Many field guides or flora and fauna books fail because they are twice as thick as this one and try to cover too much area. Sometimes writers aim to cover all the species in North America or provide a complete guide to every species on the Pacific West Coast. This book succeeds with hundreds of photographs and line drawings, plus the book offers strong visual support for step-by-step identification. This helps a lot when you’re examining bark, leaves or cones. The book features several hand-drawn illustrations and more than 1,400 photos in 400 pages. 

Even within the Pacific Northwest, tree appearances can vary due to factors such as microclimates and cultivars versus wild trees. As with any field guide, expect to adapt and verify in the field.  

This guide builds beginners’ confidence by providing the tools and steps to start identifying regional trees. Any nature enthusiast, gardener or landscaper will appreciate the book, which would make a great gift for anyone living near Spokane’s Manito Park or Finch Arboretum.

The post The Trees Around You: How to Identify Common Neighborhood Trees in the Pacific Northwest By Casey Clapp  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Usually, when jumping into a new guidebook, I tend to skip the introduction section and dive right into the meat of it: What kind of bird, tree or mushroom was that? The few times I’ve chosen to start out with the introduction, it has been well worth my time, and the introduction to “A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon and Washington,” by Alison Jean Cole, was no exception.   

The opening narrative expanded my understanding of the geological history of our area and the ethical and environmental considerations in rock collecting, as well as the different types of public lands and the rules for visiting each. Multiple maps showcased the locations of the recommended sites as well as the varied geologic features across Washington and Oregon.  

I would estimate this guidebook is suitable for the “very committed beginner.” The overview is comprehensible for a level-zero geologist, but getting to the suggested exploration sites takes a higher level of enthusiasm. All sites are off the beaten path and for good reason. Cole explains that easily accessible sites have been overharvested and otherwise damaged by high traffic.  

Unfortunately, this means there are no suggested sites within several hours of the Spokane area or even I-90. The closest is Stonerose Fossil Site, but Republic is hardly on the way anywhere. For most rockhounds, that means a dedicated trip. However, for those wanting to explore remote new areas and avoid crowds, this guide supplies ample opportunities. Thorough coaching is provided to prepare for visiting these wayward locations while minimizing safety risks and maximizing fun.  

On a literary level, I most appreciated Cole’s thoughtful descriptions of each site. These lend cultural and geological context to the sites and truly got me interested in exploring the far corners of Oregon and Washington for some of the earth’s treasures. (Sara Kennedy) 

The post A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon and Washington   appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Sara Kennedy

This lyrical, genre-blending book explores the title question through a series of river visits made by the author. Weaving together adventures to the River of the Cedars in Ecuador, the Chennai River in India, and the Mutehekau Shipu in Canada, Macfarlane ties them together with observations of a spring in his own neighborhood. 

Each river in his tale faces an existential crisis: the River of the Cedars is under threat of destruction, pollution, and poisoning from multinational mining corporations; the Chennai has become a river of sludge due to poor urban planning; and the Mutehekau Shipu is in the crosshairs of Hydro-Québec for the next major multi-dam project. Even the little backyard spring suffers due to overutilization of the aquifer that feeds it. 

“Is a River Alive?” is beautifully written. The author used words in new ways that I didn’t expect, but his descriptions are so graphically clear and relevant, I knew just what he meant. He did, blessedly, include a glossary, since he also used quite a few unusual words. ‘Quaquaversal’, ‘anchoritic’, and ‘bradyseism’ are now useful, if infrequently used, additions to my own vocabulary.  

The book is a thoughtful consideration of the rights of nature movement, which requires asking even more questions. If a river is a living entity, what rights does it have? And if we as river stewards are to advocate for a river’s rights, how do we know what it wants?  

My mind drifted to our own Spokane River as I read, with its heavy metals, PCBs, and occasional sewage or mineral oil spills. If the Spokane River is alive, what does she want? A complicated question, so be warned: “If you’re going to open Pandora’s box, make sure to stand behind the lid when you do so.”

The post Book Review: “Is a River Alive?” By Robert Macfarlane appeared first on Out There Venture.

