The Great American Outdoors Act has two key pieces. This act will provide $9.5 billion over five years to pay for the maintenance backlog in our National Parks System. It will also fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to $900 million a year.

This fund uses fees and royalties from offshore oil and gas extraction to provide funds and matching grants to federal, state and local governments to acquire or place easements on land for the benefit of all Americans.

In the past, Congress has been able to divert most of these funds for other purposes. So far, the LWCF has helped states and communities conserve over 7 million acres for public uses.

The Bi-partisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act will allocate $1.2 trillion dollars over the next five years for a variety of infrastructure projects.

Although the bulk of this will go to much needed traditional infrastructure like roads, bridges, and airports, over $5.6 billion dollars will be going to green infrastructure. Specifically, there will be $3.4 billion for wildlife risk reduction and $2.1 billion for ecosystem restoration.

The bill will provide $500 million each to a variety of fire management activities including thinning projects, prescribed fires, fuel breaks, and mapping and defending at-risk communities. There are also funds for Community Wildfire Defense Grants and for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration for wildfire prediction, modeling, and forecasting.

Within the Infrastructure bill is the REPLANT Act (Repair Existing Public Lands by Adding Necessary Trees). Currently the National Forest System has a $30 million per year cap to plant trees, which has been in place since 1980.

With climate change and increased catastrophic wildfires, the Forest Service projects that they would need $183 million per year for 10 years to cover the back log of reforestation needs. The REPLANT Act calls for the planting of 1.2 billion trees over the next 20 years and will provide over 49,000 jobs.

The Forest Service hopes to increase their workforce by 20% through this funding, but they and other lands mangers, including Idaho Department of Lands, are concerned that they just can’t find the people to fill all these positions. Where once these agencies didn’t have enough money to be fully staffed, now they are worried that they don’t find enough people, so it’s a great time to look at careers in natural resources.

Funding green: The new Infrastructure and Jobs Act will help the U.S. Forest Service, like reducing wildfire risks. // Photos courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service.

Find more stories about environmental topics, including public lands, wildlife, green energy, and conservation, in the Nature column archives.

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Washington Department of Natural Resources Commissioner of Public Lands, Hilary Franz, has introduced “Keep Washington Evergreen,” a plan for forest conservation and reforestation for the state.

With a goal of conserving one million acres of working and natural forests, and reforesting another million acres across the state of Washington by 2040, this initiative will create a framework and secure funding for a healthy forest future.

Working with the state legislature to develop strategy, create a stakeholder advisory group, and make an investment of capital funds will help meet initiative goals.

(left) Methow Valley, Wash., Sun Mountain bike trails. // Photo: Aaron Theisen; (right) Abercrombie Mountain on the Colville National Forest. // Photo: Derrick Knowles

“The short-sighted conversion of working forests in Washington presents a clear and dire threat to our environment, economy and communities that depend on healthy forests on both sides of the Cascades,” said Franz, who leads the Department of Natural Resources.

“As we continue to improve our wildfire response and make our forests more resilient to climate change, we must also ensure the forests that provide clean air and water, fish and wildlife habitat, and housing and jobs are not lost to concrete. We must keep Washington evergreen.”

Originally published as “DNR’s ‘Keep Washington Evergreen’ Initiative” in the January-February 2022 issue.

Find more stories about natural resources or public lands in the OTO archives.

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As an artist and Spokane native, I am endlessly inspired by the beauty of our local landscapes. To sit beside an alpine lake and watch the sunbeams kiss the mountains, to slumber amongst giants in an old growth forest . . . such places, just beyond our doorstep, are breathtaking.

I was raised on the trails, mountains, and lakes of our surrounding area and took my son for his first backpacking trip at the age of seven. After my son graduated this year, being an empty-nester and not even 40 got my wheels turning. There’s a big old beautiful world out there waiting for me to explore and paint!

I converted an old Chevy van into an art studio on wheels and decided to immerse myself in the wild places that offer me such inspiration. I set out to explore every inch of the Northwest.

Admittedly, that’s an impossible task. With millions of acres of public lands, from state parks, national forests, and wilderness areas to BLM, DNR, and county and city park land, I feel like a kid in a candy store. The Northwest has it all: vibrant colors, moody atmosphere, rich textures, and curious wildlife. The opportunities for adventure and beauty are endless.

