Every weekend in October, thousands of people dig out their dirndls and lederhosen and funny hats and head to Leavenworth, Wash. for Oktoberfest. On the first weekend of the festival, the Leavenworth Marathon and Half Marathon take place, putting a minor damper on Friday night’s revelry but guaranteeing an I-earned-this good time after the race […]
Leavenworth Half Marathon (September 30) Read More »
If you like to hike, bike, camp, fish, float, boat or hunt the uncrowded trails, forests, lakes and rivers of the three Northeast Washington counties, the brand-new Northeast Washington Insider app is a wayfinding tool that provides a map of the region with details about different destinations, attractions, and local businesses. The app also rewards
New App Aids in Exploration of Northeast Washington Read More »
Over the July 4 weekend, ultra runners Ras Vaughan and Seth Wolpin became the first people to complete the Harvey Manning Peak Challenge, a route linking 18 peaks in the Issaquah Alps on the west side of the Cascades. The challenge involves covering approximately 100 miles with around 40,000 feet of elevation gain. The course
The Harvey Manning Peak Challenge Read More »
Earlier this year, the Washington Trails Association (WTA), the state’s hiking trail advocacy and maintenance organization, hired Jill Simmons to be the new Executive Director. “First and foremost, hiking is my happiness; it’s what I love to do most. I actually found out about the WTA job by looking for a hike on the website,
WTA Welcomes a New Executive Director Read More »
One extra-long Labor Day weekend, my brother Scott and I unexpectedly drove nearly 1,000 miles in three days, hiking, camping, and wandering at will across a vast swath of public lands in northcentral Idaho. Our goal was pretty simple. See as much of this wild, remote country as possible in 70 or so hours. Leaving
Where the Blacktop Ends Read More »
Mill Creek Trail is a fast, fun descent near Highway 12, south of Missoula, Mont. The four-mile trail can be shuttled or ridden as part of a 16.6-mile loop, with an optional extension up to Carlton Ridge. Mill Creek is worth checking out because although it’s easily accessed from Missoula and Lolo, the narrow trail
Mill Creek Trail Mountain Biking Read More »
If you already have a “lake place” – your own or your parents,’ your friend’s grandparents or cousins, or your Uncle Bob’s – then you likely already have your favorite lake. But for the rest of us, any of the dozens of Inland Northwest lakes can be ours for the loving. To feel the cold
Inland NW Lake Guide 2017 Read More »
There is a phenomenon in journalism where a fascinating scientific study gets blown out of proportion. For example, many studies show that consumption of collagen aids in health and connective tissues and appears to have a link with reduced inflammation. Even though your grandmother achieved this by making chicken soup, people have been persuaded to
Shame on Science and the Skinny, Faster, Smarter Pill Read More »
“Discovering” a new place so close to home that you immediately love is an uncommon delight when you’ve lived in the same place your whole life. My wife Shallan and I had skied the B.C. Okanagan region’s snowy peaks, Big White (near Kelowna) and Silver Star (a short drive from Vernon), and had heard several
Wine, Wheels, and Wanderlust: Exploring British Columbia’s Lake Country Read More »
The Mission Mountains make a familiar sight to travelers between Missoula and Flathead Lake, their serrated, snow-draped peaks, crowned by 9,280-foot McDonald Peak and its dozen or so neighbors in the 9,000-foot club. Despite appearing impassible to travel, the Missions boast some of the most easily rewarding, high-country day hiking in the Northwest. They have short, shallow-grade trails accessing hundreds of high-elevation tarns with one of
Mission Mountain Lake Hikes Read More »
