Cover photo courtesy of Chris Ashenbrener

On the morning of May 18, 1980, Chris Ashenbrener was pouring concrete on the edge of Lake Pend Oreille, far from his stomping grounds in the Cascade Range. Hours after he began, the sky began snowing ash. Ashenbrener retreated to his tent and watched as confused birds navigated the darkening skies, then eventually turned on the radio to hear a voice on the other side telling people to stay indoors. 

“Of course, I thought the Ruskies were coming,” Ashenbrener recalled. But it was just Mount St. Helens, making good on her recent and frequent promises. 

When St. Helens erupted in all her might, she blew out her side with such force that miles of forest around her were flattened and her once-proud summit was amputated of 1,300 feet. Fifty-seven people died, hundreds of homes and structures were lost, nearly 200 miles of road destroyed, and geological history made. 

Lawetlat’la, or Loowit, as the local Indigenous Peoples refer to her, had long been a moody mountain with evidence of prior eruptions. She is unplacated by her occasional tantrums and remains the most active volcano in the Cascade Range. When she reopened to climbers in 1987, she was one of the few volcanoes of the range Ashenbrener had not climbed. 

His interest in climbing began more than a decade earlier, though he’d say he preferred traverses to bagging peaks. After pursuing the usual path of the wayward but being maternally influenced (see: reluctant completion of a degree prior to hitchhiking around America), Ashenbrener gave up his attempts at using mind-control to get picked up by drivers and went to law school. He didn’t really intend to practice law, but meeting classmate and fellow outdoorsman, Ted Gathe, made the years of education worth it. 

The pair and various friends had been exploring the Cascade Range since the mid-1970s, when Ashenbrener moved to Spokane. Raising young families and launching their careers, most of their adventures involved cramming in as much mountain as possible somewhere between Friday and Monday, preferably with some use for their skis along the way. Mount St. Helens was no different. 

The mountain reopened to climbers in May 1987. Ashenbrener remembers it being the weekend of Bloomsday, making the decision to bail on the running race to climb instead. It was also the last weekend climbers could summit without a permit (which has been required since 1986). For the growing alpinist community of the Pacific Northwest, it was a festive affair. 

Trails had not been marked or restored, so parties were approaching from all sides. Gathe and Ashenbrener decided to begin in the lowlands, but the soft snow would slow their approach. They remedied this by bringing their Nordic skis. This got them thinking they should bring their alpine skis, too, for the descent would be long and epic. Of course, they also needed crampons, rope, ice axes, lunch, and the usual layers of mountaineering, packs, and the debris of a day out in the wild. 

They skied in through the trees and over the mushy terrain. As the slope steepened, they stashed their Nordic skis and switched to climbing boots, now only sinking to their knees. With their alpine skis and poles dangling off their packs and looking like traveling trinket salesmen, they made their clunky way across the snow.  

It was a perfect blue-sky day and the sense of celebration was real. As the men pushed toward the summit, which was now just a mile-wide rim of ice and snow, a helicopter approached them, landing nearby. It was ABC News, who had grown curious about the amount of stuff the two were schlepping up the side of a volcano and wanted to interview them for the evening news with Peter Jennings. The crew commented that the pair were the only ones carrying skis to the top. In fact, they were not.  

Mountaineering legend Kathy Phibbs also climbed the mountain that day with her skis, while wearing a red dress and a pillbox hat. Five women from Women Climbers Northwest joined her and danced the Can-Can at the top (they only made the Seattle Times). Phibbs’ pilgrimage of summits in skirts, specifically that one, sparked the annual Mother’s Day Climb on Mount St. Helens that continues to this day.

 

If Ashenbrener and Gathe were more a spectacle than the broads doing Broadway on the rim, it was the accidental result of their testosterone-fueled ambition and “Grapes of Wrath laden journey,” as he refers to it. Clanking with a flea-market load of equipment, they slogged their way to the rim while questioning their life choices. Now, they had the added pressure of getting back in time to see the evening news. The crampons and the ice axes were used in a final push, but the rope stayed in the pack. 

Upon cresting the rim, the gravity of the mountain’s history struck Ashenbrener, who recalls it looked like a “mountain with the top completely sliced off with a machete.” Along the newly formed rim were dozens of climbers peering into the crater, stepping too far out onto frozen ledges and cornices. Other climbers yelled warnings at them while Ashenbrener worried for their safety. Hundreds of feet beneath them, the crater steamed. A new lava dome had already risen out of the crater’s floor. Beyond them, where her belly had split open and poured forth, nature had been decimated.  

When Mount St. Helens erupted, 24,000 megatons of thermal energy were released, 7,000 of which occurred in the initial blast. (In a morbid comparison, this is the explosive equivalent of approximately 1,600 WWII atomic bombs.) Entire swaths of forest were flattened, thousands of acres of trees left like charred toothpicks fanning away from the mountain. The rivers of lava, snow, and mud (known as lahars) carried millions of tons of debris down the Toutle and Cowlitz rivers, wiping out bridges, lumber camps, and homes along the way. Thousands of large animals were killed, entire species of small and large mammals as well as amphibians, extirpated. 

By the time Ashenbrener made it to the rim seven years after the eruption, only patches of fireweed had begun a brave return. Stretching miles before him still lay the carnage of a landscape turned shades of gray-brown. He was struck by a sense of geological fascination and wonder, by the power within the Earth to make a whole mountain disappear. 

Not wanting to miss the evening news, the men rearranged their boots into their overloaded packs and donned their skis. “Forever, I will remember the sound of clicking into our bindings and pushing off,” Ashenbrener said. “We seemingly sailed off the top, over the heads of the climbers.” It was validation of the day’s gear-slog. In turn after turn, they descended 5,000 feet of snow, from one kind of crunchy ice to softer grains until they reached their Nordic skis, quads aflame with the burden of their descent. It’s one thing to ski down a volcano; it’s another thing to do it with a pack full of 1980s climbing gear. 

The two raced back toward civilization in search of a bar with a TV on and a phone to call their families and tell them to watch the news. But that night, Jennings was busy reporting about presidential candidate Gary Hart’s tryst with Donna Rice and the men were bumped from national evening news by a woman after all.  

“We are fortunate here in the PNW,” says Ashenbrener with charming optimism. “We don’t have cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes, flash floods. We just have the Big Burn of 1910 and the volcano of 1980.” Would Ashenbrener climb the iconic route again? “No,” he said, “I don’t do things twice.” Perhaps that is because some things can only be done once.  

Ammi Midstokke lives in North Idaho, where the hills don’t explode. This season, she’ll be traveling to the Peloponnese to climb another less volatile mound of rock. 

The post The Day Mount St. Helens Reopened  appeared first on Out There Venture.

For many, the Pacific Northwest is synonymous with adventure. Its rugged coastlines, snow-capped peaks, and dense forests have long called to those with a spirit of exploration. For students at Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma, Washington, this landscape isn’t just a backdrop — it’s an essential part of their education. Through the Great Outdoor Adventure Team (GOAT) program, students in Grades 9-12 experience a unique blend of academic rigor and outdoor adventure.

