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Sugar Maples and Joshua Trees–On the Trail in 2013
I love this time of the year. The short days and long nights of the Winter Solstice prompting me to slow down, recharge, reflect, and relax. The spiritual and joyous nature of Christmas instilling in me hope, renewal and an appreciation of family, friends and blessings. And the excitement of the New Year allowing me to…
Merry Christmas Bird Count!
There was a great front page story today in my local newspaper, the Skagit Valley Herald on the upcoming Christmas Bird Counts in the county. Skagit County is one of the best places in Washington state for bird watching and this region is known for its thousands of wintering snow geese, trumpeter and tundra swans,…
Natural Skagit
Natural Skagit: A Journey From Mountains to Sea This new book designed to celebrate and help protect wildlife habitat and rural landscapes in Skagit County, Washington was launched to an excited crowd of over 300 at Skagit Gardens on November 13, 2008. Published by the Skagit Land Trust, the book was a major collaborative effort consisting of eight main authors, several…
Save the Whistler Canyon Trailhead!
The Whistler Canyon Trail (Hike no. 2 in my Day Hiking Eastern Washington book) is a gem. Located just south of Oroville, this Okanogan River Valley Trail is part of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. One of the best places in the state to see California bighorn sheep, this trail also offers stunning valley…
Of Swans, snow geese, and eagles
I absolutely love this time of year in the Skagit Valley. While western Washington lacks the distinct hard seasonal changes that I loved back east–the seasonal changes here are measured differently-and they are distinct. Winter begins in November with the arrival of tens of thousands of wintering snow geese and trumpeter and tundra swans. A…
I love the Cold! It brings warmth to my heart!
Well, here we go again with another sub-freezing blast for Western Washington. I love it! Why you ask as many of my fellow Northwesterners are hunkered down in their toasty homes? Nostalgia for one. While I have been living in Western Washington for 24 years now, I still miss my native New England from time…
What an October!
Last week was the first week since May that I did not head off for a 2-4 day trip to research trails for writing and mapping projects. While I welcome the reprieve over the next few months from constantly being-on-the-go, I must admit that I am going through hiking withdrawals. Yes, I have lots of…
Wagonwheel Lake-You’ll bust an axle on this one!
I recently returned to the Staircase Area of Olympic National Park to tackle (actually track for a new Green Trails Map) one of area’s steepest trails-Wagonwheel Lake. The sign at the trailhead warns that you’ll climb 3,200 feet in 2.9 miles. Which isn’t entirely true as the first .4 mile you’ll gain only 200 feet and…
Smith Creek Butte–Going where no guidebook author has gone before!
One of the many things that I take in pride in my books-and a factor that many of you have told me that you appreciate-is the fact that I include many trails in my guides not found in any other books (and websites). Of course I include the popular trails–how could I not? But the…
Day Hiking Eastern Washington
Kettles-Selkirks – Columbia Plateau – Blue Mountains Authors: Craig Romano and Rich Landers| Publisher: Mountaineers Books | Price: $18.95 The most comprehensive day-hiking guide to eastern Washington! Newest guide in the pack-friendly, bestselling Day Hiking series by Mountaineers Books for Washington State1% of sales are donated to trail maintenanceOffers many close-to-home trails near population centers like Spokane, Tri-Cities,…