By James P. Johnson

When he wasn’t in a cubicle writing marketing emails and promotional materials, Patrick Hutchinson would indulge in a pipe dream. His friends and acquaintances were getting married, buying a house, starting families. On social media, people were doing interesting, exciting things. His free time, spent on a worn, dog-fur-covered couch next to a perennial pile of laundry, staring at his phone, was a constant reminder that his rut was getting deeper and harder to escape. Enchanted by the idea of having a rustic place in the woods, he often went on Craigslist and looked at cabins even though he was nowhere near affording one.  

A tiny, 120-square-foot cabin in the Cascade foothills, three hours from his place in Seattle, intrigued him. After the owner said there were other interested parties, he borrowed money from his mother and paid the full $7,500 asking price. Habitable, but in need of repair, built partly with reused materials on a small lot, it had no electricity, water, bathroom or cell service. Anything dropped on the floor would roll away because it was not level. 

But weekends at his new place were fulfilling and brought him back to life. He invited friends, and, between barbecues and conversations over beer, they undertook projects to make the cabin comfortable. It was a learn-as-you-go endeavor—lacking not just carpentry skills, Hutchinson and his millennial friends had to learn about tools too. 

A book about buying and fixing a cabin isn’t a plot that sparks intrigue and fascination. Yet Hutchinson makes work-project issues, neighborhood characters and other situations interesting. I didn’t laugh loudly, but his generous application of humor made me chuckle and giggle more often than any book I’ve read in a long time. Reading it gave me a lift too.

The post Book Review: “Cabin” by Patrick Hutchinson appeared first on Out There Venture.

Part memoir, part strategy guide for citizens who care about the future of our forests and wildlife, the book offers provocative lessons that are timely not only for conservation campaigns, but for our national political moment, extolling the virtues of collaborative tactics and shared values over polarization. The book offers an insider’s look into the life of an accomplished activist leader challenging his own movement to better serve both nature and our ailing democracy. Pick up a copy at your local bookstore, including Auntie’s in Spokane, or online. (OTO) 

The post Book Review: “Conservation Confidential” By Mitch Friedman  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Luis Benitez’s “Higher Ground: How the Outdoor Recreation Industry Can Save The World” is a compelling mixture of personal memoir and environmental advocacy, offering a unique perspective on the transformative power of outdoor recreation. Benitez, a renowned mountaineer and former outdoor policy official for Colorado, intertwines his life experiences with a persuasive argument for the outdoor industry’s potential to drive social changes. 

As far back as the 1958 presidential panel known as the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission, both Democrats and Republicans have been trying to estimate outdoor recreation’s role and value both socially and economically: “The demand is surging. Whatever the measuring . . . it is clear that Americans are seeking the outdoors as never before. And this is only a foretaste of what is to come. Not only will there be many more people, they will want to do more, and they will have more money and time to do it with,” Benitez writes.  

Benitez’s narrative begins with his childhood asthma, a condition that confined him indoors and sparked a yearning for the outdoors. This early struggle set the stage for a life devoted to nature and adventure. His ascent from a Missouri high schooler discovering rock climbing to leading blind mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer to the summit of Mount Everest exemplifies his resilience and passion to keep moving forward.  

Beyond personal stories, “Higher Ground” delves into the economic significance of the outdoor recreation industry. Benitez highlights that the sector contributes approximately $1.1 trillion and over 5 million jobs annually to the U.S. economy, surpassing the automotive and pharmaceutical industries combined. He argues that this economic clout positions the industry as a bipartisan force capable of uniting diverse communities and driving policy change. This book is not your typical policy paper—it’s a page-turner that resonates with a broad and active audience.

The post “Higher Ground” by Luis Benitez  appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Olivia Dugenet

Through rich illustrations and fresh retellings of old myths and folktales, this new book by Alison Davies and Sarah Wildling adds drama and dimension to common flowers and herbs, most of which can be found growing around the Spokane region. Readers take a season-by-season tour through the strange and magical lives of rose, marjoram, daisy, clover, daffodil—43 brilliant blooms in all. 

