Crazy for Chanterelles Hunt

In addition to chanterelles, you will likely find lobster mushrooms, boletes, coral mushrooms and cauliflower mushrooms.

A certain level of physical fitness and stamina is recommended. You are on your feet for up to 2.5 hours, hiking up and down hills (sometimes steep ones), over and around fallen logs, and through trees and underbrush. You crouch and stand often. You carry a small backpack with water and snacks plus a mesh bag that fills with mushrooms. We have hiking sticks available, but bring a hiking pole if you have one. We group guests with similar fitness levels together.

In Randle, WA, about 110 miles from downtown Seattle and just south of Mount Rainier. That is roughly a 2-hour drive without traffic, so plan a 15-30 minute buffer. The group then caravans about 20-25 minutes to the foraging location, and we strongly recommend an SUV, AWD or high-clearance vehicle for the last 2-3 miles of unpaved forest road. We can’t wait for late guests: we text you the coordinates and getting there is your responsibility, with no refund for late, lost or no-show guests. If the venue changes, we email and text you an alternate meeting location in Packwood, WA, a 16-minute drive from Randle.

We can’t control Mother Nature. Our guides work hard so everyone goes home with a good bounty, whatever your skill level and speed. We scout in advance and cite a 95% success rate. On these specialized hunts, guests commonly go home with a few pounds.

The hunt runs in light rain or shine. If it is coming down in buckets, we cancel and give you a full refund.

We review safety protocols at the start and give each guest a high-visibility vest and whistle. Guides stay in contact with long-range walkie-talkies, carry a first aid kit, extra snacks and water, and we carry a Garmin inReach Mini 2 on every hunt. The guide-to-guest ratio is a maximum of 1:8. Cell service is intermittent on the drive and absent at the foraging location, so download offline maps and practice with a GPS tracking app such as Gaia, AllTrails or Strava.

We offer cancellation insurance at the time of purchase, which lets you cancel up to 72 hours before the event. Otherwise sales are final, but you can send someone else in your place.

Yes. Each person must apply for, print and carry a free mushroom foraging permit. The details come with your booking confirmation.

Porta potties are available at the rendezvous point, but not at the hunt location. Take care of business beforehand and bring your own supplies. Leave no trace, including toilet paper.

We can accommodate most restrictions, including vegetarian, seafood or shellfish allergy and gluten-free. We can’t accommodate last-minute changes, given the limits of being outdoors.