Ten Essentials for Surviving the Northwest Rain
Drip, drip, drip. In autumn, we wait for the inevitable. We wait, patiently, for the rain to come and stay. The days on end of grey. The constant puddles to dodge. And once winter is here, it’s here for days on end. Months, even. And then we wait, patiently, for the rain to end. The sun will […]
Bring Nature Inside with Good Nature Publishing’s Wall Posters
On a recent hike on the wet west slope of the North Cascades, I ambled along as fellow hikers zoomed past me to the summit. And in between admiring the subtle beauty of a Queen’s Cup and the showy flair of a Tiger Lily, I realized something. I don’t hike to bag peaks. If I […]
Fall Gear Sale at REI.com
Every fall when I pack up our outdoor gear, I make a list of the things we need to repair or replace. It’s a wishful list. Times are tough, and I’m not buying much new gear these days. But REI.com is hosting a special deal right now, the kind of deal I can’t quite ignore, […]
Fall Camping Tips
If you can brave a little chill and a touch of rain, fall camping will reward you with scenery and solitude.
Cargo Camping: Reserve a Rehabbed Shipping Container
When I was a kid I was obsessed with a classic children’s book called The Boxcar Children. These four kids are suddenly orphaned and instead of living with a grandfather they’ve never met, they decide to make a home for themselves in an abandoned railroad car in the woods. They sleep on beds made of soft pine needles, forage […]
HIKE IT: Colchuck Lake
Icicle Canyon near Leavenworth is such a treat in September after Labor Day. Summer draws crowds of hikers, campers and climbers to this area, but in fall you’ll have a little solitude on the trail and much less of an issue snagging a campsite. Birds and other wildlife become more active in fall as they prepare for hibernation or […]
Hiking in the Goat Rocks: Snowgrass Flats – Goat Lake Loop
Have you heard the rumors that the Goat Rocks Wilderness in Southwest Washington is a popular spot for hiking? Believe them. And boy, are there reasons a-plenty! This loop is a classic hike of intense beauty and grandeur. Snowgrass Flat – Goat Lake Loop is 13-miles round trip and climbs a total of 1900 feet in elevation – […]
CAMP & HIKE: Dash Point State Park
Dash Point State Park sits on Puget Sound just northeast of Browns Point, Commencement Bay and downtown Tacoma. It’s a great recreational destination on its own, and particularly popular with kite flyers and swimmers. It’s also a nice spot to launch a kayak and explore the shoreline to the north and to the south. There’s a jetty […]
Explore Saltwater State Park on Puget Sound
Where is the closest public campground from downtown Seattle? I’d have to pull out a map to know for sure, but I’ll bet it is Saltwater State Park, a Puget Sound waterfront and forested oasis exactly half-way between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. In fact, this park marked a symbolic turning point in […]
CAMP & HIKE: Beverly Beach State Park
Just to the north of Newport is a fantastic but popular camping destination, Beverly Beach State Park. You’ll camp in some lovely woods on the east side of Highway 101, but only a short distance away through a tunnel is a stretch of beach that offers miles of roaming and beachcombing. Just to the north is […]