A Classroom Without Walls

At Annie Wright, students aren’t confined to the walls of a classroom. The GOAT program integrates the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma with hands-on learning experiences in some of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic settings. From kayaking alongside porpoises in Commencement Bay to summiting the glaciers of Mt. Baker, the program offers a diverse range of outdoor challenges designed to build resilience, leadership, and a lifelong love for the outdoors.

Each year, the journey deepens. Ninth graders start by mastering basic skills like land navigation, campcraft, and environmental stewardship. By senior year, they’re climbing Mt. St. Helens and learning glacier travel techniques, all while reflecting on their growth over four years of adventure.

These experiences aren’t just about physical challenges; they’re a key part of Annie Wright’s holistic approach to education. Each trip encourages students to push beyond their limits, gain new perspectives, and discover the strength that comes from facing the unknown.

Building Skills for Life — Not Just for the Outdoors

“What I love about the outdoors is that it often pushes people outside of their comfort zone,” says Betta Hanson, GOAT Co-Director and Residential Faculty at Annie Wright Schools. “And then — when students are ‘comfortably uncomfortable’ — that is when the learning happens. It’s about equipping students with life skills and confidence that will serve them well beyond their time here.”

The GOAT program’s focus on leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving aligns with the values of the International Baccalaureate curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking and global citizenship. The result is students who are not only academically prepared but also equipped to navigate the complexities of the world with confidence.

A Community of Adventurers

The community at Annie Wright is another cornerstone of the GOAT experience. As a boarding school, Annie Wright brings together students from around the world, creating a tight-knit environment where friendships are formed around campfires and on mountain trails. This sense of camaraderie extends beyond graduation, as GOAT alumni carry with them memories of shared adventures and the lessons learned along the way.

Embrace the Wild, Elevate Your Education

For those who see the world as their classroom and believe that true growth happens outside of comfort zones, Annie Wright Schools’ GOAT program offers a high school experience like no other. Here, adventure isn’t an extracurricular — it’s an integral part of a journey that prepares students for whatever challenges lie ahead. To learn more about the GOAT program and how it shapes future leaders, click here.

(Sponsored)

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There is a sensationalism that we’ve begun to demand in regard to outdoorsing. It isn’t just that we’re looking for those who have climbed the highest, run the farthest, survived the extremist. We’re demanding a story that makes them worthy of this level of soul suffering journey or our interest: shitty childhood, trauma, grief, drug recovery, some salacious deservedness.

Fish may or may not have any or all of the above. The only thing one senses in his presence is that he’s at home outside. Shelter, whether on land or sea, is fine and all that, but mostly for sleeping.

If ever there was a rule book for how to do life, Fish probably burned it to make a campfire. Or used it for toilet paper. He is dispensing financial advice as we move up the trail. Pay off your house as fast as you can, don’t let them banks keep your money, that’s your money. A mile alongside Fish is arguably loaded with more wisdom than any meeting I’ve ever had with a financial advisor. And that’s just the money talk.

Fish is in his 60s but only his silver hair and variety of adventures give him away. There’s no poetic story about a life-altering hunting trip or some deep connection he had with his father in the outdoors. His dad was a trucker, passed away when Fish was a teenager. I don’t ask what they called him then. “We were out in the Pokono Mountains when there wasn’t nobody there,” he says of being a normal kid growing up in rural Pennsylvania. He went outside a lot. He liked it. He thought maybe someday he’d be a forest ranger.

When Fish got out of high school, he went to work for the mill like everyone else in small-town Pennsylvania. They had good wages and poor outcomes and Fish was a bit too curious about life to last long. So he joined the Coast Guard, then decided to head into the wilderness for a month before he became an indentured civil servant. Maybe this is what put the mountains into his blood, or maybe it’s in all of ours and we just don’t know until we’re there.

When Fish had leave, he hiked. When he finished his time, he stuffed a metal-framed Kelty pack (it weighs over seven pounds) and hit the Pacific Crest Trail for a thousand or so miles. It was 1980. The “trail” was more marked than it was cut. He lamented the manzanita, still crisp in his memory. That pack and its collection of patches hangs next to his Osprey now. He’s not beholden to some kind of old-school misery and a flannel sleeping bag with a metal zipper.

His transition to water versus land was not a direct result or resentment of that adventure. Rather, someone asked him to help sail a boat somewhere and so he hopped aboard and learned how to sail. Then he sailed for another decade plus, bouncing around islands, falling in love with his bride, Red, on the high seas. Or maybe a port town bar, but any of it sounds romantic when the word “Caribbean” is thrown in.

“She was a cougar before it was a thing,” he says as he shows me her collection of art. She lets Fish talk. Her long, silver hair is as shiny as her eyes are keen. She still paints and produces an incredible amount of art. Most of it sold, but there are a few pieces she just cannot let go. They decorate the walls of their octagonal cabin. Their art show travels are what brought them to the Northwest along with Fish’s love of mountains.

Far off the beaten track, they own a swath of land that is nestled into the canyons of the Cabinet Mountains. They had been on the search for some years.

“I told them, ‘Don’t even bother showing me anything that’s been logged,’” he says. The giant, 100-year-old cedars and firs sway in the early spring wind above our heads. They feel like towering guardians watching silently over the valley.

Long ago, the land had been a camp in the early 1900s. Then it had been owned by a Native woman who moved her teepee around each season until she found the perfect place to build. The couple upgraded the bare-bones cabin by chinking the logs and insulating the floor. Strange artifacts from the land’s history still surface in the soil every spring. They decorate the exterior of the various structures on the property: wood shops, green houses, outhouses, and the one with the corrugated metal roofing as walls to keep the bears out.

“What you have here is as close to the beauty of the Trinity Alps as you can find,” says Fish. Then he describes creeping up the backside of Mount Jefferson, breaking through the trees into a panorama of this perfect peak above the high desert. One gets the impression he could accurately describe every peak he’s seen as if they were lost loves he still daydreams about. “Mount Saint Helens, though,” he says, almost with a sigh, “that was the perfect shaped mountain. Until it blew.”

Long gone are the days of carrying a 75-pound pack with 15 days of food stuffed into it. He still goes out on multiday trips, just with lighter gear. And when he showed up at the trailhead in his lifted Jeep, he hopped out like he’s decades younger than he is and right in his element.

The truth is, and Fish seems to embody this, it is in our nature to be in nature. We are creatures of this earth and its elements. These cities and suburbs are rather like zoos of humanity. To be in the forest, to sail the waters, to tend the land, steward trails, build homes with bare hands, explore—these things are in our blood.

Anyone who has made a campfire or crawled into a tent knows the feeling. It’s like coming home.

Originally published as “A Man Called Fish“ in the May-June 2022 issue.

Ammi Midstokke lives with her family in North Idaho, where she observes outdoorsy people in their natural habitat.

Read Ammi’s first People in the Wild story.

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We asked some of our friends in the Inland NW outdoors community to share their go-to adventures in hopes that others will find some inspiration to get out there and explore someplace new this summer.

