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 »
Ken rolls across the parking lot in full armor. He looks like some kind of garage sale version of a super hero, covered in dust and grit. He pulls his helmet off to reveal a childlike grin and accompanying excitement. “Which trails did you ride?” he asks as we look over the newly released maps
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 »
Occasionally people ask me my favorite outdoor activity. It can be hard to narrow it down, considering the assorted skis stashed in odd corners of my house, the pile of backpacks on the floor, the snowshoes hidden behind my couch and the kayak and mountain bike in the basement. Still, for more than two-thirds of
Kettle Crest DIY Ultra: All It Takes is You Read More »
The Northwest has hundreds of lakes ranging from tiny alpine tarns to giant pools that sprawl for miles through the mountains. The region’s many diverse lakes each have their own unique feel and personality. While public land and access is limited at some, others like Priest Lake, nestled in the Selkirk Mountains, are a near
The Best of Priest Lake: Hikes, Resorts, Paddling, Fishing, and More Read More »
Last season I had conquered the rock rolls and jump lines at Beacon Hill, memorized every rock and root section at Mt. Spokane and ridden myself into boredom at the other local Spokane riding areas. For the trails in my immediate surroundings, I had reached a peak. I wanted a new challenge that would test
Seven Summits Trail – The Pinnacle of Mountain Biking in the Inland Northwest Read More »
Although Lake Pend Oreille (“Pond Oray”) is Idaho’s largest and deepest lake, with 200 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 1,200 feet, it doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves. Lake Coeur d’Alene and Priest Lake are both more accessible, while Lake Pend Oreille is surrounded mostly by national forest land, with
Family Fun at Lake Pend Oreille – Farragut State Park Read More »
Editor’s note: The first official Mount Spokane Hucklebeary Epic mountain bike race was scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 8 (due to extreme fire danger). This article was written for the July 2015 print issue of Out There Monthly and is a good preview of the course we hope you’ll get the chance to
Mount Spokane Hucklebeary Epic 2015 (CANCELED DUE TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER) Read More »