I strive to create works of art that capture the places I visit and people I meet. But my deepest goal is to capture that feeling of love for the great outdoors with my paintings.

I paint not with brushes like most artists but instead by using my fingers and hands. You will often find mountain landscapes, vibrant sunsets, hikers, bikers, paddleboarders, and wildlife in my paintings. These works, in which I’m literally elbow deep in paint, are expressions of pure love, passion, and admiration for the outdoors.

The trails and public lands I’ve been visiting offer me such inspiration that I decided it was time to give something back. I began doing volunteer trail work with Washington Trails Association, and then after riding the trails at Beacon/Camp Sekani, I knew I wanted to paint a mural there.

I worked with Evergreen East and Spokane Parks & Rec to get permission for the painting, which ended up being on the garage door at the entrance to the park. Inspired by an image by Spokane photographer Aaron Theisen, I painted a vibrant, explosive piece depicting one of our local riders, Alex Anderson, sending it into the sunset. [Editor’s note: Theisen is also an OTO contributor.]

The mural at Beacon was my first public work of art, and while there painting, I was inspired by all of the people out enjoying the trails. This 46-mile trail system is one of the largest in the state and has rides for all abilities.

Unfortunately, much of Beacon’s epic trail system is still on privately owned land. Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance has been working with the public lands agencies that manage the land as well as some private land owners to raise the funds needed to acquire some of the properties that many of the trails pass through.

If they succeed, their efforts will combine what are now four separate chunks of park land into one large park and trail system that will be protected for generations of riders and trail users.

To learn more about Evergreen’s efforts to make Beacon public or to make a donation, visit www.evergreeneast.org/trails/campsekanibeaconhill.

The author’s backpacking gear, new mural at Camp Sekani, and mobile art studio. // Photos courtesy Christina Deubel.

Christina Deubel is a Spokane artist currently traveling around the Northwest in her van. You can find more of her work by following her on social media at @mnttidings or on her website Mountaintidings.com.

For more art-related stories, visit the OTO archives.

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Here are two stories from couples who love the outdoors so much that public lands were integral to growing their relationships, framing their wedding days, and inspiring their ongoing love stories. Their nuptials show that while identity is grounded in friends, family, heritage, and tradition, it can also be rooted in place—the geography of hills, lakes, trees, and ridges that inspire us.

An Elopement Among the Larches

Ryan Craig describes his elopement in October 2020 as “a scene out of a Nordic warrior film. Misty and stormy, windy with tall granite peaks over us and a really cold lake below.”

His wife, Alyssa Chamberlain, continues, “The big focal point was all the larches. I don’t know how we timed it so perfectly. It was all beautiful gold.”

The only person at their self-officiated private ceremony in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness was a friend and professional photographer, Brighton. Their plucky and adoring pup, Harold, also made the hike in. Harold was one of the reasons they picked that spot, since most places with larches don’t allow dogs.

Many couples experience a lot of pressure regarding where they should host their wedding. But Alyssa explains that the people who are closest to her know that “I’ve always wanted to elope. I think the ceremony is more about the person you’re with.” She feels that she’s not a strong public speaker and that saying everything in front of a lot of people would have been hard.

“COVID-19 gave us a nice cover.” She explains that they decided together, “Oh, now we really have to elope!”

The foursome hiked up together the night before the intimate ceremony. Ryan hung his suit on hanger in a garbage bag and attached it to the outside of his backpack. Alyssa folded her dress into a packing cube. She had hand dyed the bottom gold with the help of a friend to match what she hoped would be a stunning stand of fiery larches.

“When we hiked in, it was 55 degrees and beautiful and calm. We woke up to 35 degrees and rapid dropping temperatures and wind. It was pretty cold,” remembers Ryan. Alyssa wore leggings under her dress, hiking boots, and wrapped a warm blanket around her shoulders.

The words they shared that day were for each other, lifted up by the wind and carried over the hills and valleys. The symbolisms fits what their love is built on. For example, the dried flowers in their bouquet and boutonnière were plucked during hikes they had taken together on both the East and West coasts. Even her wedding ring represents their love of wild places, with a mountain skyline carved into it.

The couple just returned from a week in Vermont, where they celebrated their commitment to each other with East Coast family. It was a beautiful celebration, but after dealing with the stress of COVID-era travel, they are happy to be back hiking around local public lands with Harold.

