Tofino, British Columbia, is rugged and wild. As the most western point on Vancouver Island accessible by road and the terminus of Highway 4, Tofino beckons surfers, storm watchers, and culinary fanatics from around the world to its low-key paradise. Its identity is uniquely metropolitan-meets-coastal-village. As the crowds of summer thin, check out this itinerary […]
Tofino: BC’s Rugged Ocean Paradise Read More »
Picture a majestic mountain lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains, only 4 miles from a trailhead. Too good to be true? It’s not. But Rachel Lake isn’t a secret—it’s one of the most popular destinations in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Still, you can beat the crowds (and avoid the mosquitoes) if you hike this alpine gem
Fall Day Hike: Central Cascade’s Rachel Lake Read More »
For most people, this 24-mile hike is a multi-day backpacking trip. A few hearty souls can hike the Enchantments in a day. But it’s well known for its physical challenges and roughly 5,000 feet of vert that include boulder hobbling, scree bounding, and a lot of nasty roots that make it quite an adventure. At
Anja Petterson Blazes through the Enchantments Read More »
Biking, hiking, fishing, going on historical tours—a better question may be, What isn’t there to do in the Silver Valley? Strap on your rollerblades and cruise the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes with an ice cream cone as you roll straight onto the trail from the historic town of Wallace. Ride through tunnels and over sky-high trestles
Recreation in the Silver Valley: The Local Perspective Read More »
Grinnell Glacier Trailis often visitors’ favorite, thanks in part to the elegant Many Glacier Hotel, dining room and ice cream parlor, its beach, nearby campground, and multiple trailheads. Options range from the full 10.2 miles roundtrip from the trailhead at Swiftcurrent Picnic Area or a shorter option to Grinnell Glacier via Glacier Park Boat Company’s
Backcountry Hikes in Glacier National Park Read More »
Rapidly shrinking glaciers in Montana’s Glacier National Park alarm scientists and visitors to the mountainous 1.013 million-acre park along the Alberta border. In the past half century, more than half of Glacier’s ice pack has disappeared. All the glaciers have retreated. To measure the impacts of a changing climate in the high country, the park
Citizen Science & the Crown of the Continent Read More »
For uncrowded recreation, open skies, and wide vistas, central Washington is the place to go. At the heart of the region, the city of Moses Lake will provide all the play you could ask for on a summer or fall weekend. You’ll be able to hike for hours in the larger Columbia Basin Wildlife Area,
Take a Moses Lake Weekend Road Trip Read More »
It was late fall in North Cascades National Park, and snow was already coating the high peaks. But on this particular day, the sun was shining. Temperatures were climbing into the 50s. Best of all, the hordes of summer backpackers who flock to the alpine glory of Copper Ridge were gone. The weather forecast called
Epic in a Day: Crushing the Copper Ridge Loop Read More »
Besides mallard ducks and Canada geese, here are other bird species you’re likely to see while paddling or boating around lakes in Eastern Washington and North Idaho: American White Pelican:Found April-Sept. at large inland lakes living in colonies, this bird has an 8’ wingspan with black feathers on wing undersides. It dips its bill and
Lake Wildlife: What’s that Bird? Read More »
If there’s one family that epitomizes Priest Lake in north Idaho it’s the Hill family. It all began in the 1930s, when 10-year-old George Hill began spending his summers at his grandparents’ cabin. In 1946, after serving in World War II, George’s love for Priest compelled him to buy a small fishing resort (then called
The Hill Family of Priest Lake, Idaho Read More »
