Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend October 14, 2010) At times, technology enhances the wilderness experience. Today’s smartphones, for instance, allow me to carry in my pack a wide range of nature guides so I can quickly identify birds, beasts, wildflowers and stars — with minimal weight. Readers seem to agree, with many e-mailing [Continued...]
Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend March 18, 2010) Spring in the Northwest can be great for outdoor adventures. Or it can be miserable — cold, wet and windy. In the event of the latter, you’ll want some bombproof bags to carry your gear to warmer, drier climes. Enter Fishpond. Though designed by and [Continued...]
Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend March 10, 2010) It seems spring has arrived early in Western Washington this year, which means we’ll have a longer hiking season in the Cascades. Folks who want to get an early jump on the hiking season need to be prepared for cold, wet conditions. Fortunately, a couple [Continued...]
Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend January 20, 2009) Coleman’s new LED Quad lantern and Brunton’s Profile Duo range-grill combo add modern touches to camping gear. The days of finicky pressurized stoves and smelly old kerosene lanterns hanging in canvas tents are gone. Car-campers today have new appliances for clean, carefree camp cooking and [Continued...]
Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend November 26, 2009) The Zephyr GTX trail shoe from Lowa is a top-quality wet-weather stomper No matter your true age, if you hike in the “offseason” in the Northwest, you are still a kid at heart. By this time of year, any trails that aren’t snow-covered will be [Continued...]
Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend November 26, 2009) Our crew of gear reviewers pick two top trail-running shoes, from Vasque and The North Face. There’s a growing segment of the trail community that has a need for speed. For the record, I am not a trail runner, but in response to several reader [Continued...]
Share DISCLAIMER: As an historian and outdoor recreation professional, I’m doubly biased here. Still, I firmly believe Ken Burns’ newest documentary series represents his best work ever. The six-part series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” covered the history of the national park service from the creation of the world’s first national park (Yellowstone, established [Continued...]
