Anyone who has just bought a house, as I have, soon learns that the decisions to be made are more complicated than which shade of beige to paint the living room walls. A home requires more than a commitment to style — French country or Tuscan villa, clean modern or country rustic. It connects us […]
The Ecology of Home Read More »
No matter who you voted for or how you view the election results, there’s no denying that the United States is more divided now than at any time in recent history. Family members and long-time friends are feuding on Facebook and politicians and pundits are attacking each other like never before. It’s enough to make
Standing Up for the Great Outdoors Read More »
December is a fickle month for hiking. Time it right and you may be able to soak up a little sunshine; other times you may just end up soaked. Some favorite local trails can start the day as a skating rink and end in a muddy mess. Required footwear runs the gamut from Gore-Tex hikers
Liberty Lake and Split Creek Loop Plus Falls Read More »
The Spokane area is ringed by enough destination ski resorts (not to mention the dozens of cool, out-of-the-way mom and pop ski hills) to keep local skiers and snowboarders busy exploring new places for years. SilverStar Ski Resort, a few hours north of the border near Vernon, British Columbia, is one of those amazing destinations
SilverStar Serves Up Winter Adventure: B.C.’s 3rd Largest Resort is Only Five Hours Away Read More »
Downhill skiers in the Spokane area have five resorts that offer about 9,000 skiable acres along with thousands more in the backcountry. But even with this abundance of great skiing, our local resorts aren’t what most skiers would consider world class. So, what’s a skier hoping for world class to do? One answer is to
World Class In A Day’s Drive Read More »
Ski boots planted firmly into the side of a snowy cliff, I test the rope by slowly easing my weight back into the harness, a completely foreign feeling to me especially in full ski gear with my skis strapped to my pack. My fear of heights makes it difficult to focus. Trusting that my partner
Skiing Like a Lady at Alpine Finishing School Read More »
An OTM contributor recently informed me (only half seriously, I think) that he didn’t appreciate coverage we gave to a few of his favorite trails via articles in our September issue. More attention to once lesser-known places, the argument goes, means more people on the trails, fewer parking spots at trailheads and increased impacts on
At 1,291 acres, Sullivan Lake is the largest natural lake in the Colville National Forest, but the lake isn’t necessarily the main attraction. Brilliant day hikes all around the lake entice hikers and trail runners every fall season because the changing leaves are so intense. Many of the hikes in that area feature a variety
Find Epic Fall Colors at Sullivan Lake Read More »
“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” the Captain says over the sound of his trekking poles dragging along the trail. As we are not even to the hard part yet, I say some encouraging stuff about how doing hard things makes us better people, stronger of character, and slightly tougher than a Girl
Traversing the Selkirk Crest: A Guide to Backcountry Swashbuckling Read More »
A short drive north from Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, but far enough away to feel like you are actually on vacation, Sandpoint and the Pend Oreille area have everything during every season for the outdoor enthusiast, the casual recreationist, and the relaxed observer. My husband and I fall somewhere between the enthusiast and recreationist, and
A Close Getaway to Lake Pend Oreille Read More »