Local Hike to a Wedding

Ella Kerner’s description of the weather on her November wedding day in 2015 is most brides’ nightmare: “It rained a little bit. It was windy.” Then, there was the tardiness of the guests. “We had to wait for 45 minutes for a couple stragglers to make it up the hill.” But, in her eyes, “It was perfect.”

She married Nathan Leach (now Nathan Kerner) “huddled behind the wind break of the boulders” at Rocks of Sharon, which is one of their favorite Spokane hikes.

“[Rocks of Sharon] is a very excellent viewpoint,” says Nathan. “It’s gorgeous and expansive.” It’s a view that both of them love in the summer and winter. Nathan continues, “On one side you can see Spokane Valley and the freeway leading to Spokane. You can also see the Palouse, and there are just a few barns and houses out there.”

About 40 people joined them for the hike and ceremony, and dozens more met them at their reception in town afterward.

The couple’s friends and families were not surprised that they chose a hike to commemorate their lifelong commitment to each other.  Ella explains, “We knew we wanted to get married on a mountain, but one that was accessible to most people. I had done the hike a dozen times before we got married. It’s such a great trail. It’s a great reward for not much work.”

One of the best parts of the day was watching guests mingle in an unconventional setting. “Everyone got to chat on the way up,” she says. “It was fun. Even [the stragglers] talked about that as a good day.”

At first, Nathan jokes about getting married in one of the bleakest months of the year. “I’d rather be cold than be hot.” But then he reflects on why it was so special to get married up there. “Buildings are temporary, but the outdoors is permanent. If we want to revisit the place we got married, it will still be there.”

Ella explains how the location has become a place of importance for their entire young family. “We took [our firstborn] Charlie (age 4) up when he was a baby. He was 6 months old, and we carried him up.”

They haven’t yet taken their newest arrival, Del (age 2), but they will soon—perhaps this November. They plan to do the hike every year on their anniversary, even though they missed it last year due to COVID-19 and child chaos.

As Nathan points out, it will always be there for them when they need a refresh and to get a perspective on what matters most.

Originally published as “Love in the Outback” in the September-October 2021 issue.

Summer Hess is the former managing editor of OTO. She still contributes content from her new home in Wenatchee.        

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Yellowstone’s Thermal Features

By Benson Side, elementary student at Pioneer School

Yellowstone National Park is home to four kinds of weird thermal features. The Earth is hot in Yellowstone because it is an active supervolcano caldera. Yellowstone is where half of the geysers in the world are found! There are approximately 500 geysers in Yellowstone National Park, and that’s a lot.

Geysers are cool (the water is not cool, though). They are activated by pressure and heat in a chamber below the ground. Water that collects there is heated up beyond boiling, which is extremely hot. It’s a big chamber with a little opening, kind of like a teapot. It builds up pressure until it can’t hold the pressure any more, and it goes ka-bluey!!!! There are two types of geysers: cone and fountain geysers. Fountain geysers are practically the same thing as a cone geyser underground. Cone geysers erupt in an upward spout from a mound or cone of sinter rock, but fountain geysers erupt from a hot spring. Fountain geysers look like a pool that has a bomb exploding under the water, if you can picture that.

Yellowstone’s hot springs are an amazing sight. They are beautiful puddles or pools of steaming water that often have colors. Those colors aren’t just for decoration, they are little baby bacteria that can only survive in different temperatures. The bacteria that needs the hottest water is dark blue, the second ring of color is turquoise and the second hottest, the third ring is yellow and is the third hottest, and the fourth ring is the fourth hottest and it is orange. These bacterias are called thermophiles, which means heat-loving. You are not allowed to swim in the hot springs because the oils on your skin will kill the bacteria, which is bad! 

Mud pots are weird and satisfying. They are satisfying because they bubble slowly and make interesting sounds. Mud pots can be stinky because of the hydrosulfide that is dissolved in the water. Mud pots sometimes don’t have much color, but when they do have color they are called paint pots. They get their color from minerals that mix in the mud pots. Fumaroles are vents that steam because of geo-heated water below the surface of Earth’s crust. There is some water deep in the fumarole, which evaporates before it gets to the surface. Fumaroles are found in many sizes. I hope that someday you will go and see the awesome geology at Yellowstone. It is so worth the trip!