Here are 34 ideas, recommended by 15 notable outdoor enthusiasts in the Spokane region, to inspire new outdoor adventures. (OTO)

Recommended by Paul Knowles, Spokane County Parks Special Projects Manager

Cube Iron Roadless Area

Take a hike through hemlock-cloaked mountains and up to alpine pocket lakes. Located north of Thompson Falls, Mont., a few hours from the Spokane area, the trails in the Cube Iron benefit from more active trail maintenance than other areas due to the Cube Iron Cataract Coalition and its volunteers.

Hiking into Cabin Lake is great for those transitioning from day hiking to backpacking for the first time.

Recommended by Katie Wiseman, Outdoor Programs at REI

BLM Rock Creek Management (Escure Ranch)

Hike some of the lesser-travelled old roads for some solitude or stick to the popular hike or mountain bike ride to Towell Falls.

The Backcountry Horsemen and BLM have significantly improved the trailhead and parking area, which now sports toilets, water for horses, corrals, and over 13,000 acres of shrub-steppe and hiking on old, gated ranch roads.

This time of year wildflowers are in full bloom and Towell Falls is at its peak. Keep a look out for ticks and rattlesnakes, and make sure to bring water, sunscreen, and a hat as there is very little shade.

Escura Ranch (left); trail running at Antione Peak Conservation Area; Blossom Lake (lower right). // Photos: Shallan Knowles

Recommended by Lindsay Chutas, Mountaineer and Local Conservationist

Glacier Peak, Chair Peak and the Tatoosh Traverse

Accessed from the east Cascades, this backcountry route offers climbing variety and is “more adventurous than slogging up Adams or St. Helens,” adds Chutas.

Tatoosh offers beautiful views of Mt. Rainier while still being more removed from crowds of visitors. Chair Peak is an alpine climb that gives you the flavor of bigger climbs, yet it’s not too far from the road.

Because of a long hike in, Glacier Peak quickly limits the number of users to this wild and remote place.

Recommended by Alana Livingston, Wander Spokane

Mary Jane’s Farm (Moscow, Idaho)

Livingston owns Wander Spokane, a Spokane-based tour company that takes guests on food, wine, beer, and other tours covering local history, art, architecture, geology, and even medicinal plants, and when she explores, she asks the locals for their favorite hidden gems, the quirky, weird places that not everyone visits.

One of her favorites is Mary Jane’s Farm, where thoughtful, hand-made backpacking meals by the same name come from.

You can also tour the farm and starting in 2022, book a glamping site at the bed and breakfast. This destination has been featured in National Geographic and the New York Times for its whimsical, back-to-the-earth experience, and it’s right in our back yard.

Recommended by Mary Kate & Ryan Griffith, Spokane Outdoor Family

Deep Creek Canyon

A family favorite through ancient volcanic rocks and riverbed, kids can scramble over logs and rocks on a fun exploratory adventure and maybe even see a rock climber scaling the walls.

This hike is best after early spring when water in the creek has dropped, and you can explore the creek bed.

Kayaking Plese Fats to 9 Mile

Another great family adventure that’s best paddled July-September, this scenic section of flatwater on the Spokane River offers an excellent intro to paddling for kiddos.

Floating along Riverside State Park you have the possibility of seeing, osprey, deer, moose, and other forest creatures.

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge

A hike or scenic drive around Turnbull offers a glimpse back in time to the Ice Age Floods that swept through our area and carved out this unique landscape. Take your binoculars and keep an eye out for all sorts of birds and wildlife while you tour the forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

Hiking McKenzie Conservation Area

Managed by the Spokane County Parks, Recreation and Golf Department, this forested getaway has several trails, including a short walk on an old road to Turtle Rock, with views of Newman Lake and Mount Spokane.

Camping at Mount Spokane’s Bald Knob Campground

This easy weekend getaway at Mount Spokane State Park features hiking, sunsets, and late-season huckleberry picking. The nearby trails are also popular with mountain bikers and equestrians with the cooler temperatures in the summer.

Camping at Swan Lake

Activities close to camp at the three campgrounds around the lake on Northeast Washington’s Colville National Forest include fishing, paddling, swimming, road and mountain biking, and hiking.

(Left-Right) Bridge at confluence of Deep Creek and the Spokane River; Kayaking the Spokane River. // Photo: Aaron Theisen; Bird watching at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. // Photo: Crystal Atamian.

Recommended by Ken Carmichael, Ponderosa Back Country Horsemen

Riverside State Park

While Carmichael is an avid equestrian, his local recommendations for summer adventure have trails for hikers and mountain bikers as well as horses and their riders. With over 9,000 acres of public land only five minutes from downtown Spokane, Riverside State Park is top on his list.

For horses, it features an equestrian campground, arena, round pen, obstacle course and 80 miles of trails. There are seven trailheads to accommodate trailers and even more for those hoping to hike, mountain bike, or just catch beautiful views of the Spokane River.

Fishtrap Recreation Area

This Bureau of Land Management-managed slice of sagebrush, grasses, and ponderosa pine provides easy access for day outings west of Spokane at I-90 exit 154.  Multiple trails and lakeshore access make this place popular for hiking, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, and horseback riding.

Riverside State Park // Photos: Shallan Knowles

Recommended by Dave Dutro, Trail Maniacs Race Director

Post Falls Community Forest

Explore this well-developed system of signed trails for human-powered recreation, including several crags for beginning to intermediate climbers as well. This is also a great spot for a short or long trail run, a family hike, or just enjoying nature and relaxing.

Independence Creek/Coeur d’Alene River Trail

For a fun multi-day, multi-sport adventure, Dutro suggests packing your trail shoes and mountain bike and heading to Independence Creek in the Coeur d’Alene River area. The Independence Trail is a perfect summertime run, with multiple creek crossings for the chance to cool down, and several options for loops that combine trails and road running.

The next day, pedal your heart out on the Coeur d’Alene River Trail. There are excellent fishing holes and beautiful views so plan ahead to maximize this adventure.

Blossom Lakes

Near the Idaho Centennial Trail and Thompson Pass, the trail to the lake is a beautiful trail run by day and beginner backpacking adventure by night. The subalpine lakes are a beautiful summertime treat for those who make the trek.

Palouse Divide Trail System

These multi-use trails are great for mountain biking and running but are also open to ATVs on the double-track. While trail use is varied, it is also low. There is good camping nearby so you can make a weekend of it.

Clark Fork River Trail

A great trail tip for anyone headed to Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort, include a run, hike, or mountain bike ride on the Clark Fork River Trail near St. Regis. What better way to earn that end of the day soak then by breaking a sweat on the trail? The trail provides beautiful views and makes a great day outing any time of year.

Recommended by Niki Sibley, Ultramarathon Runner and Outdoor Lifestyle Advocate

Front Door Forays

“Leave the car in the driveway for this adventure. It’s easy to forget that some of the best running to be had is out your very own front door,” says Niki Sibley. “So turn your abode into an aid station and start cranking out those miles! And who knows, you just might inspire the whole neighborhood to get moving.”