Yarrow, or Achillea millefolium in Latin, is named after mythical Greek hero Achilles. This hardy herb grows in our local pine forests in the late spring and summer, perfuming the air with spice. Achilles is said to have used yarrow to care for his wounded soldiers. We know local tribes have used it as a medicine for centuries. 

Parsley, or Petroselinum crispum, is associated with 17th century Italian folklore that we recognize today as the Rapunzel story. The Dahlia’s extravagant beauty carries paradoxical stories rooted in Mexican folklore involving both creation and violence. The author fits each folktale into about two pages of fun-to-read lore. If my children were younger, we would read these stories before a walk, and then go searching for flowers through trails and neighborhoods.  We might even try some special rituals included in the book.  

After each story, the author recommends immersive action. Rosemary comes with a “Ritual to Bring Clarity and Vision,” for example, and with the sunflower comes a “Ritual to Boost Creativity and Joyful Energy.” The more interesting of these rituals involve recipes or planting instructions. Others feel a bit forced, as though the author ran out of ideas. Taken with a light heart, however, they are simply calls to action inviting readers to deeply consider each flower in its unique form and narrative history. Folks with children, or an inner child, or those who crave sensory communion with the natural world will enjoy this engaging and pretty book.

The post “Floral Folklore: The Forgotten Tales Behind Nature’s Most Enchanting Plants” by Alison Davies  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Ty Brown’s “Along the Little Spokane River: A Sense of Place” is his third book examining Inland Northwest history. “Along the Little Spokane” tells the stories of the families, farms, mills, camps, and resorts that populated the waterway. 

The book is broken into three sections: The Headwaters, the Heart of the River, and Meeting the Spokane. The Headwaters follows the river and its stories as it flows from the West Fork headwaters of Sacheen Lake and the main fork near Penrith and Newport to Colbert Road. The Heart of the River flows from Colbert to Dartford with Meeting the Spokane winding to the confluence with the “Big” Spokane at Spokane House.  

Brown provides the history behind many of the names in the region, from the namesakes of the Aubrey White and Rutter Parkways and the Herbert Dart family of “Dart’s Ford,” now Dartford, to Glen Tana, Wandermere, and Montvale. The stories behind the Colbert Saloon and more than a few train wrecks are sure to engage readers. 

Accentuating these tales are scores of pictures that bring to life the region’s history in a way that words alone cannot. Readers will see hockey teams and recreational skaters at Silas Cook’s ice rink, company picnics, throngs of cyclists in front of the Wandermere Lake bathhouse, and many of the grand houses situated along the river. My favorite shows hundreds of cars parked at the base of a ski jump, watching a 1933 ski jumping tournament near what is now the Kalispel Golf and Country Club.  

One thing I would have liked to have seen more of is stories involving the local tribes. While there are some images and mentions, the native story is secondary to that of the White settlers and deserves a closer look. Perhaps Brown will go there next.  

The post “Along the Little Spokane River: A Sense of Place” by Ty A. Brown   appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Brad Thiessen

Why do cancer survivors run marathons and triathlons? Why do divorcees journey to the hills of Italy? Why do grieving spouses hike the Appalachian Trail?

At least a part of the answer is that nature–being outdoors–has the power to reach deep into our souls and heal us. Another is that having a goal helps us rebuild a sense of meaning and purpose for our lives. And a third part of the answer is that the physical strength that’s developed through these efforts can lead to emotional and mental resilience. Stories have that same power to heal and inspire us. When they’re compelling, they can take us out of our own experience and give us a window into someone else’s reality. That connection can bring new paths to growth.

Put those together and you get the OutLive Film Festival. It’s an evening of short films that tell true stories of courage and healing, lived outdoors. Now in its second year, the festival will be held at 7 pm on Thursday March 20 at the Washington Cracker Company building at 304 W. Pacific Ave. downtown Spokane. Learn more and get tickets at outlivefilmfest.com.

The post OutLive Film Festival 2025 March 20 Downtown Spokane appeared first on Out There Venture.