Come autumn, western larch is the star of the show for Inland Northwest hikes. And while larch gets most of the attention, the tree’s beauty is best enjoyed en masse as thousands simultaneously alight a hillside among their alpine kin. Below, five hikes in western Montana reveal alpine larches at their best. Northwest Peak At […]
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Montana’s front country hiking becomes backcountry quickly, which makes it easy to get away from crowds. Although a week or more is preferred for a grand-quest into a wilderness area, a weekend warrior can easily find their piece of trail magic in the dramatic and less traveled spaces outside Glacier National Park. With 27 million
Hiking Northwest Montana’s Backcountry Read More »
Hiking Areas You don’t have to go far to find great hiking spots in Spokane. Dishman Hills and Riverside State Park both have miles of beautiful hiking trails. Or check out the Liberty Lake Loop Trail, Mt. Spokane State Park, Rimrock Canyon, or Iller Creek. Or, if you’re looking for something at a slower pace,
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 »
Backcountry alpine lakes are the summer equivalent of a hidden powder stash: highly coveted, accessible for only a short part of the year, and all the more special for the human-powered effort required to find them. To outsiders, the Inland Northwest is not known for its alpine lakes; the Central and North Cascades to the
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OTM Tested, Holiday Approved Patagonia Activist Shoes Looking for a lightweight, super comfortable, water-resistant sneaker-style shoe that you won’t want (or need) to take off your feet as you move between home, office, crag or camp? I fell for the Patagonia Activist shoes at first sight. They remind me of a more modern, functional version
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When the snow disappears each year, many ski resorts and mountain towns throughout North America shift gears. They’ve learned to lure valley dwellers back up to the mountains with their bikes to pursue flowy ribbons of dirt and heart-pounding descents. Several Inland Northwest area ski resorts have been slowly heading that direction for years, while
Mountain Bikes Take Over Ski Towns Read More »
Guide to hiking and exploring historic fire lookouts in the mountains of Eastern Washington and North Idaho, and resources to learn more.
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Compton’s “Growing Up Wild” chosen as one of five best essays on conservemontana.org Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness program coordinator Sandy Compton was one of five essayists honored with a $1,000 grant to a non-profit of their choice by the Cinnabar Foundation. His story Growing Up Wild was chosen along with four others by a
“Wild” essay wins grant for Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Read More »
Autumn is the season best savored perhaps by creative writers, bird watchers and carefree nature lovers. Nineteenth-century writer William Cullen Bryant referred to this season as “the year’s last, loveliest smile,” and novelist Albert Camus said, “Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.” Crisp mornings with frost, clothed in layers for
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