Bike downtown, with your kids (Photo: Derrick Knowles, middle), and anywhere near where you live (Photo, right: Jon Jonckers).

Chris Conley, Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance President

Trail #257 Coeur d’ Alene Mountain

A short drive from Spokane near Beauty Bay with an easy, mostly paved 3.5-mile road climb, this mountain bike trail is easily accessible to most intermediate riders.

Drop in for a fast, fun, and flowy 3-mile descent through old growth forest on well-maintained single-track trail. There is some exposure towards the bottom, but the trail is wide and could easily be walked if necessary.

Abercrombie Mountain

Near Metaline Falls two hours north of Spokane, this epic out-and-back backcountry ride can’t be beat (it’s also an excellent hike). The 7.6-mile, 4,300′ climb can be intense, but the view from the top makes it all worth it. Pack plenty of food, water, and a jacket for the summit, even in the summer.

After taking in the views, enjoy the full descent back to the car. “With loose, technical rocks at the top to fast and flowy loam at the bottom, it’s one of my all-time favorite rides,” Conley says.

Jungle Hill Loop

Three hours from Spokane with lots of awesome camping spots, the Kettle Crest offers miles of rugged single-track trails, and this loop is a favorite of many riders. “I prefer to camp at the Jungle Hill campground and ride clockwise to Sherman Pass and finish with the Jungle Hill descent,” says Conley.

This is a big ride with plenty of punchy climbs and long, flowy descents with some of the best views around.

Recommended by Melinda DuPree, Evergreen East Board Member

Mount Hope Cemetery Road Ride

Twenty miles south of Spokane on the corner of Valley Chapel Rd. and North Kentuck Trails Rd., this picturesque country cemetery in the small community of Mt. Hope makes for a scenic road ride destination. The ride out Valley Chapel Road includes a few crossings and views along Latah Creek. The north end of the road is a stretched-out climb/descent from the valley while the southern climb/descent is steeper and includes broad views in the Palouse.

Hayden Lake Loop Ride

This 27-mile road ride departs from Honeysuckle Beach on North Idaho’s Hayden Lake for a loop around the lake on Hayden Lake Rd., English Point Rd., and Lakeview Dr. The road rolls up and down for 2,000’ of overall climbing with views of North Idaho that will give you lake-cabin envy.

Recommended by Jim O’Hare, Spokane Bicycle Club

Spokane Area Road & Paved Path Rides

Check out the SpokeFest loops choosing from the 9, 21, or 47-mile distances on the Spokane Bicycle Club’s website (Popular Rides tab).

The Fish Lake, Centennial, Children of the Sun, and Appleway trails are other great Spokane-area rides that are paved with low-to-moderate elevation gain and are mostly free of motorized traffic.

Greats views while biking along Spokane’s Centennial Trail. // Photos: Jon Jonckers

Recommended by Jane Patten, Local Artist and Mountain Biking Influencer

Glenrose to Phillips Creek Trail

This great out-and-back adventure offers views of Spokane to the west and east, including Mica Peak. This trail system offers fun, flowy single-track through meadows and pine groves and just enough elevation to get the heart pumping. An added bonus—Winescape Winery is a few blocks from the Thierman Trailhead for après ride hydration.

Recommended by Wayne Jordan, Fly Fishing & Fly-Tying Instructor

St. Joe River

Test your fly-fishing skills in this blue-ribbon cutthroat stream that flows through the scenic Idaho Panhandle National Forest. If you are looking for a little extra adventure, take the back road route via St. Regis, Mont.

Lower Grande Ronde River

Located near the tiny community of Rogersburg south of Asotin, Wash., anglers of all ages and skill levels can expect to catch smallmouth bass on the Grande Ronde River while enjoying the scenic beauty of Hells Canyon.

South Skookum Lake

This lake located in the Colville National Forest near Usk, Wash., is perfect for families looking to catch a few trout while escaping the commotion of the city for the day.

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge

Dozens of lakes and multiple species of fish are waiting for you in this Eastern Washington high desert oasis. Located just north of Othello, these waters provide a great angling day trip or multi-day adventure for the whole family.

Recommended by Dan Webber, Spokane REI Bike Technician

Themed Rides

Webber recommends making your ride more interesting with a theme. “Morning coffee crawls are a great way to support local businesses and experience new neighborhoods,” he says. “My favorite stops include Atticus, Rockwood, Rocket, and The Shop.” All of these have patio seating for sunny chats and an ability to keep an eye on your precious steed.

Some other themes could include ice cream (The Scoop, Doyle’s, and Sweet Peaks), bridges (13 of them in Spokane that cross the River), public art (murals, electrical boxes, sculptures), or, for the truly hardcore, the Spokane Stairs Ride, where you get to carry your bike up all the outdoor urban staircases!

Recommended by Mark Schneider, Rambleraven Gear Trader

Northrup Canyon

An awesome early-season hiking trip near Banks Lake, this 1.5 mile trail leads to an old homestead and another few miles takes you to Northrup Lake, a great overnight backpacking trip to shake the cobwebs off your gear for the year.

Harrison Peak Climbing

This Selkirk Mountain peak is well known for technical climbing, but you can also scramble up the east face without gear for an amazing view.

Lion’s Head

This prominent set of two Selkirk Mountain summits above Priest Lake is known for its rock-climbing routes, and Priest Lake is also beautiful.

[Feature photo by Aaron Theisen – Cube Iron Roadless Area.]

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Outdoor recreation areas around the Pacific Northwest have been extremely crowded during the pandemic. Last summer, the Forest Service and county sheriff’s offices began towing cars parked illegally near trailheads on Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and other day-use areas around the region.

In an effort to reduce crowds on Mount St Helens, from April 1 to May 14, the Forest Service will reduce the number of available permits from 500 to 300 per day, according to an agency news release. The Forest Service will also increase the number of permits issued between May 15 and Oct. 31, from 100 to 110 per day, though it will not be enough to offset the reduction. In total, nearly 7,000 fewer permits will be issued this year.

The reduction is due to the need to minimize resource damage, maintain a quality visitor experience, and increase safety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by reducing crowding along the route during the primary climbing season. Although going from issuing 500 to 300 permits per day may seem like a lot, in the past they typically only sold the full 500 permits when the weather was sunny and nice.

Many of the 500-person quota went unsold due to poor weather. This 300-person quota helps reign in the crowds on the sunniest of days when crowding is a problem, especially last year. More importantly, this is an improvement over the permit availability last year, when the Forest Service cancelled all permits for the 500-person days due to pandemic restrictions.

Although strenuous, the ascent up Mount St. Helens is considered a non-technical climb, suitable for hikers in good physical condition who are comfortable scrambling on steep, rugged terrain.

All climbing permits are sold online at Recreation.gov.

Check the current open status of the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, operated by Washington State Parks. More OTO news about Mount St. Helens.

