Columns

Mother and son mountain bike on a trail in the desert.

The Year of Big Ideas

I recently stumbled upon a folder on my computer where I used to stash ambitious lists of trips I’d hoped to pull off in the …

Derrick Knowles January 22, 2023

Above view of hands of five ski friends each holding a pint glass of beer in a circle on a table.

Ski Bum Advice: Friends in Snow Places

Brad Northrup’s latest Ski Bum Advice offers a ski mountain twist to a Garth Brook’s song, honoring unique culture of ski friends.

Brad Northrup January 13, 2023

Sasquatch—Legend Meets Science

How a chance track encounter in Washington’s Blue Mountains changed a Ph.D. researcher’s mind Growing up in Spokane, Jeff Meldrum had a childhood fascination with …

Derrick Knowles January 4, 2023

close encounter with bears: black bear in the wild, standing up from a field of tall grass.

Close Encounters With Bears

Guidebook author James P. Johnson shares about his harrowing close encounters with bears while hiking in the wilds of Washington State.

Out There Outdoors October 31, 2022

Adventure Travel at state parks: Two children with small plastic buckets and toy shovels exploring a freshwater creek as it flows into the Puget Sound during lowtide at Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, Washington.

Adventure Travel For Families

Start your family’s adventure travel planning process with ideas and tips from Out There Kids’ columnist Amy McCaffree.

Amy McCaffree October 31, 2022

Mill Butte's forest views -- forest with grassy understory, and single track hiking trail.

Hiking Mill Butte – NW Wash.

Mill Butte Trail is a 4.8-mile forested hike, located in the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge in NE Wash. Great for a fall hike!

Holly Weiler October 24, 2022

View of Bead Lake below from a rock cliff overlooking the Colville National Forest in NE Washington.

Inland NW Trail & Outdoor News: Fall 2022

The Trailhead — Info and updates about trails and outdoor recreation around the Inland Northwest for Fall 2022.

Holly Weiler October 18, 2022

Man making a turn while water skiing on a lake, with a big spray of water coming from his ski.

5 Things To Never Do at the Lake

From waterskiing without a spotter to jumping from a boat going full throttle, Jim Johnson explains 5 things he learned not to do at the lake.

Out There Outdoors October 4, 2022

person running along an empty roadway with sunset colors on a flat horizon.

When You Keep Running But Not Sure Why

Q&A with a runner who took up the sport during the pandemic about why he started and why—despite definite ups and downs—he hasn’t quit.

Sarah Hauge September 28, 2022