Tag Archives: featured

            “Each of us has an Up North. It is a time and a place from the here and now. It’s a map on the wall, a dream in the making, a tugging at one’s soul. For those who feel the tug, who make the dream happen, who put the map in a packsack and go, the world is never …

The mountain that we call Mt. Rainier had another name bestowed upon it, long before European settlers made their way to the Pacific Northwest: Tahoma. Tahoma means “frozen water,” or “snow-covered mountain,” or “the source of nourishment.” All of these are far more eloquent—and apropos—descriptions than “Mt. Rainier.” I can’t help but notice that the middle sound of the word …

Of all the seasons, autumn is unquestionably the glory time in the North Cascades. The high country is open for exploration, the snow mostly gone, the bugs done for the season, and the meadows are ablaze in a kaleidoscope of vibrant color. The crowds––like the insects–– have thinned, and the nights are crisp and ablaze with stars. The sense of …

      No Whatcom Land Trust (WLT) project has generated as many accolades or created so much enjoyment as the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve, assembled through generosity and community support.        When the Land Trust is trying to conserve a significant property, the challenge is usually to raise enough money. Here, the challenge was also daunting––how to encourage seven siblings …

In autumn, when the verdant monochrome of our forests turns a montage of green, gold, amber, crimson, and orange, I seek out the big leaf and vine maples, or the crimson-splashed hillsides of huckleberries, serviceberries, and elderberries. For me, the kaleidoscope of fall is by far my favorite time to ramble in the forest. But my focus is not so …

Wildlife travel works best with planning and preparation, while remaining flexible to local conditions. These destinations offer reliable opportunities to see animals in their natural habitats, though sightings can depend on season, weather, and timing. Guided experiences improve both safety and success, and in many locations, permits or advance arrangements are required. The reward is seeing wildlife in ways that …

Most public policy conflicts have well-defined opposing camps. Left vs Right, Rich vs Poor, Permissive vs Puritanical, the Yankees vs the Red Sox, etc. Yet sometimes a policy decision is so knotted that even similar minds find themselves at odds. This is where the finer points of ethics and morality become deeply explored. Such is the case with the barred …

My morning watch began the way it had all summer. At 03:56 a.m., I stepped into the wheelhouse of the MV David B and wrote in the logbook: August 10, wind calm, depth 110 feet, barometer 1012.  Comments: rain and fog. Then I walked back to the galley, turned off all the lights, save one dim lamp under a cabinet. …

Washington Trails Association (WTA) is the largest state-based trails non-profit in the U.S. But that wasn’t always the case. What began in 1966 as Signpost, a grassroots newsletter pioneered by Louise Marshall to share backcountry adventures and trail conditions, evolved into one of the most recognizable resources for hikers in the Pacific Northwest. Plenty has changed for the Washington Trails …

Lily Point is located at the southeast corner of Point Roberts with the waters of Georgia Strait on one side and Boundary Bay on the other, just a half-hour drive from Vancouver, B.C. To get there from Bellingham, you must cross into Canada and then again cross the border to enter Point Roberts, U.S.A. When Canada and the United States …