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Eventually, Spirit Lake was stabilized with an 8,465-foot-long gravity-feed tunnel that cut through Harrys Ridge to South Coldwater Creek. Unfortunately, that ridge has continued to move each time Mount St. Helens moves throughout the decades. Twelve faults and sheer zones have squeezed and buckled the tunnel, causing engineers to close it several times for repairs. During one closure in the winter of 2016, Spirit Lake rose more than 30 feet. “It was definitely a wake-up call,” says Chris Strebig, a project director with the U.S. Forest Service, the agency that oversees the national monument. 

Rather than wait for a crisis or emergency, the Forest Service has decided to open up a second tunnel. This requires the Forest Service engineers and scientists to drill into the debris field to find the best option, and they need a road in order to move equipment around the debris field. But some ecologists, scientists, and conservation groups oppose the road. It was in a large part at their urging that the federal government created the monument in 1982, setting it aside as a place for “geologic forces and ecological succession to continue substantially unimpeded.” Many plots and experiments from 1980 are still studied today. In many minds, if you drop a road over the Pumice Plain, the research there would effectively be reduced to how life responds after a road is built. And the friction between the two sides is heating up with each new proposal from the Forest Service. Developments and plans have been put on hold for the moment, but it looks like Mount St. Helens could be the epicenter of another flare-up in the coming months.

Click here for more information on the new proposal.

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By Doug Schnitzspahn

Up above the cool riffles of the South St. Vrain Creek in the Colorado foothills, the hot, dry trail to Miller Rock turns into a confusing maze of jeep roads, dead-end user paths, and double track. It’s worth climbing up here from the creek, but it’s not easy to find your way back down. With the added pressure of a 2-year-old in a pack and a 12-year-old who is getting hungry, we think we are on the right track but we can’t be positive—and we don’t want to make a mistake. At the next fork, I feel a gentle buzz on my wrist. It’s a signal from my Casio PRO TREK watch. We uploaded a ViewRanger route of the trail and the watch is reminding us exactly where to go. Sure enough, we make a right turn here to get back to the creek for a picnic. A potential disaster of a day is saved.

Map geeks that we are, we have been big fans of the ViewRanger system for years. In fact we partnered with the GPS and mapping experts to create a library of routes for hikes, bike rides, ski tours and scrambles across our home base in Colorado and beyond (see below). The key to ViewRanger’s success has always been how easy it is to use—the system doesn’t just give you maps, it makes it a snap to map your own routes and find oodles of user-created routes. And a deeper partnership with Casio has made following those routes even easier.

Casio’s new PRO TREK outdoor smartwatches link seamlessly with ViewRanger maps via Android and iPhone, giving you a mind-boggling library of trails to follow from your wrist. The ViewRanger platform partners with more than 50 national map agencies and publishers and more than 2,000 brands and organizations to give you routes all over the world—from Scandinavia to Colorado’s Mount Sneffels. And the smartwatch—which also gives you the power to track your fitness levels on any hike—will hold saved routes and maps in 20 different styles for 17 different countries. That makes it the simplest, most powerful wrist navigation system we have ever used.

As long as you download the route when you are in service, you don’t need a smartphone connection or WiFi once you are out in the wild—a huge plus and a benefit you won’t find on other systems. When online, the system can also find routes within 1.5 kilometers of your location, giving you options for a wide range of hikes once you park at a trailhead. Along the way, you can check barometer readings, take a look at GPS and compass coordinates, even double check your location with downloaded maps. And as we mentioned above, the watch will buzz on your wrist when you should be making a turn.

Perhaps the best feature of the system, however, is AutoPlot (currently available on iPhone and coming soon to Android). Not sure of the exact trail you want to take, but interested in hitting up some objectives? No worries. You just choose waypoints and ViewRanger finds the best way to get there and back. You can AutoPlot on your iPhone then send the route to the Casio watch, so that every turn is on the map on your wrist. Best of all, you can AutoPlot for everything from big hikes to urban walks to gravel-grinding bike rides. We tested the function with a hike from our home in Boulder Colorado up into our local trail system and then back down into another neighborhood to wrap up with ice cream at local favorite Sweet Cow. It worked better than Siri.

Beyond the ability to have a trail guide at your fingertips no matter where you go (we are currently traveling in New England and just downloaded the Dublin Trail, an alternative route up the ever-popular Mount Monadnock), the system aids adventure. It makes it easier to plot out gravel bike rides on dirt-road labyrinths. It can get you up to find hidden gems like the wreckage of old airplane crashes. It can help you create interesting scramble routes up peaks. Most of all, it just gives you peace of mind when you are exploring. Oh, it’s also a lot of fun with very little tech hassle.

Download Adventure

Want to get started? Here are some of our favorite ViewRanger routes that we have published on Elevation Outdoors. Download them and start exploring.

Mount Galbraith, Colorado

This moderately challenging hike just 25 minutes from downtown Denver, brings you to the top of a 7,260-foot peak.

Mount Harvard, Colorado

Gain the summit of one of Colorado’s most enjoyable Fourteeners via the alternate East Ridge Route.

Mount St. Helens, Washington

To reach the rim of this famed volcano, you’ll follow a path that soon ends up above timberline for scrambling over chunky lava flows, snow and ashy slopes. h

Mount Whitney, California

The easiest route up the Golden State’s highest peak, the Mt. Whitney Trail, climbs over 6,000 vertical feet over about 11 miles, making for one big adventure for both novices and hardened peakbaggers. 

Watch a video for more information here:

Learn more about Casio Pro Trek Smart: at https://wsd.casio.com/us/en/ and more about ViewRanger at https://www.viewranger.com/en-us/features/viewranger-for-wear-os

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Washington State Parks Free Admission Days (select dates, April-Sept): No Discover Pass required on April 14 (Spring Day), April 22 (Earth Day), June 2 (National Trails Day), June 9 (National Get Outdoors Day), June 10 (Fishing Day), August 25 (National Park Service 102^nd Birthday), and Sept. 22 (National Public Lands Day).

National Park Week Free Admission Day (April 21): No entrance fees at select national monuments, historical parks, recreational areas, and national parks, including Glacier and Yellowstone national parks in Montana, and Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks in Washington. (Sept. 22 is the next free admission day.)

Earth Day Fair (April 22): Live music, yoga, arts and crafts, and more at the Coeur d’Alene Library and McEuen Park, noon-4 p.m., hosted by the Kootenai Environmental Alliance.

Spring Dash 5-mile Kids Run & Tot Trot (April 22): Run alongside your child on a beautiful course through downtown Coeur d’Alene, starting from McEuen Park. Free to participate in the quarter-mile Tot Trot. Unitedwayofnorthidaho.org

Spokane Kids Fishing Day (May 4): The 4th annual Spokane Kid’s Fishing Day at Clear Lake (west of Spokane near Cheney) is sponsored by the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Neis Family Memorial, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Each participant gets to fish with help from seasoned anglers and take home a t-shirt and a rod and reel, included in the $10 per child cost (free for all current and former Ronald McDonald House kids and their families). Wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/youth.html 

Lilac Bloomsday Run (May 6): Run or walk with your kids or push them in a stroller. There are many delights along the 12k course, such as live music, friendly volunteers, and Otter Pops for sale. If your kid can walk around Disneyland all day, he or she can do Bloomsday. Bloomsdayrun.org

Glow For Hunger (May 11): A pre-race party and evening 1-mile kid’s run, at Spokane’s Joe Albi Stadium, to support Northwest Harvest. Parents are free with registered child. Nsplit.com

Kidical Mass (May 12): Family 3-mile bike ride through Spokane’s Chief Garry neighborhood, 1-3 p.m., starting from Chief Garry Park. Decorated bikes are encouraged. summerparkways.com/kidical-mass.

