After a record cold and snowy February, the sudden switch to summertime temperatures the past few days has been just the prescription to get over our collective cabin fever. Saturday afternoon I got out for a spin around Mercer Island, and it felt as though the entire region with letting …

Although 44-year-old Stuke Sowle has only been running for about five years, he has been feverishly working on ambitious projects that are animating the PNW running community. He dubbed his most recently completed adventure #everysinglesummit. The #everysinglesummit idea was based on a Strava trend in which folks cycle every single …

Although 100-mile ultra runs are a relatively popular “thing” these days, several regional athletes are upping the ante just a tad. A few recent “ultra-ultra” projects include: 1. In the summer of 2017 mother/daughter duo Tania and Martina Halik became the second team to ski the entire 2,300km length of …

This is the third of a three-part series about doing a 3-day trail run/hike on the Wonderland Trail. It’s typically done as a week-long backpacking trip, or at the fast end of the spectrum, as a fast ultra run in under 1.5 days. To understand what is involved in a …

Among the most popular fall hikes in the Cascades are those with abundant larch trees. The Maple Pass Loop near Rainy Pass on Highway 20 (aka “The North Cascades Highway”) offers a great mix of larches, views, meadows, and lakes. Larches are an unusual “deciduous conifer” whose needles change a …

This is the second of a three-part series about doing a 3-day trail run/hike on the Wonderland Trail. It’s typically done as a week-long backpacking trip, or at the fast end of the spectrum, as a fast ultra run in under 1.5 days. To understand what is involved in a …

Mt. Rainer is visible from the Idaho border and from space. It’s an icon of the Pacific Northwest: 14,410’ of rock and ice rising up from the sea in an immense display of majestic beauty. Less obvious is the thin ribbon of trail circling the mountain, the Wonderland. The trail …

I’m surprised to see how many folks have been out running and cycling during the recent smoky weather. It’s as if the rest of us need to HTFU. Current AQI: Exercising in unhealthy air isn’t like lifting weights: it’s not going to make your lungs “stronger.” And, just because you …

Highway 542, the Mt Baker Scenic Byway, runs east-west from Bellingham to Artist Point. It is the access point to some of the Northwest’s best mountain terrain: fantastic trails, North Cascades National Park, mountaineering, skiing at Mt. Baker Ski Area, and some of the best backcountry skiing in North America …

Sad to say, as far as area hikes go, I tend to replay my “greatest hits” list over and over. I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1994 and only just got around to the Annette Lake Trail last weekend. Last Saturday I volunteered to help at the mile 10.4 …