This hike has been cancelled. Please check back for more hikes and updates soon.

This is the 39th anniversary of the first IATC hike I led. The hike will circle the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. The map for the day is the Green Trails Cougar Mountain/Squak Mountain Map #205S. The leader’s phone number on the morning of the hike is (425) 394-8244.

The Cougar Ring hike was originally led by the IATC Founding President, Harvey Manning to publicize the Regional Park that the IATC was proposing atop Cougar Mountain. Starting in March of 1980, he led The Ring once each quarter through the 1 st quarter of 1981. My 3rd hike with the IATC was on Harvey’s February 16, 1981 Ring. I had not met Harvey before, but we soon learned that we both lived on the north slopes of Cougar Mountain and we talked of hiking and trails throughout the day. When we finished the hike, Harvey asked me if I was ready to lead The Ring for the IATC the next quarter. I was initially shocked as I had not seen any evidence of a trail over most of the day’s route ~ only occasional bits of red surveyor tape. After going back and successfully repeating Harvey’s route on my own, I agreed to lead it. On April 5, 1981, I led The Ring as a brand new IATC hike leader. I have led on average a hike a month for the 39 years since then, for a total of over 450 hikes.

The Ring that I will be leading is more civilized than the original one. The description for that one read: “This hike explores the centerpiece of our proposed Cougar Mountain Regional Park which is expected to be voted on by all of King County this year. This is a full day, 12 mile hike following old woods roads, bear trails and red ribbons—visiting the Long Marsh, Far Country, the Wilderness, the High Marsh, the Great Cave Hole with great views from some of the three or four summits of Cougar.”

Meet at 175 Rainier Blvd S, Issaquah

Ralph Owen hiker99ralph@comcast.net