Lilac Century Family Fun Ride (May 20): The 25^th annual Lilac Century Bike Ride includes 15 and 22 mile rides that have been redesigned to be even more family friendly. The new courses are nearly flat and the 15-mile course avoids road traffic altogether. Both routes follow the paved Fish Lake Trail from the trailhead near Sunset Hill to Scribner Road and back. The 22 mile route is the same as the 15 mile route with the addition of a 3.2 mile section from Spokane Falls Community College along Government Way past the cemeteries and returning the same way. Enjoy a bake potato feed with other riders of all ages at the end of the event. All proceeds benefit local charities supported by the Spokane Aurora Northwest Rotary Club. Lilaccentury.com.

Wednesday Night Mountain Bike Race Series at Riverside (May & June): Kids age 17 and younger, all levels and abilities, participate for free at this loosely-described “race” series at Riverside State Park. Ride one or two laps, as fast or as casual as you want, along a 7-11 mile course (new one each week). Meets Wednesday evenings at the park’s 7 Mile Area (“old airstrip”). Weekly registration starts at 5 p.m.; racing starts at 6:30. runsignup.com.

Wednesdays in the Woods at Riverside State Park (June-August): Starting Wednesday, June 13, REI’s Spokane store will host educational, interactive presentations by guest speakers at the Bowl & Pitcher outdoor amphitheater every Wednesday throughout the summer. Topics include regional wildlife (moose, cougars, and bears), camp cooking, Leave No Trace, kayaking, and reptiles and birds of prey featuring experts from West Valley Outdoor Learning Center. Rei.com/Learn

Free Family Night Out at Camp Dart-Lo (June 15): 5:30-8 p.m. at Camp Fire’s day camp property along the Little Spokane River.

Summer Parkways (June 21): Pedal, walk, jog, scooter, roller-blade, or skateboard along a 4-mile car-free route through the Manito and Comstock neighborhoods. Activities include a kid scavenger hunt, goodies, and games provided by local business and organization booths along the route. 6-9 p.m. Summerparkways.com

Spokatopia Outdoor Adventure Festival (July 7): This outdoor recreation festival at Camp Sekani Park and Boulder Beach on the Spokane River is the place to try new outdoor activities and bikes and enjoy kids activities and live music from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Free general admission. Spokatopia.com 

Summer Fun Run Series (July 11, 18, 25): Youth age 18 and younger participate for free in 5k fun runs (also a 1-mile run option) organized by U-District PT and Negative Split. nsplit.com/udistrictsummerseries.

Toyota Tuesdays at Silverwood (July 17 & July 24): Pack the family up in any Toyota and save on a day enjoying the rides, waves, and attractions at Silverwood Theme Park. The driver of any Toyota gets in free with a voucher that can be picked up at your local Inland Northwest Toyota Dealer starting June 1 (one voucher for the driver only).

Spokenya 7k Run/Walk for Clean Water (July 21): Course begins and ends at Life Center’s parking lot for this Spring of Hope International fundraiser, to support its clean water efforts in rural Kenya. Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome. During the last quarter-mile, participants can experience carrying a 5-gallon bucket of water on their heads to finish the course (smaller buckets available for kids). Race includes the CAL Cup competition—$1,000 prize awarded to the high school with the most points, based on participation numbers (students, coaches, alumni, faculty, or staff) and fastest finish times (ages 14-18). spokenyarun.org.

Spokane Valley Cycle Celebration (July 29): Includes a 10-mile ride, beginning at the Mirabeau North trailhead for the Centennial Trail, as part of ValleyFest.

Huckleberry Color Fun Run & Walk (August 5): Run or walk a 5k or 2.5k course through the forest around Schweitzer Mountain Resort and get all colored up. All participants receive a t-shirt, sunglasses, a powder pack for the color toss, and a full-day scenic foot passenger lift ticket to the top of the mountain good for August 6. Schweitzer.com

Paddle, Splash, and Play (August 11): Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club hosts its annual free kids’ event at Nine Mile Recreation Area, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Discover Pass required). Bring your PFDs and paddle with your kids while trying out canoes, stand-up paddle boards, and all types of kayaks, including sea, whitewater, inflatable, and recreational. Sckc.ws

SpokeFest (September 9): Includes a family-friendly 9-mile course option and free Strider balance bike demos. Spokefest.org

Global Kidical Massive (September 15): Family bike ride of about 3 miles along the Centennial Trail, 1-3 p.m., starting at Kendall Yards. Meet at Spark Central. summerparkways.com/kidical-mass.

Sekani Kids’ 1k, 5k, & 10k Trail Run (September 30): Free 1k adventure run/hike/walk along dirt trails at Camp Sekani Park. Proceeds from the 5/10k runs benefit Franklin Elementary school’s APPLE program. Sekanitrailrun.com

National Public Lands Day (September 30): Free admission to Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge to celebrate National Public Lands Day. // (Amy S. McCaffree)

4^TH Annual Spokatopia Outdoor Adventure Festival (July 7)

Spokatopia is a one-day outdoor recreation festival where adults and kids can explore all kinds of outdoor activities, clubs and organizations, and outdoor gear and bikes in a fun, family-friendly setting. Try all types of bikes, stand-up paddleboards, and kayaks; sign up for an adventure clinic with Spokane Parks & Recreation and learn a new activity like rock climbing, canoeing, paddleboarding, kayaking, geocaching, and more; enjoy live music and over 50 outdoor-oriented exhibitors; enter to win awesome outdoor gear prizes given away each hour; watch mountain bike stunts and give rock climbing on a bouldering wall, slacklining, and other free kids’ activities a try; or show up for a free morning yoga class for everyone from beginners to expert. Ride your bike to the festival as a family along the Centennial Trail from one of the park and bike locations nearby and take advantage of a free, secure bike coral. Spokatopia runs from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at Camp Sekani Park and Boulder Beach on the Spokane River along E. Upriver Drive. General admission and many activities are free but some guided activities and demos have a cost. Learn more at Spokatopia.com // (OTO)

Mountain Adventures for the Whole Family

Aerial Adventure Park and Summer Tubing at Whitefish Mountain Resort

Experience an aerial adventure in the trees with five courses that will challenge and delight the whole family. Cross cable bridges, climb rope ladders, swing on a trapeze and more while safely secured with a full-body harness. The park is a great activity for families with over 60 obstacles ranging from easy to difficult.

