Creaky knees: A guide to great hiking in the Northwest — from easy to punishing.

We get old. Our knees get creaky. Hiking is no longer easy.

Was it ever, or was that a youthful illusion? Never mind. Gotta keep going. It’s good for you. Really.

But where to go? Hey, here’s “The Creaky Knees Guide: The 100 Best Easy Hikes” by Seabury Blair Jr., and he’s much, much older than me, by three years or so.

Wait a minute, I know this guy. We worked together for years at the Bremerton Sun, hiked together in the Olympics on trails he called “easy.” Come to think of it, we were sitting around drinking beer at Conconully only two weeks ago.

Wow, we’ve been friends for 37 years. So it would be hard for you to believe I could be objective in writing about Blair’s book. So I won’t.

Anyway, aside from the introduction, written with uplifting humor and moving sensitivity worthy of a Pulitzer, it’s all business: where the trails are (all in Washington), how to reach them, how difficult each hike is, and detailed descriptions and maps.

A convenient table of contents lists the hikes by location and difficulty. You can find hikes on the North Cascades Highway or U.S. 2, for instance. Then look for them in the next list to see if they fall in one of these categories: Stroll in the Park, Easy Walk, Moderate Workout, Prepare to Perspire, and Knee-Punishing.

Knee-punishing? What in the name of Harvey Manning are those hikes doing in a “Creaky Knees Guide”?

“Sooner or later, we all realize that ‘easy hike’ is a relative term,” Blair intones in the introduction. Yeah, right.

At any rate, the hikes he selects for the North Cascades and Stevens Pass corridors fall mostly in the “stroll” to “moderate” range — Baker Lake, Barclay Lake and Iron Goat trails, for example.

He provides a lot of options, trails along all the routes across the Cascades; around the big peaks of Baker, Rainier, Adams and St. Helens; around the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas; all over Eastern Washington; and around the Columbia River Gorge.

Most of the “strolls” are in the category of Urban Trails, including the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle and Boulevard Park in Bellingham. No mention, however, of our own Centennial Trail, a nice stroll, if I say so myself.

Each hike is given a rating (based on scenery, flora, fauna), but Blair admits this is very subjective, tilted toward his preference for alpine views. You may prefer rivers and heavy woods.

You get the statistics: distance, elevation gain, high point, best season to go, what permits are needed, whom to contact and what maps apply. Helpful notes tell you if dogs are allowed, or if it seems like a good hike for a family.

Yes, it is possible to use this book and find many hikes that are easy for you. And it’s possible to find some that might make you want to tell Blair, “That’s easy for you to say.” It’s all relative, after all.

Ron Ramey: 425-339-3443, ramey@heraldnet.com.