Nobody knows where Hells Canyon first got its name. Some say its origins date back to the area’s first European explorers, who found the canyon to be impassible after one of their men drowned and several canoes were lost in the Snake River’s unpredictable rapids. Others claim that the name originates from a mispronunciation of […]
To Hell and Back: Traversing Hells Canyon Read More »
What do you eat during a long trail run? I get asked this question quite often and it’s a pretty loaded question. What works for one runner’s digestion doesn’t always work for another’s. I’ve talked to some runners with an “iron gut” who stop at the Kwik-E-Mart on their way to a race for gas
Trail Running Nutrition Read More »
The idea of using a lodge as a day hiking basecamp had never really occurred to either of us before we found ourselves enjoying the hell out of a stay at the Island Lake Lodge near Fernie, B.C., with our then 4-month old son last summer. For me, the idea was foreign because I’ve always
Hike the Canadian Rockies and Live the Good Life at Fernie, B.C.’s Island Lake Lodge Read More »
Camping days stretch long for children to immerse themselves in nature and enjoy time free of schedules and technology. Camping is as transformative as it is fun. Make one of these Inland Northwest campgrounds the new happiest place on earth for your kids this summer. Sam Owen Campground Located near Hope, Idaho, this semi-rustic campground
Family-Friendly Campgrounds in North Idaho & Eastern Washington Read More »
Powder snow and legends, family fun and entertainment. These are the essence of Griz Days – Fernie’s annual winter carnival held on the first weekend of March every year for almost 40 years. Griz Days is arguably Fernie’s biggest event, stretching from Historic Downtown Fernie to the peaks of the Lizard Range above Fernie Alpine
Griz Days Winter Festival – A Celebration of Winter in Fernie, BC (March 4-6) Read More »
The Finch Arboretum is a 10-star public park on a four-star scale. No doubt, Manito Park, Riverfront Park and the Dishman Hills Conservancy are also jewels in the crown of Spokane’s public spaces. But the Finch Arboretum boasts the greatest diversity of plant life in the city and many of the most iconic trees in
Finding Fall Colors at Finch Arboretum Read More »
In his essay “Nature,” Ralph Waldo Emerson writes “Nature never wears a mean appearance.” Nowhere is this truer than in Yellowstone National Park, which is why it attracts more than 3 million visitors annually. Those who visit in the fall will find September crowds roughly half those of July, with October crowds one-eighth of July’s
Fall Brings Wild Times without the Crowds in Yellowstone Read More »
This month of transition between summer and fall is the perfect time to plan a visit to Grassy Top in the Colville National Forest (assuming there are no wildfires burning nearby). One could potentially find lingering wildflowers or enjoy a few last huckleberries, but shorter days bring cooler temperatures and changing colors to this high-country
Grassy Top Mountain (Selkirk Mountains, NE Washington) Read More »
Backcountry roads can be the necessary evil of adventure: every recreationist has his or her story of harrowing, white-knuckled mountain driving or late-night tire repair far from the nearest Les Schwab. But sometimes it’s ok to embrace the backcountry drive, not as a means of getting to the destination but as the destination itself. On
7 Wild Places — Epic Backcountry Drives & Adventures Along the Way Read More »
NOTE: THE ENTIRE KETTLE CREST AREA OF THE COLVILLE NATIONAL FOREST HAS BEEN CLOSED DUE TO WILDFIRE ACTIVITY! Although I highly recommend completing the full length of the Kettle Crest, this shorter out-and-back sampler takes visitors to the Crest’s highest summit in a more manageable 6-mile, round-trip distance. The route includes the historic Old Stage
Hike of the Month: Copper Butte (Kettle Range, NE Washington) Read More »