Editor’s Note: These student essays were printed as they were provided by Pioneer School and were unedited by Out There. To learn more about the school, visit Pioneerschool.com.

Every other year, 4^th and 5^th grade students from Pioneer School participate in Expedition Yellowstone, a National Park Service program where school groups get to choose a theme, such as history, ecology, and wildlife for a hands-on learning expedition. Pioneer School is a K-5 accredited, non-profit school for gifted and highly-capable learners in Spokane Valley.

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Protecting land for its own sake—for the sake of the animals and plants that rely on it, for the sake of clean water and air, and for public enjoyment now and for future generations—rarely makes sense solely from a financial perspective. Thankfully, there are private land owner conservation champions who see former working forests and ranchlands as so much more than short-term dollar signs.

James T. Slavin Conservation Area, Spokane County, WA

“It went from a love/hate relationship, to more love than hate, and then once the county took over, now I can just love it,” says Jim Slavin, Jr., as he sidesteps a pile of skunk scat in the trail and points out memorable landmarks on the 628-acre conservation area that bears his family’s name.

Jim’s father, James T. Slavin, Sr., was the son of a hops farmer in the Yakima Valley who eagerly homesteaded his first 160 acres of farmland south of Spokane in 1965. Over the subsequent decades, he added to his spread when land became available, putting in a canal to channel water to hayfields and provide grazing land for cattle.

“This was his sanctuary,” Jim Jr. says of his father, who preferred to spend the day on this land with “a dog, a gallon of water, and a bag of apples,” over time at a country club or other public setting.

The Slavins’ four children and Joanne, the matriarch of the family, got used to driving old cars with doors prone to falling off since investing in their beautiful agricultural land was Jim Sr.’s top priority.

As the kids grew up, Jim Jr. was the only member of the family to live on the property, and he has many fond memories of coming home to his family’s own 600+ acre slice of heaven during his college and early career days.

“When he was in his 70s,” Jim Jr. says about his father, “it just became a lot to manage.”

In 1998, the land went up for sale and to be sure it didn’t turn into a subdivision or mobile home park, the family worked with Spokane County to protect it as a conservation area in perpetuity.

When the county purchased the land, they returned the water to its natural state, allowing a shallow, meandering wetland to host hundreds of waterfowl, migratory birds, eagles, coyotes, deer, and the occasional elk. In addition to working to put this land into conservation status, the Slavins contributed $100,000 in an endowment to help care for and maintain the area for years to come.

A striking part of the James T. Slavin Conservation Area story is how relationships with land change over the years. “I remember bucking hay bales and thinning trees,” Jim Jr. shares. “And that was hard work.”

Now, he leads tours of young people, community organizations, and friends who want to learn about the flora and fauna, the history of the land, or just enjoy watching flocks of geese and pelicans settle in during a Spokane summer sunset.

“This place is special, and he wanted to see it protected so the community could use it,” Jim says of his father, a stalwart farmer and lover of the land to his last breath.

Slavin Conservation Area is open year-round, with interesting seasonal changes: winter (top left); spring (top right) // Photos: Amy McCaffree; summer (bottom) // Photo: Lisa Laughlin.

Cabinet View Nature Area, Sanders County, MT

“I want to save little places where nature can prevail over human destruction,” says Judy Hutchins, daughter of environmental advocate Ruth Powell Hutchins. Much of her life has been dedicated to the business of real estate, just not for the usual reasons people get into real estate.

A wildlife biologist by training, after stints in New York City and Ann Arbor, Michigan, Judy Hutchins landed in Heron, Mont., and never looked back. “It felt like coming home,” she says of her first visit to Montana from her childhood home in western Colorado.

Western Montana beavers and other wildlife have Hutchins to thank for the 76-acre Cabinet View Nature Area, which is home to a thriving spring-fed beaver complex. Throughout her life, Hutchins has purchased or otherwise worked with land in Colorado and Montana in order to put lands in conservation easements, which are legal agreements that protect private land from future development.

Hutchins’ strategy of buying land, putting those acres into conservation easements, and then reselling the real estate, has protected 10 pieces of land including wildlife corridors, wetlands, and habitat, including the Cabinet View property.

While a board member of the Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT), Hutchins helped KLT transition to a community land trust model, and when she saw the need for public places in which to educate local residents about land and water, she knew she’d found the perfect buyer for this pristine wetland.

