#GoEast goes all the way west in this next installment of our scoops and summits summer road trip. This time, we’re sampling an adventure and an ice cream from each Pacific Coast state, but our road rule still applies: in each location, we will hike a trail everyone can explore and complete our adventure with a scoop everyone will enjoy. None of the hikes will require camping/backpacking or technical climbing. Follow along on the adventures at @alpine_n_marine and @scoopsandsummits.
Washington
Perhaps one of the most aptly named trails you will find, exploring The Enchantments is a fantastical experience. The full 18-mile trail can be completed as a long day hike or a backpack with one of the highly sought-after overnight permits, or you can enjoy a hearty serving of the beautiful trail by hiking 8 miles roundtrip to Cholchuck Lake. Starting in an old-growth pine forest, you’ll parallel Mountaineer Creek making your way to the lake. As you ascend, you’ll be serenaded by bird calls and the turbulent churning of the green and white water. Keep your eyes up to catch increasingly wider views of the granite towers that make up the southern Cascade Mountains. Fresh mountain air sweetened by pine will fill your lungs and elevate your spirits as you climb to the lake. The lake itself is an emerald set in silver granite cliffs decorated by pearls of snow. Feast your eyes and perhaps dip your toes in the cool glacier lake and then enjoy the alpine views all the way back down.
The fairytale doesn’t end at the parking lot. Drive out of the national forest to the Bavarian village known as Leavenworth. You’ll feel like Hansel and Gretel walking through the magical forest and into an enchanted neighborhood. In the 1960s, the old logging town of Leavenworth undertook an initiative to reinvent itself for tourism: the entire town has been redesigned to have the aesthetic and charm of an old Bavarian village with all the drinking establishments, restaurants, and shops a visitor could want. Of course, after Cholchuk Lake you deserve an ice cream from WhistlePunk Ice Cream Co, current titleholder of the Best Ice Cream I’ve had on the West Coast. WhistlePunk offers a wide variety of creative homemade ice cream flavors for a reasonable price, especially given the location. Thanks to the four-flavor ice cream flight option, I sampled: Bucky’s Lemon Bar, Blackberry Fool, Bertha’s Caramel Brownie, Cookies and Dreams, Strawberry Balsamic, Lookout Coffee, and Backyard Blueberry. The flavor of each variety—and the high-quality mix-ins they could be loaded with—was excellent. Backyard Blueberry was my favorite; the pieces of blueberry blended into the ice cream were a sure sign of quality and natural flavor.
Hike Footnote: Park at Stuart Lake Trailhead, requires an Interagency (National Parks) Annual Pass or Northwest Forest pass. Hike 8 miles round trip, gaining 2,300 feet of elevation.
Oregon
The Columbia River Gorge is a sight to behold and Multnomah Falls is one of its stars. Just a short drive from Portland, you can see the water of Multnomah Falls plunge 620 feet into the Gorge. Words cannot prepare you for the awe that will transfix you while watching the white water split the lush green background and envelop you in a cool mist. When you can pry yourself from the scene, hike clockwise on the trail, 1.3 miles (through a dozen switchbacks) to the top of the falls for another vantage point. Though the grandeur of Multnomah Falls is unmatched, keep trekking to experience several more fascinating falls along the 5-mile loop back to the parking lot.
Normally, I wouldn’t direct you to an ice cream chain, but I have to make an exception here. Salt & Straw began in Portland, Oregon, in 2011 and became a national establishment (because their ice cream warrants it). Salt & Straw works with local businesses to create a wide variety of creative and seasonal flavors. The flavor profiles are complex; I had: Rhubarb Crumble with Toasted Anise and Jasmine Milk Tea Almond Stracciatella. The ice cream is so creamy it takes serious effort to pull your spoon from it. While it’s more expensive than the average scoop, the flavor and quality make it a necessary stop to complete your day.
Hike Footnote: Parking at Multnomah Falls Trailhead off of I-84 requires a reservation from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hike 5 miles round trip, gaining 1,600 feet of elevation.
California
Everyone knows about Yosemite National Park and its marvelous granite cliffs, but its often-overlooked neighbor, Devils Postpile National Monument, should be on your Must-Visit List. Hop on the park shuttle and keep your eyes open for wildlife as the bus winds around hairpin turns through the forests and meadows. The day before I arrived, the bus driver saw a mountain lion! Disembark at the Rainbow Falls trailhead and head south toward Rainbow Falls. The path is sunny as the result of a fire many years ago, which gives open lines of sight to the Minarets (rock spires piercing the blue sky) and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Looking closely, you’ll see golden-mantled ground squirrels scamper by and mule deer silently navigating through the aspen trees and pines. After a mile, you’ll hear and see the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River plummeting 101 feet to form Rainbow Falls. You can hike to the pool at the bottom of the falls where the sun glistening through the mist creates the namesake rainbows and the high rock walls surrounding you on three sides remind you that humans are just a part of nature.
Begin hiking back toward the trailhead but bear left onto the Devils Postpile Trail. Soon you’ll be standing in front of a wall of columnar basalt. For those unfamiliar with this geological phenomenon, imagine if you stood the contents of a box of spaghetti on its end, but the spaghetti was made of rock, hexagonal, and over 100 feet tall. Hard to imagine? Sounds crazy? GO SEE IT. These formations occur when lava cools into basalt below the earth’s surface and the molecular composition creates the hexagon shape. Over time, the earth surrounding the columns moves away and we are left with mind-blowing formations. This type of rock is also found at Devils Tower in Wyoming and Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. Do not skip the trail to the top of the Postpile. Standing atop the columns is confounding as the hexagon tops join together to form what looks like a tile floor. Continue north to the ranger’s station to pick up the bus admiring the wildflowers that populate the meadows en route.
When the bus deposits you back in Mammoth Lakes, head over to Hugs Ice Cream. This local creamery has a good variety of creative flavors including the ones I sampled: Salty Caramel, Lemon Poppy, Mango Cheesecake, Blueberry, and Mud Pie. The taste is top-notch. Each lick or spoonful will have your taste buds cheering. It’s not the creamiest ice cream around, but the flavor more than compensates. If you’re a maverick, Hugs sells insulated growlers of ice cream, so you can stop here first and take your ice cream into the park.
Hike Footnote: Park at Mammoth Mountain. Take the shuttle into the park. Hike from Rainbow Falls trailhead to Rainbow Falls (1 mile) then up to Devils Postpile and the Ranger’s Station (2.5 miles) where you’ll catch the shuttle back to the parking lot. Total trip: 3.5 miles, 500 feet of elevation gain.
The Scoop on West Coast Ice Cream
There’s no shortage of fantastic frozen confections on the West Coast, so let’s hear your recommended pairings below! Next up are some Midwest recommendations.
