Just in time for the longest days of the year, Northwest states are moving into the next phase of their COVID-19 reopening plans. Consult websites or call before planning a trip as so much is in flux and some communities have been forced to implement last-minute closures due to overcrowding. Also plan to take extra care in […]
Recreation Lands Begin Re-opening Read More »
Summertime is for kids to experience outdoor adventure—the hands-in-dirt, skinned knees, messy-hair-don’t-care type of adventure. Here’s our annual list of regional summer camps and nature-based schools that provide unique opportunities for learning about nature, science, and outdoor skills—with something for every child, any age, and every family.
Outdoorsy Summer Camps & Schools – 2020 Read More »
Give back to the places and trails that make your life better by donating what you can to a local conservation or trails group. Some great ones include: Washington Trails Association Idaho Trails Association Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance Inland Northwest Land Conservancy Dishman Hills Conservancy Friends of the Bluff Idaho Conservation League Save Our
12 Groups for Mother Nature Read More »
Spending time outside in the coronavirus era is more important than ever, but what’s even more critical is doing it safely and responsibly. No matter how bad we think we need a ride, run, or ramble, it’s our job to keep the best interest of our loved ones and community front of mind. I admit
Pandemic Perspective Read More »
Australian gear company Le Bent turned to pro skier Cody Townsend to help design the first sock specifically for ski touring. Years of suffering through long ski tours with cold, wet feet and painful blisters gave Townsend the motivation to address all the issues faced by backcountry riders from climbing to descending. The sock includes
Gear Room: Cody Townsend’s Le Send Ski Touring Sock Read More »
By the rules of the outdoor industry, I shouldn’t have been having fun. I was picking my way over boulders in Missouri’s Cathedral Canyon, and I didn’t have a lick of fancy gear. Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, down coat—all of it was back home in Washington. I left it there when I came to St.
The Cost of Playing Outdoors Read More »
By Jean Arthur Cowboys and cowgirls gallop their horses out of the start, snow clods flying, chaps flapping as skiers hang tight to ropes attached to saddles. Skiers and snowboarders, towed behind the steeds, hit snow jumps built into the 700-foot loop course. This is skijoring, an old sport rejuvenated. Here in Red Lodge, Mont.,
Spurs and Ski Boots Read More »
By March, the urgency of the ski season has passed. First chairs, perfect lines, shin-deep tree runs have been scored. But the season is not done by any means. The mountains are still calling, and there are many ways that spring takes skiing and snowboarding to a higher level of bliss. 1. Powder Dumps: Sometimes
12 Reasons to Love Spring Skiing Read More »
Trailbreaker Cider, in Liberty Lake, Wash., makes some of the best hard cider around. They start with 100 percent Washington grown apples, and then they go berserk. It’s not uncommon to find ciders with plum, mint, cucumber, pear, or ginger. Like a backpacker’s compass, they follow cider flavors in every direction. This ensures they always
Trailbreaker Cider Read More »
By Tabitha Gregory I am learning to downhill ski in my sixth decade of life. Over the years, I’ve made a number of failed attempts to learn. Once on Japan’s icy slopes, thrice on Alyeska Resort’s torturously steep runs, and finally in the ungroomed backcountry of Thompson Pass, Alaska. Those experiences scared me out of
Ski Lessons for Grandma Read More »
