Cougars in Heat–a Chilling Encounter!

Okay, before I get started here. Absolutely no jokes about attractive older women in pursuit of younger men or randy Washington State University students here. This post is about mountain lions following nature’s orders to make more mountain lions. And it’s about how a few autumns ago I nearly walked in on a mating couple.…

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Hang Up and Hike!

Okay, I admit it—I have my cell phone in my pack when I hike. Mostly because I don’t leave anything of value (even if it is an old flip phone) in my vehicle when I hit the trail. And it is almost always turned off.  But, I have made a few calls from the trail…

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Mangia Bene

Being Italian American, the first Italian word my Nona taught me was mangia-which in the command form means, Eat! And oh how I love to eat! If I wasn’t a hardcore hiker and runner, I fret over what my hardcore eating would do to my body. But aside from eating for basic functioning and for…

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Day Hiking the San Juans and Gulf Islands has been released!

At last–my Day Hiking the San Juans and Gulf Islands guidebook is available. I just received my review copy and the book is now busily making its way into bookstores and retail centers across the Northwest. As with my 11 previously authored and co-authored books, I am proud of the work that I put into making this…

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Need Your Trail Fix Now?

Okay, you have all of my books (thanks!), but your trail fix is insatiable. You need more trail info and you need it now! Where can you get it? Well aside from waiting for my next book (thanks again), I write several regular columns where you can find up-to-date trail info, more info on trails…

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Avy Advice–snow go or no go

I love winter. I love snow.  And I love winter sports! I grew up in New Hampshire where we had a saying that the weather there consisted of 11 months of winter and one month of damn poor sledding. Point-when you live in an area that has real winters, those winters can be long unless…

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National Squirrel Appreciation Day–what a nutty idea!

How could I get through most of January 21st without realizing that it is National Squirrel Appreciation Day? Yep-another one of those appreciation days decreed by some declaration somewhere sometime in the past. Evidently this one was founded back in 2001  by Christy Hargrove, a wildlife rehabilitator in Asheville, North Carolina in the Great Smoky…

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