If you’re looking for something closer to the ground, Whitefish Mountain Resort is adding tubing as a summer activity option this year. Ride the Big Easy Carpet to the top of the hill and then fly down a 300-foot slippery surface while bouncing and spinning over bumps and rolls to the bottom. And then do it again and again. Packages are available that also include scenic chairlift rides, the Alpine Slide, and other activities. Summer attractions open Memorial Day weekend—Saturday and Sunday only—and then weekends through June 10 followed by daily operations June 16 through September 3. Skiwhitefish.com

Ride the Route of the Hiawatha

Biking the 15-mile-long Route of the Hiawatha through the Bitterroot Mountains near Lookout Pass may be the highlight of your family’s summer. By taking advantage of the bus shuttles, the entire ride through 10 train tunnels (including the 1.66-mile-long Taft Tunnel) and over seven trestles is all downhill. Trail passes, shuttle tickets, and mountain bike rentals with lights are available at Lookout Pass Ski Area just off I-90 on the Idaho-Montana state line. The trail is open daily starting May 26 (projected opening) through September 23. Ridethehiawatha.com

Ride the Zip Line at Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Schweitzer’s dual 700-foot zip line feature allows two people to blast down the mountain side-by-side while enjoying beautiful lake views together. One ride is $12 or an Ultimate Fun Pass includes unlimited zip line and foot-passenger lift rides as well as access to the climbing wall, Trampoline Jumper, and Sluice Box for the day for $35 (riders must be at least 8 years old). Open daily June 22 through September 3, 2018 (weather permitting). Schweitzer.com

Trail Work Summer Vacations

Washington Trails Association offers “Youth Volunteer Vacations” for teenagers, ages 14-18. These week-long trips develop outdoor and leadership skills while building and maintaining hiking trails as a team. (Students earn a Northwest Forest Pass, and service hours can be applied to school requirements.) Destination options include Sullivan Lake in northeast Washington, North and Central Cascades, Mount St. Helens, Mt. Rainier’s Wonderland Trail, and the Olympic Peninsula—including an all-girls trip to Lake Crescent. Wta.org

Silver Mountain Bike Park

With over 35 singletrack trails and the Chair 3 Zone that offers shorter, less committing trails, Silver Mountain Bike Park is a great place for families to mountain bike together or break out onto different trails that match the skill level of varying abilities. Clearly marked trails, free trail maps, rental bikes and gear, and instructors for hire make Silver a welcoming place for any level of rider. Trails at Silver are rated just like ski runs, with green runs for easiest, blue for difficult, black for more difficult, and double black for experts only. The newly rebuilt Crescent Trail offers an incredible beginner experience with a wider path, corners that can be ridden flat or on the berm above, and a mellow enough grade to let riders get comfortable on their bike. This is the perfect place to start, and it’s designed so that new riders can ride with more experienced partners and everyone will have a great time. Silver Mountain recommends giving Payday a try after Crescent, which is just as wide, but loses elevation a little faster and is designed to have riders take advantage of the berms more with greater terrain variety. Silvermt.com // (OTO)

Feature photo: Huckleberry Color Fun Run & Walk // Courtesy of Schweitzer Mountain Resort

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Snowfields lingered in the high country, Bigfoot was on the lam, and now—did I hear that correctly over the sound of my own hyperventilation—there would be a middle-of-the-night river crossing with embankments so steep and loose we would need to use fixed ropes? That tidbit was NOT in the runner’s manual! And this news coming after only two weeks prior learning that the course had been altered due to snow-blocked roads, which would add six additional miles and an extra 1,000 feet of vertical ascent. And now, apparently, I would need to channel my inner Tarzan.

In all fairness, the Destination Trail crew faced a difficult decision in altering the course last-minute, and they did an unbelievable job making the changes seamless. The course was well-marked, the five aid stations were supremely stocked (I’m talking quesadillas and hot bacon here, people), and time was added to the overall cutoff to compensate for the extra mileage.

While the safety meeting had left me a bit rattled, the next morning I felt determined to go out and kick some butt. My pre-race nerves morphed into jolts of excitement. I couldn’t wait to experience the wild, unpredictable adventure that ultrarunning embodies, and to challenge my mental and physical limits. I had trained hard and smart, and I had a strategy for anything that might come my way.

The gun went off and I began my exploration of the rugged course, which circumnavigated Mt. St. Helens and looped through the desolation zone of the 1980 eruption. I imagined myself on the moon’s surface as I traversed vast stretches of treeless pumice fields and gazed into the volcano’s crater. Rambling through the Mount Margaret Backcountry, I was rewarded with incredible vistas of hanging lakes, with Hood, Adams, and Rainier gracing the background. The terrain was tough and technical, with lava boulder fields, deep desert-like ash and sand, and 28,606 feet of elevation change over 68 miles. It all made for a monumental challenge.

Ultimately, I handled every blow that the Bigfoot dealt me: unrelenting July heat, lack of shade, shoes full of ash, blisters, GI issues, and heat rash. I pulled out of every negative spiral I fell into. In fact, if there’s one takeaway that I would pass along to first-timers, it would be to prepare for the worst. It may sound cynical, but due to the sheer distance and time involved in completing an ultra, anything can happen on race day. Create contingency goals, plan for things to go awry, and carry essential supplies and first aid in your pack.

Shortly after sunrise, lured by the enticing aroma of breakfast burritos wafting from the finish line, I shuffled through my final paces and nabbed my handcrafted finisher medal. With the support of my amazing husband and friend who paced me through the night miles, I ran for 22 hours and 44 minutes and had the absolute time of my life. Oh, and my favorite part? Fording the Toutle River using those dreaded fixed ropes.

If this sounds like the perfect challenge for you, the 2018 race will take place on August 10. There’s also 20, 40, and for you crazies, 200-mile options. Details can be found at Bigfoot200.com. // (Sarah Oscarson)

Ultrarunning Training & Racing Tips

Train the course. Study the race course in advance and incorporate challenging elements, such as river crossings, long grueling ascents/descents, high altitude, and snow into your training.

Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. You’ve heard it a million times but it’s oh-so-critical. Experiment during training and find foods and drinks that you can consume while running, especially on an upset stomach.

Break it down. Visualizing the total mileage of an ultra can feel overwhelming. Break it down into smaller distances by using aid stations as landmarks, and only focus on one segment at a time.

Just keep moving. Run, walk, crawl, limp…do whatever it takes. Prolonged stops, while sometimes necessary, will cause muscles to stiffen and motivation to wan. Plus, the clock’s a-tickin!

Climb aboard the ultra-coaster. In training and on race day there will be exquisite highs and devastating lows. Learning to coast on through is the key to ultrarunning enlightenment. When things get tough, remember why you’re doing this, and try to enjoy the crazy ride. //

Sarah will try to heed her own advice this August as she attempts the Cascade Crest 100-mile ultramarathon. She last wrote about solo bike touring in June of 2017.

Feature photo: Crossing through the stark blast zone. // Joel Oscarson

Originally published in the April 2018 print edition of Out There Venture under the title “Run Like Bigfoot is Chasing You.”

