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Take a Hike! National Trails Day.

May 312011

Saturday, June 4, is National Trails Day, an annual event that celebrates trails of all types for non-motorized adventure and recreation in the U.S.A. The American Hiking Society has been organizing this event for 19 years, with the cooperation of the U.S. Forest Service, National Wildlife Service, National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. This year’s sponsors and partners include Backpacker Magazine, Columbia, Eastern Mountain Sports, Fetzer, Merrell, The North Face, American Park Network and REI. If you [read more ...]

International Year of the Forest

Feb 202011

The United Nations has declared 2011 as the International Year of the Forest, with the objective to reverse the loss of forest cover, enhance economic, social and environmental benefits, increase the area of sustainably managed forests and to mobilize increased financial resources. Here in the United States, the U. S. Forest Service, in partnership with the National Association of State Foresters and the American Forest Foundation, is participating in the efforts, kicking off the year with the campaign “Celebrate Forests. [read more ...]

Favorite Photos of 2010

Jan 232011

I’ve been inspired by the blogs of a number of photographers who’ve recently posted their top photos for 2010, so decided to add my own to the mix. Most of the photographers post either landscape and scenic photos or travel photography. I do a mixture of both – something to do with being a Gemini perhaps? – so my selection of favorites is a combination of nature images and snaps from my travels this past year. Early in [read more ...]

The Enchantments – Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Oct 252010

On a beautiful early October morning I stood with a 40-pound pack on my back at the bottom of Aasgard Pass and exclaimed “O.M.G.!” Twice. Once for the incredible beauty of milky blue Colchuck Lake and the towering mountains above, and once for the daunting climb ahead of me – a 2,200 elevation gain in less than a mile of “trail”. Trail is in quotes because the route is basically follow-the-cairns over loose scree and chunks of granite rock after [read more ...]

National Wilderness Month

Sep 022010

September is National Wilderness Month, so proclaimed by President Obama. I’ve had the good fortune to hike and backpack in several wilderness areas recently, and firmly believe that our federally designated Wilderness areas rank right up there with our National Parks as some of the best things about the U.S.A. There are a number of new and proposed wilderness areas in the Pacific Northwest, places that are now protected, or worthy of protection, for future generations. Nationally, The Wilderness Society [read more ...]

Take a hike! National Trails Day

Jun 032010

Saturday, June 5, is National Trails Day, so let’s get out there and take a hike! This annual celebration of hiking and walking trails was started in 1993 by the American Hiking Society to help raise awareness of the benefits of, and needs for, getting outside and enjoying nature. If you want to hike with a group or participate in a trail maintenance project, many events are planned nationwide. Click on the map on this page to find what’s happening [read more ...]

Mount Saint Helens Eruption 30th Anniversary

May 062010

This month marks the 30th anniversary of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. On May 18, 1980 the volcano literally blew its top, spewing ash into the sky and causing a massive avalanche of debris that took 57 human lives and caused millions of dollars of damages. The blast from the eruption leveled thousands of acres of the surrounding forest, and wiped out who knows how many deer, elk, bear and other wildlife. The critters have come back and wildflowers [read more ...]

Holiday Greetings

Dec 242009

My best wishes to all for a wonderful holiday season, and may 2010 bring you health, happiness, love and prosperity.

Autumn is upon us.

Oct 042009

Only a few weeks ago photographers in the Pacific Northwest were still shooting wildflowers in the alpine areas of the Cascade Mountains. With the Autumn Equinox just behind us, we’re now looking for Fall color in many of the same places. I ventured up into the northern and central Cascades of Washington state recently in search of the red, orange and golden leaves that make this season wonderful. My impression is that, just as the wildflowers were a couple of [read more ...]

Mount Rainier Wildflowers

Aug 212009

By several accounts, this year has been among the best in recent times for the wildflowers at Mount Rainier National Park. After hearing earlier this month that the flowers had peaked, I was afraid I wasn’t going to find much by the time I was able to get up there, but I was delighted to find that there are still several areas of lush meadows with lots of colorful flowers in their prime. The always-helpful National Park Rangers at the [read more ...]

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