Thanks to funding through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and tireless work by KLT, the land was purchased in June of 2019 and opened to the public. Mindful of disturbing the animals living on the land, KLT put in a trail system and signage to encourage responsible use and enjoyment.

“Although somewhat off the beaten track,” says KLT’s conservation director Regan Plumb, “the Cabinet View Nature Area has served local junior high and high school students as an outdoor classroom for many years. The land also offers a location for quiet walks and wildlife viewing for area residents and provides high-quality habitat for diverse wildlife species.”

From extensive water-storing wetlands to healthy timber stands, wildlife habitat, and scenic trails, this property provides myriad benefits to the two-legged and four-legged (and feathered) residents of our community, says Plumb. “And it would never have been protected without the generosity and foresight of the previous landowner, who recognized many years ago that there was something very special here.”

As the natural world around us changes rapidly, “It’s comforting,” says Hutchins, “to look up at the mountains and realize they’re unchanged. Things will change, but rocks, rivers, mountains will survive.”

Hutchins’ investment in those special places, those pockets of nature, give us hope and a fighting chance for the beautiful lands and waters we all love.

Phillips Creek, Dishman Hills Conservation Area, Spokane County, WA

Hiking down a path littered with bones, where the wind howls at night, even when everything else is still, is a lure so powerful that teenagers can’t resist. This proved true for Andrew Phillips as he and childhood friends tramped around the property his grandfather homesteaded in 1904. Nights spent sleeping under the stars—or, more accurately, lying awake wondering what massive night monster was about to have dinner at his expense—helped Andrew get to know and fall in love with the Phillips Creek land in Spokane Valley.

Phillips Creek, adjacent to the Glenrose Unit of the Dishman Hills Conservation Area, with its basalt outcroppings, grassy hillsides, and overgrown orchards speaks to the agricultural history of the area, but it also tells a story of Welsh immigrants who moved to Spokane Valley to build a future for their family—a future founded on farming and ranching.

“My sons made a camping area out there,” Andrew says as he reminisces about memories made on the land throughout his youth and then as he raised his own family. Although Henry Lloyd Phillips, the second-generation owner of the Phillips Creek property, had planned to sell the land for development, he was unable to because of zoning regulations.

When Phillips passed away and the family was working to settle his estate, they decided its value as green, open space was higher than yet another housing development.

For years, neighbors had used the Phillips Creek area as if it was public and the family’s concerns over liability grew. They wanted friends and neighbors to enjoy the beautiful place as they had, but didn’t have the capacity or desire to maintain it for public use. And so they decided to work with the Dishman Hills Conservancy and Spokane County to put the 179-acre piece of land into public ownership and management in perpetuity in 2018.

“I enjoyed growing up there,” Andrew says, “and I wanted to keep it natural—to give others the chance to experience it as well.”

Like Jim Slavin, Jr., Andrew says his love/hate relationship with the family farm—loving the place but not having the time for the endless hard work—has turned only to love since he can now hike the trails, listen to the birds, and look out across the valley, knowing the land is cared for and protected forever for the good of the community.

If you or someone you know is interested in creating a lasting conservation legacy for an important piece of private land wildlife habitat here in the Inland Northwest, contact one of our region’s hard-working land trust organizations.

Originally published as “From Private To Public: Conservation Champions Protect Open Spaces From Development” in the September-October 2021 issue.

Carol Corbin lives, plays, and writes in the Inland Northwest. She also works for Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, one of many non-profit organizations working to protect natural spaces throughout the region for wildlife, clean air and water, and climate resilience.

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Less structured eating schedules, more frequent snacking, less supervision at home, greater consumption of processed foods, a more sedentary lifestyle after sports and activities were cancelled, and increased screen-time all contributed.

Chronic stress and emotional and mental health issues, like depression and anxiety, can also cause overeating (or loss of appetite) and decreased energy, which can also lead to excessive weight gain, weight loss, or stagnant growth for children.

Every child is unique, and it’s always best to maintain regular wellness checks with a pediatrician to address any medical concerns. But as a parent who has consulted my children’s pediatrician many times, received guidance from therapists, studied adolescent psychology, and researched plenty, these ideas and strategies, while not intended to be expert advice, may help you work toward better health and wellbeing for your child.

