PIONEER VOICES OF PRIEST LAKE Kris Runberg Smith, Editor Kehoe Press, 2007, 208 pages DRAWING ON CHILDHOOD memories of the Priest Lake region, Ms. Runberg Smith weaves oral histories from a dozen or so Priest Lake pioneers into a refreshing view of the region’s history. Unlike some of the prior histories of the region, which […]
Book Reviews: April 2008 Read More »
OTM wanted to get opinions on the proposed Mt. Spokane expansion, so we asked the former county commissioner John Roskelley if we could reprint a few emails he sent out detailing his position. We hope to publish a response from someone who supports the expansion. Please send us your comments on this important issue. Here
Roskelley Speaks Out on Mt. Spokane Expansion Read More »
Snow camping separates the die-hard backpackers from the rest of us who simply tolerate it or enjoy it for its best moments of adventure and serene wilderness. Those that love it with a particular zeal, however, share an unbridled passion for winter splendor-shoveling a level spot for pitching a tent, digging into snow to build
Roadtrip: Snow Camping at Copper Lake Read More »
“SO WHAT’S THIS COLD SMOKE POWDER FESTIVAL ANYWAY?” A dreadlocked, lip-ringed snowboarder chick blurted this question at me half way up the Summit Chair on day three of last year’s debut of the Cold Smoke Festival at Whitewater Resort. She had noticed my laminated media pass flapping in the wind, and I admitted that I
Cold Smoke Powder Fest Is Hot Read More »
Among Nordic ski aficionados, the Methow (properly pronounced as ‘Met-how’) Valley is revered as Washington State’s mecca. And Sun Mountain Lodge, a 15-minute drive from the town of Winthrop, is a AAA Four Diamond award-winning resort with front door access to more than 200 kilometers of machine-groomed Nordic ski trails surrounded by over a million
Nordic Bliss at Sun Mountain Lodge Read More »
Chances are, if you are drawn to the wild, you might, someday, have to survive in the wild. Whether you’re a hiker, biker, floater, fisher, hunter or gatherer, there is always the inherent possibility that, at any moment, mother nature is capable of reminding you and your iPhone just who is in charge. Any number
Survive in the Wild Read More »
“I love skiing up hills.” That’s a direct quote from Derrick Knowles, my buddy, Outreach Coordinator for Conservation Northwest, and frequent contributor to Out There Monthly. I’m making him explain to me why he was pushing to revive the Kettle Range Ski Club. “To bring together a community of backcountry skiers to share skills and
Editorial: Join the Club Read More »
The Winter Camping Handbook Stephen Gorman The Countryman Press, 2007, 224 pages. The Winter Camping Handbook falls dead center in between Camping For Dummies and Freedom Of The Hills. On the one hand, an outdoorsman with a foggy recollection of Boy Scout preparedness could still siphon a good deal of knowledge from this book. On
Book Reviews: November 2007 Read More »
It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of a long road trip: the open highway, the sense of freedom and adventure, and the anticipation of exploring new and unfamiliar places. But there is a downside, too: the road-rage-inducing traffic on those highways, the sense of claustrophobia and numbness from hours in the cramped
Quick-Fix Car Camping: Overnighters that Won’t Burn a Bunch of Gas Read More »
I try to avoid thinking about the principles of airline flight: a long metal tube with huge mini-rockets riveted under flimsy-looking wings that propel me (and hundreds of others) on an arcing trajectory that can suffer little variance. We’re shot up into the sky; we glide (hopefully) gently down. Sure, the pilot may occasionally bank
Flying in to Flyfish the Frank Church Read More »
