Blog
Bring it on! Hike-a-thon 2018
It’s that time again! I am once again participating in the annual Hike-a-Thon for the Washington Trails Association! Last year more than 60 of you helped me raise more than $5500 for our trails! WOW! Thanks!! This year I’d like to top that and raise $6000 for our trails. Will you please consider helping me…
Forest Service to Close Trails with too many “Likes”
THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOLS POST FOR APRIL 1 2018 After monitoring Social Media sites for several years, the Forest Service has recently announced that it will begin temporarily closing trails that are too popular. If a trail has too many “likes,” has had posts go viral, or there are just too many darn shares…
Urban Trails Everett!
Twenty-five miles north of Seattle at the mouth of the Snohomish River, Everett is a city of more than one hundred thousand residents. The city has boomed over the past decade, and while Everett offers easy access to both the Mountain Loop Highway and Highway 2, sometimes you just want a trail nearby to stretch…
Three Best Family Friendly Snowshoeing Trips at Mount Rainier
While Mount Rainier and its neighboring craggy peaks offer excellent backcountry skiing and challenging winter hiking adventures—there are plenty of less-intimidating family-friendly spots within the frozen shadows of the mountain. Here are three of my favorite places to break tracks in the snow suitable for families with children and newbie snowshoers. Trail of the Shadows…
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a hike or run in Richmond, BC
Visitors to British Columbia’s Lower Mainland often overlook Richmond for its glamorous northern neighbor, Vancouver. But this island city at the mouth of the Fraser River; the fourth largest community in the province, is no mere ordinary suburb. Surrounded by water, teeming with parks, and home to one of the largest Asian populations in North…
Northwest Lighthouse Hikes –Spotlighting three family-friendly coastal hikes
Consider lighthouses the coastal equivalent of fire lookout towers. Utilitarian in their function and design, yet they possess a simple and eloquent beauty as well. Guiding lights through rough and stormy waters, we oft forget about their purpose and become more enamored by their settings. And like their fire spotting brethren, many a lighthouse has…
Ten Ways to Thwart the Crowds on the Trail
If you’ve been hiking for a considerable amount of time, you don’t need to be told that many of our trails have become downright crowded. Yes, we are currently experiencing a hiking boom, and in general that’s a good thing. It’s great to see folks getting outside, bonding with nature, and in general living healthy…
Urban Trails Seattle!
See a whole new side to the city! Features of this guide include: Easy to reference maps Trail distance and high point Indicates trail suitability for walkers, hikers, and runners Trailhead amenities Info for families with kids and for dog owners Sidebars on area history, nature, and sights
Three Christmas Themed Hikes for a Happy Hiking Holiday
Why not start a new tradition (unless of course you have already started) of doing a hike on Christmas day. Here are three Northwest hikes—easy enough for the whole family—and short enough to sneak in before the big feast. And while they’re Christmas-themed, generally they provide for snow-free hiking. So, you’ll have to seek other…
Five Great Washington Rail Trails Part 2 –Great trails to train on!
I love rail trails and some of my favorite running and hiking routes throughout Washington are on rail trails. Rail trails offer safe traffic free running routes. They’re gently graded. They can be found all over the state from major urban areas to the state’s remotest regions. Many rail trails begin, end and connect excellent…