1. Be conscientious about how you talk to kids about their bodies (and your own).

Critical comments often cause kids to internalize negative stereotypes and have lower self-esteem and poor body image. Don’t shame and don’t express excessive worry—even if it’s only an expression of “concern.” Use terms like “growing up” rather than “getting big.” Especially with early puberty beginning at ages 9-11, bodies are changing in ways unexpected for kids.

There are many age-appropriate “body books” for kids to read that provide opportunities for discussion with them. My family’s pediatrician recommends “The Body Book for Boys” for age 10-15 and the American Girl series “The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls” (book 1 for age 8-10, book 2 for age 10-12).

2. Approach weight gain as “something to be curious about, rather than as a problem to solve.”

According to experts on the subject, keep in mind a child’s growth history and mental health. Kids commonly “round out” before a height growth spurt.

Doctors and dietitians interviewed for a New York Times article about children’s weight gain during the pandemic say to not put children on diets or count calories, because this increases the risk of developing disordered eating behaviors.

3. Be more active as a family.

Find new and creative ways to move your bodies and exercise together. Walk to the park, go for a hike at a local conservation area, bike for an errand, learn how to ski this winter.

Experience endorphin highs by playing together—even if its Foursquare—and trying new sports and activities like biking and running. Encourage kids to be active with their friends when they get together, by doing activities such as riding bikes or walking to a playground instead of playing video games.

4. Use nature and public lands as a destination for both mental serenity and recreation.

Get out into nature by visiting a state park, national forest, wildlife refuge, or conservation area. Hike along a river or around a lake. Visit places with more plants and dirt than concrete and people. Nature immersion decreases stress, blood pressure, and anxiety, while improving mood and self-esteem and boosting overall feelings of well-being.

5. Make healthy choices alongside your kids.

When children see their parents change habits and make better food choices, get more exercise, and limit screen-time, they will feel motivated to do the same.

Children are still dealing with chronic stress from the ongoing pandemic. Feeling better can easily start with having them climb more trees and get their clothes dirty outside.

More Tips for Healthier Kids

• Have children do “jobs” (aka chores) or volunteer work that encourage exercise, like raking leaves and shoveling snow, walking dogs at a shelter, or picking up litter while hiking.
• Participate in organized sports or activities. Extra-curricular activities provide physical exercise and social-emotional health. Team sports as well as individual recreation, like horseback riding or ski lessons, provide motivation for children to get outside with other kids in all weather conditions.

Amy McCaffree is Out There Kids columnist and digital editor. She enjoys camping, paddling, skiing, hiking, and biking on public lands around the Northwest with her husband and their two children.

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Sometimes a reasonable day hike is enough. Sometimes you need to push your mind and body to see how far you can go. The following recommendations are for hikers and trail runners who want to cover some serious distance in a single-day push.  

Okanogan Highlands—Kettle Crest Trail 

Trail Distance: 30 miles one way 

The Kettle Crest Trail is a National Recreation Trail and segment of the newest long-distance National Scenic Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail. Experience its beauty as it skirts 10 named peaks and goes directly over the summit of an 11th, Copper Butte. To do this traverse as one long push, start by dropping off a shuttle vehicle at the northern terminus, Deer Creek/Boulder Summit, then drive around to Highway 20 to start at Sherman Pass. The trail heads north while contouring around the summits along the way, offering views of both the Selkirk Mountain Range to the east and the Cascade Range to the west. Time this traverse to finish at sunset for spectacular views of a post-fire landscape as the route concludes through the Stickpin burn of 2015. (HW) 

Okanogan Highlands—Mini Kettle Crest 

Trail Distance: 8 miles roundtrip  

To try this traverse as a shorter option without a long shuttle required, start at Sherman Pass and take the Kettle Crest Trail north as far as the Columbia Mountain Loop. A spur trail leading northeast to the summit intersects the main Kettle Crest Trail at the 2.4-mile mark. This trail circles the mountain for great views in all directions, with a secondary spur trail leading directly to the summit where a restored historic fire lookout cabin awaits visitors. Return to the Kettle Crest via the same spur trail, and then retrace the route south back to Sherman Pass for an 8-mile version of the Kettle Crest North traverse. (HW) 

