The Inland Northwest is home to hundreds of lakes within an hour’s drive in any direction. When the temperatures start to rise, it’s time to get out on the lake! Pick something in the list below you might enjoy, then find the corresponding number for details on which lakes make the best fit for your […]
38 Things to Do at the Lake Read More »
A Tour of Southeast British Columbia’s Wild Lakes, Backcountry, and Mountain Towns Planning time away from daily life’s demands and executing a great road trip can be stressful and a lot of work. But a truly excellent trip can quickly and completely obliterate anxious feelings from unfinished work you inevitably leave behind. This past May,
The West Koot Route: A Family Road Trip in Southeast British Columbia Read More »
My kids were toddlers when I pitched the idea of an “Outdoor Family” story to Out There’s publishers. That was nearly 10 years ago, and the precursor to this Out There Kids column, which aims to inspire and motivate families to explore the great outdoors, especially with young children. It was easier then, in retrospect,
5 Ideas to Motivate Teens to Love the Outdoors Read More »
Did you know that Mount Spokane is Washington State’s largest state park? With four seasons of recreation, including hiking, mountain biking, Nordic and downhill skiing, horseback riding, snowshoeing, foraging, and more, this popular area is loved by recreators all over the region. And now, the Friends of Mount Spokane and Washington State Parks are delighted
New Trail Map for Mount Spokane Read More »
Shortly after getting off-route on a backcountry backpacking trip in northcentral Idaho, I heard about Topo Maps+, a backcountry navigation and mapping app developed by 45-year-old Spokanite Stephen Johnson. Talking with him, I learned that the Topo Maps+ app was built to be a simple navigation solution for people like me who would rather be
Local Backcountry Navigation and Mapping App Read More »
Antoine Peak’s Etter Ranch It’s not often I have an opportunity to promote a trail so new that it doesn’t have a name yet, but, due to the efforts of many volunteers working with crew leaders from Washington Trails Association, the new, westside connection trail out of Etter Ranch is now ready to receive visitors!
I’ve done many road trips to British Columbia, because there’s a ton of beauty there, so it’s natural I’m super excited whenever I go. Maybe you noticed I borrowed the words from the well-known phrase, Super, natural British Columbia. Luckily, not much travel time is necessary to experience BC’s super naturalness. The following hikes with
Close-to-the-Border BC Trails with Views Read More »
In 2022, America’s national parks had over 213 million visitors. Closer to home, Glacier National Park had over 2.9 million visitors. That popularity has led to a reservation system for bringing cars into the park. Given that popularity, how might we enjoy what national parks afford without finding ourselves cheek by jowl with fellow travelers?
The Road Less Traveled to Waterton Lakes Read More »
The Merry Go Round, part of the Merry Creek mountain bike trail network in Castlegar may only be a 1.4k blue trail primarily used for climbing, but the trail should make your BC mountain biking bucket list simply to experience the Cliff Hanger: this 20-foot-high, 60-foot-long bridge hangs from the side of a sheer rock
Castlegar’s Often Overlooked MTB Trails are Worth a Visit Read More »
As one of the birthplaces of freeride mountain biking, the Kootenays of southeast British Columbia have accumulated decades of world-class trails on seemingly any slope that can hold them. But trail builders here continue to find new zones and touch up classic Kootenays tracks. The riding riches in the old mining-turned-mountain towns of this region—Nelson,
New Kootenay Singletrack Read More »
