Beaver fever, iodine tablets, “Cathole” digging, bear-proof containers—these are just a few aspects of backcountry adventuring, where you can enjoy exceptional landscape beauty and natural serenity with your children. To better understand how to start planning, here are some ideas and recommendations. Begin with a “backcountry lite” experience, or seeking out enough primitive wilderness without […]
Navigating the Backcountry with Kids Read More »
Summer days waver between languid and whirlwind activities, work, and weekends. Is there ever enough time for all you want to do? Slow it down. Or maybe you need to energize your schedule this year. Make summer “epic” on your own terms by using some of these ideas to create your ideal summertime calendar.
100 Things to Do Outside This Summer Read More »
A National Park Service report recently highlighted the significant contributions these parks play in the Northwest economy. In Washington last year, 8.5 million National Park and National Monument visits contributed $508 million to gateway areas, supported more than 6,500 jobs, and cumulatively benefited local economies by $677 million. While Washington’s three biggest National Parks, Mount Rainier, Olympic
National Parks Key to Washington’s Economy Read More »
Explore a new city through its festival, as you exchange smiles and rub elbows with locals who enjoy common interests. Use this guide of more than 50 regional events to help plan your weekend road-trips and summer vacations—choosing destinations and dates that coincide with festivals. Whether you like bluegrass bands and beer gardens or small-town
2018 Northwest Music, Art, and Outdoor Festival Guide Read More »
“My greatest challenge is trying to keep up with Monica and all the other riders on Strava,” says Rick Bates, 56. Cycling with his wife for the past 8 years (they’ve been together since they were teenagers), he says he most enjoys seeing “the beautiful country that the Pacific Northwest has to offer, and spending quality time
Spokane Bike People: Monica & Rick Bates Read More »
Learn the basic essentials for getting started with open water swimming in the Inland Northwest and regional race event opportunities.
Introduction to Open Water Swimming Read More »
June 4 is National Trails Day – go for a hike! Check out Indian Painted Rocks, a 6.8-mile round-trip loop trail within the Riverside State Park Little Spokane River Natural Area. wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/little-spokane-river. June is Great Outdoors Month and National Camping Month. In fact, June 25 is National Backyard Campout Day – an easy “staycation.” Play
100 Fun Things to Do Outside this Summer Read More »
With hundreds of wildfires burning around the Pacific Northwest, including thousands of acres in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, the skies around Spokane look apocalyptic today. Fire fighters have died, homes have burned, communities have been evacuated, roads and huge swaths of public lands have been closed. While wildfires are a natural part of our
Inland Northwest Wildfire Resources for Outdoor Recreationists Read More »
Day Hiking Central Cascades Craig Romano, photography by Alan L. Bauer The Mountaineers Books, 2009, 348 pages Craig Romano is a guidebook writer whom I trust. I haven’t yet been disappointed with two other of his books, Best Hikes with Dogs: Inland Northwest and Day Hiking North Cascades. I’m originally a west-side girl—that’s right, from
ONE OF THE SNOWIEST winters in recent memory drove bicyclists bonkers. Studded snow tires on the winter bike only help so much, and forget the indoor trainer. Yuck. But it’s now time to get on the bike and prepare for the summer. Whether for fun, competition, as a challenge to yourself (or all three), here’s
2008 CYCLING EVENTS Read More »