Selkirk Mountains—Long Canyon Creek Trail 16 

Trail Distance: Choose your own adventure length 

This (mostly) gentle, sloping trail works its way up the aptly named Long Canyon until it connects to Pyramid Mountain Trail No 7 at around 12 miles. The canyon offers shelter from warm temperatures thanks to the beautiful hemlock and cedar forest, as well as several mild and refreshing creek crossings. This is an out-and-back trail that allows for turning around anytime, but it can also be turned into a loop at its junction with Parker Ridge and Pyramid Mountain trails. This makes for a brutal 30+ mile day, but the views once out of the canyon are worth it. The trail is accessed via Copeland Road north of Bonners Ferry and is perfect for a long run in the woods without a summit. (AM) 

Cabinet Mountains—Rock Lake Trail 935 

Trail Distance: 8 miles roundtrip 

This adventure near Trout Creek, Mont., begins with a spicy creek crossing right out of the gate (bring extra shoes and tie them to a tree for the return crossing). The trail follows an old mining road for the first three miles, leading happy runners through beautiful meadows before reaching the Heidelberg Mine site—a perfect history break—and then climbing up to some beautiful falls before reaching the lake. For much of the run, one is surrounded by views of tempting peaks. Jump in the lake with the fish before heading back down for a pleasant descent (and oh, right, that last creek crossing). This trail is also the means of accessing several of the Cabinet Wilderness Area’s peaks, including the off-trail adventures of Ojibway and Rock Peak. (AM)

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Approaching from the north, Eastern Washington’s Blue Mountains appear as little more than inconspicuous rolling hills on the horizon. This outwardly unremarkable appearance belies the spectacular network of deep canyons and tabletop ridges concealed within the Umatilla National Forest. Perhaps the trail that best showcases the dramatic landscapes comprising the Blue Mountains is the ominously named Mount Misery Trail.   

The Mount Misery Trail is a 16-mile trail that bisects a northern swath of the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness, connecting the Diamond Peak and Teepee trailheads (USFS webpage). The trail meanders along the broad and largely open ridgeline that divides the drainages that feed the Wenaha River to the south and the Tucannon River to the north—the eponyms of the 177,465-acre wilderness area contained within The Blues.  

Beginning from the Diamond Peak trailhead on the northeastern corner of the wilderness area, the Mount Misery Trail points west, climbing sharply along Diamond Peak’s forested northern slope. Upon gaining the open ridgeline, you will reach a signed intersection with the Bear Creek trail, which descends to the Tucannon River to the north. From this intersection, peak baggers might be tempted to turn south and follow the unmaintained path to the summit of Diamond Peak—the second highest peak in The Blues at 6,379 feet—before continuing west along the Mount Misery Trail.  

After Diamond Peak, the trail descends slightly to a saddle and a junction with the Melton Creek Trail, which winds steeply into the Chapperal Basin to the south, ultimately connecting with the Crooked Creek Trail. This might be an attractive side trip for those tempted to plunge deeper into the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness or perhaps be taken as one of several long-distance looping options that incorporate the Mount Misery Trail. In either case, water can usually be collected from the nearby Diamond Spring before proceeding. 

The trail undulates along open ridgelines and saddles forested with groves of pine and fir trees before reaching Sheephead Spring and the first of several excellent campsites along the trail (approximately 2.5 miles from the start). You can either set up camp here, or journey approximately 1 mile further to another spring near the next developed campsite. While taking a moment to refresh your water supply from the reliable spring, venture up to the nearby ridgeline to enjoy impressive views into the central canyons of the Wenaha-Tucanon Wilderness. From this vantage point, the long distinctive ridgeline of Oregon Butte—the tallest peak in the Washington Blue Mountains—looms in the distance. With a careful eye, you can spot the Oregon Butte Lookout station, perched nearly 4,000 feet above the network of canyons below.  

From Sheephead Spring, the trail veers north to skirt the headwaters of Crooked Creek before arching back westward towards an expansive array of broad ridgelines comprising Indian Coral. There are multiple camping options and a reliable spring in Indian Coral, which is often used by hikers from the Panjab trailhead as a staging area for a summit trip to Oregon Butte.  

After visiting Oregon Butte, you can complete the last few miles of the Mount Misery Trail to the Teepee trailhead, where resourceful hikers might have a shuttled vehicle awaiting them. Or simply retrace your steps back to the Diamond Peak trailhead. 

Editor’s Note: Be sure to Recreate Responsibly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is guidance provided by Washington Trails Association, “Hiking in the Time of Coronavirus.”

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