want to get mossy? Follow these steps to take your hiking game to the next level:
  
  
• - Download WTA’s Trailblazer app and create your My Backpack account
  
  
• - Sign up for WTA’s Trail Action Network to stay in the loop about all things Washington trails

That first year was humbling. I had a wide breadth of knowledge about most things hiking related and how to tackle trails in favorable conditions. But I was missing some local knowledge, including familiarity with Washington’s trails year-round (hello, summer snow), an understanding of Washington’s permits and passes, and knowledge of which trails were iconic and why. There was much to explore, but I needed a friend to show me the way. That friend was WTA. I’ve explored much of the state since then — from Mount Spokane to Cape Alava — and WTA has been there every step of the way. Now, as a member of WTA's communications team, I help provide these resources to hikers in the same place I was. It's good to have a friend who helps you get outside.

Whether you’re brand new to hiking or have been roaming the mountains for a lifetime, WTA has the resources to help you achieve your hiking goals. Here’s how to take your hiking game to the next level with WTA.

Step 1: Build a foundation

WTA’s Trail Smarts is a comprehensive collection of everything you need to know to hike safely and responsibly. From the basics of crossing creeks during spring runoff to designing advanced gear systems (rain skirt or backcountry bidet, anyone?), there’s something for every hiker.

Step 2: Get outside

Explore WTA’s Trailblazer app and Hiking Guide to find a hike near you. Use the filters to fine-tune your search based on distance, elevation change, features and more.

Step 3: Hone your planning skills

Check trip reports to learn what other hikers are saying about the hikes you hope to visit. This will help you design your own itinerary and get inspired for new trails to hike.

Step 4: Journal your adventures

Have you learned from someone else’s trip report? Great! You can help another hiker by doing the same and posting a trip report of your own. Not only will your trip report help educate other hikers, it’s also a fun way to chronicle your adventures across the state.

Step 5: Give back 

Hoping to give back to the organization that helped you along the way while meeting like-minded hikers? Learn about the various ways you can contribute to the WTA community, whether that’s by doing volunteer trail work, assisting us on the web or becoming an ambassador. 

With over 4,000 entries in our Hiking Guide and dozens of Trail Smarts resources, WTA’s work helps ensure everyone can find a trail that works for them.