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At first sight it’s hard to trust what you’re seeing. Known as “The Feathers,” this formation of exposed basalt crystals barely withstood a succession of devastating floods. From the air, it looks as though a creature with jaws the size of the Rose Bowl has taken two bites from the coulee’s upper terrace. The Feathers somehow survived as a gently curving causeway between the bite marks. There are places where you can easily walk from one side to the other, stepping through gaps between the massive crystals.

What unfolds beneath The Feathers is a deep, bicameral gouge in the earth. The gaping crevasse in the bedrock was created as rampaging, late-Pleistocene flood waters burst out of what is now called the Quincy Basin, a broad area—well over 1,000 square miles—that encompasses most of Grant County. At its exit, just north of what is now Vantage, Wash., Frenchman Coulee functioned as a giant nozzle, directing the flood waters at a 90 degree angle across the Columbia River, slamming with stunning violence into the base of the Colockum Hills. The result can be seen in the magnificent gorge at Vantage, with steep and sheer basalt walls, and from the high ridge east of the river, and in long views with layered dimensions to the north, west and south.

A bit closer to the ground, so to speak, is Nick Zentner, a geology professor at Central Washington University who has popularized Northwest geology with a series of lectures and video documentaries. The first chapter in his video series is devoted to Frenchman Coulee. Viewers meet him as he’s walking and swinging a small rock hammer, which he also uses as a pointer when he’s not using it to crack open stone. Wading through sagebrush to a ledge not far from The Feathers, Zentner declares this all to be “hallowed ground” in a historic scientific controversy, one ultimately resolved only a half century ago when the cardinals of American geology finally concurred that it was catastrophic glacial floodwaters—and not a slow grinding of commonplace geologic forces—that blasted out such massive spaces in the lower Columbia basin.

Zentner makes a point I will also insert. Frenchman Coulee is within a couple long golf shots from Interstate-90, yet 99.9% or more of the motorists who whiz past the Silica Road off ramp (exit143) are oblivious to what they’re missing. Perhaps because there’s no tourist money to be made in the coulee, there’s no hint of signage to let you know it’s there. Practically speaking, if you have time to stop at the Starbuck’s down the road in Moses Lake (or closer still, the Sage Bistro and coffeehouse off exit 151), you probably have time to exit here, take a right on Silica Road and then take a left on Vantage Road. You can then gasp at this important geologic landmark and gasp again at your first sight of The Feathers.

As Vantage Road winds past The Feathers, it descends more steeply toward the coulee floor, where hiking trails into both chambers are easy to access. With balsamroot and other wildflowers in bloom, spring would be a fine time to pack a lunch and bring a friend.

My most recent visit was on a day when a Pacific storm was lashing at the coast and the Cascades. I was hoping the incoming weather would reach the gorge because The Feathers are difficult to photograph in direct sunlight. Alas, as is almost always the case, the sun was shining brightly. Plan B was to find a path below The Feathers to the coulee floor. There’s a waterfall on the eastern face of the north chamber I’d photographed from above a year ago. I wanted to complete the picture, so to speak, from below.

The trail I followed brought me into a V-shaped ravine that opens up into the massive north chamber of the cataract. From this vantage point, the visual dimensions are staggering. A decent camera can take the picture, capturing the nearby rock faces as well as the distant giant blades of the Wild Horse wind farm, straddling the flanks of Whiskey Dick Mountain on the far side of the river. But only a soul can absorb the deeper dimensions the sight evokes.

I used to work there, across the river, in Kittitas County, when I was young. Back then I wrote the same kind of stories that beat reporters everywhere are expected to write. There were car, truck and boat accidents, suspicious fires, domestic disputes that were often sad but sometimes funny, and a massive ash cloud from Mt. St. Helens that tossed purple lightening bolts into the Yakima River canyon.

I was aware, even then, that I was patrolling an interval between two very different cultures, each with its own landscape and sense of identity. My grandfather, Gil, introduced me to this one, the high desert, his favorite trout streams near Dayton, and the precious, sacred stillness that inhabits places like Frenchman Coulee. He sold insurance, drove a Rambler station wagon and sometimes wore bolo ties. His oldest daughter would become a Wazzu cheerleader, and that’s how she met my father. I graduated from Pullman in 1979; there’s a crimson Wazzu jacket in my trunk.

On the other end of the cultural spectrum is Seattle, with its urban wealth, Pacific rim sophistication, and seemingly boundless opportunities—all surrounded by the verdant beauty of nearby mountains and Puget Sound. I think of Kittitas County as a land bridge between these two worlds, with its eastern boundary reaching the sagelands at Vantage and its western boundary reaching the alpine crest west of Cle Elum, where the traffic then spills into King County.

The cultural tension across this divide is genuine and is embroidered in the state’s politics. Overall, Washington is a deeply blue state. But conservative resentment toward Seattle and its overpopulated liberal suburbs is such that there is a formal (if far-fetched) secessionist effort, led by Spokane-area Republican legislators, that would create the state of “Liberty” between Idaho and the Cascades. When you unpack this, what you find is that “liberty,” for some, is about the freedom to discriminate against brown and gay people, to pollute air and waterways with impunity, and brandish assault rifles. If there is any grudging concession that people in Seattle are adept at technology and the arts, it’s offset with an attitude that wisdom and authenticity can best be measured by zip code. Yet, the dispositive rebuttal to this notion can be reduced to one statistic: of the 20 eastern Washington counties, a majority in 19 voted for Donald J. Trump. The lone exception was Whitman County, home to my alma mater. Go Cougs.

I ‘m unable to walk into the vastness of Frenchman Coulee without thinking about this. Last summer, a working group of scientists formally submitted their recommendation that we acknowledge we’ve entered a new geologic epoch. They propose it be named the “Anthropocene” to recognize the profound effects that humans are now causing and inflicting upon the planet’s environment. Their case for the designation is compelling, and—if we didn’t already know this—it identifies each of us as witting or unwitting participants in the profound damage being done to our environment, and other species, as a result of human consumption and pollution.

The more I think about that, the more affinity I feel for the hordes of young people from Seattle who come here, by the hundreds on weekends, to pitch tents in Echo Basin and climb The Feathers and other walls. For the most part, they share my love for this environment and an underlying appreciation for conservation and access. Our passport to epic places like this almost inevitably boils down to political struggles pitting private interests against the public interest in access and conservation. As with climbing big rock faces, it is not for the faint of heart.

The phalanx of basalt crystals at The Feathers has an arc to it that brings to mind the famous semi-circle at Stonehenge. The “bluestones” at Stonehenge were, of course, painstakingly assembled by ancient people. The Feathers stand as survivors to natural forces much more powerful than a thermonuclear bomb. It is remarkably improbable, this curving conga line of basalt pillars—1-2 crystals deep. Especially in the context of these odds, it is a moving, natural monument. If you and I were to fight for something important, and we were among the last standing for whatever that cause might be, we’d like the memorial to look something like this.

Feature photo: Feathers // Tim Connor

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