Cover photo courtesy Bradley Bleck One of the earliest articles I wrote for Out There, “The Politics of Urban Cycling in Spokane,” ran in December, 2005. Nearly 20 years on, it’s worth looking at what has and hasn’t changed. One significant change, according to census data, is bicycle commuting has risen from 0.8 percent to […]
Revisiting Urban Cycling in Spokane Read More »
By Holly Weiler In September 2004, I was a relatively new teacher trying to land that elusive continuing contract at one of our local school districts. Most of my free time was spent running on local trails, but that fall I joined my first volunteer trail work crew at the urging of a friend. It’s
A 20-Year Evolution of Local Trails & Natural Areas Read More »
By Claire Thompson Cover photo courtesy of Claire Thompson I spent most of the summer of 2022 clearing trails in burned forests. The Entiat River drainage in north central Washington, where I was working for the Forest Service, had been torched by a series of fires over the past two decades: 2006’s Tin Pan, 2014’s
Fire-Season Palette Read More »
Cover photo courtesy of Amy McCaffree Emerson was my first companion. An all-white Siberian husky—a dog breed I specifically chose for its high energy and athletic endurance—Emerson came into my life at a pivotal time. I was 24 years old, recovering from heartbreak, and had read that having a pet decreased stress and one’s risk
The Dogs Who Helped Me Love the Outdoors Read More »
(Memoir, 2016) As a seasonal visitor to Hells Canyon Recreation Area, I am intrigued by the region’s vast human history. There are numerous books devoted to this topic, some of which are available for sale at the historic Kirkwood Ranch site on the Snake River Trail. Many a hiker has exited the canyon with a
“Temperance Creek” by Pamela Royes Read More »
85 things to do in the Inland Northwest Cover photo courtesy Shallan Knowles Don’t let summer pass you by: use this roundup of things to do in the mountains, lakes, rivers, trails, and small towns around our beautiful corner of the Northwest. Learn About the Places Where We Play Join one of these educational nature
Summer Bucket List Read More »
How And Where To Geek Out On Our Night-Time Skies An evening spent stargazing can be the perfect activity during the mild late spring months. Local opportunities range from a short night hike before returning home to spending a night under the stars within developed campgrounds, to backpacking to a remote mountain location. I love
Spring and Summer Stargazing Read More »
Oregon’s Grande Ronde River is an ideal entry-level multi-day raft trip. Cover photo courtesy Paul Delaney By Paul Delaney Making that first dip of an oar or paddle to experience the right river for a multi-day excursion can be a daunting task. There are many in the Pacific Northwest from which to choose, including the
A ‘Grande’ Way to Go Rafting Read More »
Cover photo courtesy of Holly Weiler The Wenaha River Trail in northeastern Oregon has long been a popular spring backpacking destination, but, following the loss of the bridge over Crooked Creek during the 2015 Grizzly Complex Fire, access became extremely difficult until spring run-off subsided. This left hikers facing a tricky and potentially dangerous ford
Hike of the Month: Wenaha River Trail Read More »
Cover photo courtesy of Lisa Laughlin Our region is rich for geologic exploration, but it helps to know what you’re looking at before you go. Plan a hike or road trip by visiting the Ice Age Floods Institute website at Iafi.org. The website’s Ice Age Floods Interactive Map includes photos and short descriptions from numerous
Geology Trip and Adventure Ideas Read More »
