Tacoma Mountaineers Open House: The UP North Loop: 2,600 Miles Through The Inland Northwest

Not since Lewis and Clark have a pair of adventurers had so profound an experience of the vast lands of the American Northwest, and its unique geology, history, and people.

On May 14th, 2018, “UltraPedestrian” Ras Vaughan and Kathy “OBAL Unbranded” Vaughan, aka Team UltraPedestrian, set out hiking south on the Idaho Centennial Trail from the small town of Hammett, Idaho. At 4:22:00 pm on Monday, November 5th, after covering more than 2,600 miles on foot over the course of 174 days  they returned to their starting point to complete the first ever UP North Loop. Their route linked together parts of the Idaho Centennial Trail, Oregon Desert Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Pacific Northwest Trail. The epic journey took them across the breadth and width of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

In this talk Ras & Kathy share the origins of and inspiration for the UP North Loop; the unique physical, mental, and logistical challenges it poses; the thrill of confronting nearly six straight months of doubts, question marks, and uncertainty; and the beautiful brutality of seeing your plans crumble before your very eyes.

Join Ras & Kathy for an evening of laughter, information and inspiration.

Photo credit: Ras Vaughan for UltraPedestrian.com