Guided Mushroom Tours — Snoqualmie Pass Foraging the forests around Snoqualmie Pass on I-90
This is the one area I guide that crosses the Cascade crest. At the summit the forest is still wet west-side country, and a few exits east, down toward Keechelus Lake, it gradually begins to transition to species adapted to the eastern slopes. Tours here meet anywhere along that stretch, so I can take us wherever conditions look best that week.
The eastern slopes are hotter and drier in the summer, and freeze in the winter. The change in elevation and precipitation creates a unique habitat which gives rise to unique species. The season closes early here, so it’s a great place to explore while conditions are favorable.
Upcoming Dates
No dates are on the calendar right now.
Tour dates go up through the season as conditions come together, and this area comes on before the others. Tell me roughly when you'd like to get out and I'll let you know when it opens up — or check the other tour areas below.
Request a DateSee every upcoming tour, class and event on the full calendar →
What the Day Looks Like
Reading the Habitat
Why we stop where we stop: the trees, elevation and moisture that make a patch worth walking into, and the signs on the ground that back it up.
Hands-On Identification
We work through every find in the field. You'll learn which features matter, which don't, and how to get from "some mushroom" to a confident name.
Taking Some Home
Bring a basket or breathable bag. Whatever you pick is yours to keep, whether that's dinner or a single specimen to study, and I'll cover how to clean, store and cook it.
Staying Safe
The poisonous species to know on sight, and the edible mushrooms they can be mistaken for.
What We Find Is Up to the Forest
Mushroom foraging is unpredictable, and that's just as true with a guide. Some tours come home with enough for dinner. Some find a handful. Some don't turn up any of the choice edibles at all. We're often walking an area for the first time that season, and I don't know what conditions will be like until we get there.
The places I can take a group have their limits, too. They need to be on public land, a reasonable drive away, and easy enough walking for a mixed group. That means other foragers can reach them as well, and sometimes a good patch is picked before we arrive.
What doesn't depend on the day is what you learn: how to read the forest, how to identify what we do find, and how to go looking on your own afterwards.
About This Area
The pass itself sits at about 3,000 feet, the valley around Keechelus Lake just east of it at about 2,500 feet, and nearby ridges reach upward of 5,000 feet. A short drive up forest service roads can transport foragers to a variety of interesting habitats from Douglas fir and western hemlocks in the valley, to silver fir and spruce at higher elevations. Continuing eastward, the forest gets even drier where the pines begin to dominate.
It is easy to reach for how remote it feels: the whole area is a short drive of an I-90 exit, so there is far less forest-road driving than Darrington or Greenwater. Cell service is patchy once you are off the interstate, and it disappears entirely in the drainages.
What Guests Say
From guests at my in-person mushroom class, which is listed on Airbnb.
“Jeremy's workshop was fantastic! We walked away feeling confident being able to pick out chanterelles and porcini.” Sarah, Seattle WA · October 2024
“Jeremy is so personable and knowledgeable. You can tell he has a passion for mushrooms!” Jenelle, Seattle WA · June 2024
“He was so informative and answered all of our wide ranging questions. Highly recommend!” Katheryn, Glen Ellyn IL · March 2024
Request a Date or Get Notified
Nothing on the calendar that works for you? Tell me roughly when you'd like to get out, and I'll let you know as soon as this area has dates. If you have a group, ask about scheduling a date around you.
Gift certificates are available, and private tours can be arranged.
Before You Go
Meetup: The exact meetup point is sent to registered guests 3 days before the tour. The general area is the I-90 corridor around Snoqualmie Pass, from the summit east to Keechelus Lake.
Cancellations: Cancel at least 3 days before the tour for a full refund. That's when the exact meeting location goes out, so bookings can't be refunded after that point.
Elevation: We walk between roughly 2,500 and 3,500 feet. It runs noticeably cooler and windier than the lowlands — bring a layer more than you think you need, even in late summer.
Roads: Meetups are close to an I-90 exit, but the forest roads east of the summit are rougher and rockier than the west-side areas. Low-clearance vehicles are fine; take it slowly.
Parking: Roadside pull-outs don’t need a pass, but many trailheads do. Where we park changes from tour to tour and isn’t always settled until the day, so if you have a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass, bring it for your dashboard. Day passes are sold at recreation.gov and at ranger stations.
Restrooms: There will not be a public toilet once we’re in the forest. Bring some toilet paper and a plastic bag to pack it out.
Weather: Tours run rain or shine in typical Pacific Northwest conditions. Snow can linger into early summer and return early in the fall at this elevation — if conditions are unsafe we reschedule or refund in full.
Dogs: Sorry, no dogs on tours in the national forest.
Which forest: This area straddles the crest, so it spans two national forests: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie at the summit and to the west, and Okanogan-Wenatchee (Cle Elum Ranger District) to the east. The tour itself is permitted on both sides, so there is nothing for you to arrange on tour day.
Bring: Shoes for off-trail walking, weather-appropriate clothing, a charged phone with offline maps, a basket or breathable bag, and water and snacks. A small folding knife and a hiking pole are nice to have. Cell service is unreliable here, so download your maps before you leave.
Age & fitness: Suitable for teens and adults comfortable with off-trail walking. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Other Tour Areas
Want a different corner of the Cascades? I guide in other areas too, each with its own terrain and its own timing.
Or see every upcoming tour date across all the areas in one list.
Keep going after the tour
Forayz maps burn perimeters, soil moisture, snow cover and tree species across the Pacific Northwest. Use it to turn what you learned about habitat on the tour into places to check on your own.