Now’s a perfect time for a desert hike east of Cascade Range

Published 2:28 pm Friday, May 23, 2008

On the cool side of the mountains, it’s a tough concept: summers that can push the mercury numbers high enough to discourage hikers. Those summers are found east of the Cascade Range.

But it’s not too late to work in an outing to the dry side, a different experience that, with the right attitude and done before the temperatures hit the red zone, can be just as rewarding as a walk on the wet side.

If you’re open to learning about a different ecology and geology, Eastern Washington is the place to be. It’s a chance to learn the difference between sagebrush and bitterbrush, to experience coulees, buttes, scablands, arrowleaf balsamroot and — if you’re not in tune with your surroundings — dehydration, sunburn, ticks and rattlesnakes.

A quick note on rattlesnakes: Odds are, you won’t see one. If you do, don’t do something stupid, like try to pick it up. (Yes, hikers have done just that). And look before you sit down on a sun-baked rock that may be a rattlesnake tanning booth (more on rattlesnakes in a later column).

Two books that are helpful with choosing east-side hikes are Alan Bauer’s and Dan Nelson’s “Best Desert Hikes: Washington” and Rich Landers’ “100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest,” both published by Mountaineers Books. Landers’ book covers Washington from the Coulee Dam area east and north, plus Central Idaho and the northeast corner of Oregon.

Here are some options from the two books:

Steamboat Rock Loop: About 16 miles from Coulee City in central Washington, Steamboat Rock is a basalt butte used as a landmark by American Indians and pioneers. Starting early in the morning will help avoid the heat and provide better light for photographs. The moderate 4-mile round trip is in Steamboat Rock State Park and circles the rim of the tallest butte area for stunning views of coulee country. Information: 509-633-1304; www.parks.wa.gov.

Black Canyon: This is a stunning canyon in the L.T. Murray State Wildlife Recreation Area, west and northwest of Selah with Rocky mountain elk, coyotes, spring wildflowers, black talus slopes, raptors, chukars and an old log cabin. Where the road splits, take the trail to the right. It’s about a 7-mile round trip, moderate to difficult, but there are great views once you reach Umtanum Ridge. Information: 509-925-6746; wdfw.wa.gov.

Ancient Lakes: Want a waterfall in the desert? Then take this easy 4- to 5-mile hike in the Quincy Wildlife Recreation Area southwest of Quincy and east of the Columbia River. This is the land of potholes surrounded by basalt cliffs, what’s left of the eroded lava flows thanks to ancient floodwaters from melting glaciers. An archeological dig once unearthed bones of a giant ground sloth along this trail. Head up into the Ancient Lakes potholes. By now, wildflowers should be carpeting the ground, and a waterfall awaits. Information: 509-765-6641; wdfw.wa.gov.

Lake Lenore Caves: Tribes used these caves 15 miles north of Soap Lake thousands of years ago, leaving petroglyphs behind. Seven of the caves are accessible by an easy 2-mile round trip hike with minimal elevation gain. Keep an eye out for prairie falcons that nest in the nearby cliffs. The site is a satellite of Sun Lakes State Park. Information: 509-632-5583; parks.wa.gov.

On the bookshelf: My knot-tying efforts lead to strangled lines that would need Houdini to open. So “The Book of Sailing Knots” ($15, Lyons Press) is bound to help the fumble-fingers among us learn to tie and use 50 knots. You don’t need a boat for this book to be helpful… One of the best first-aid handbooks out there is Jeffrey Isaac’s “The Outward Bound Wilderness First-Aid Handbook” ($16, Falcon Guides). Except for a few illustrations, the handbook is packed with straightforward words and boxes that summarize the salient points… Michael Hodgson’s “Weather Forecasting” ($10; Falcon Guide) is a 70-page primer with color illustrations on the basics of understanding and forecasting the weather, a useful skill for hikers.

Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.