Fireside

John Muir Trail Part III: Golden Staircase to Evolution Basin

John Muir Trail Part III: Golden Staircase to Evolution Basin

From where we sat with our backs against a white-speckled granite rock on the top of Mather Pass at 12,100 feet in the southern Sierra, the view could have fit with any good post-apocalyptic science fiction novel: bare jumbled rock spreading away to the horizon south and north, rimmed by the next column of stark dry peaks, sparse alpine plants clinging to fragile rootholds, scattered tarns reflecting the striking blue sky above, and not another soul in sight for miles. It would be easy to imagine that something big went “BOOM!” here and the lifeless land had not yet healed its scars.

by — February 4, 2013 — 0 comments — Fireside, Trail of the Week, Trails
John Muir Trail Part II: Forester Pass to Rae Lakes

John Muir Trail Part II: Forester Pass to Rae Lakes

The John Muir Trail’s narrow tread stretched ahead across the flatland as far as our eyes could see, with ghostly grey-blue peaks framing the vista from southeast to northwest in the far distance, and the shadows of fast-scudding clouds zipping quickly westward across the flat lands in front of us.

by — January 17, 2013 — 0 comments — Fireside, Trail of the Week, Trails
Dreams of Summer Hikes in the North Cascades

Dreams of Summer Hikes in the North Cascades

The Milky Way stretched wide across the sky, a band of unfathomable depth, silhouetted on one side by mighty trees rooted to the earth with their branches seeking skyward. I could feel my mind and heart expanding at times to embrace in wonder the awe of their immensity and at other times the shrinking insignificance of my place relative to their vastness.

by — January 16, 2013 — 0 comments — Community, Fireside, Trails
Protect the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Wilderness

Protect the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Wilderness

The time for action is ripe and as we cozy up for another long, dark winter we can prepare for a new year that will bring more opportunities for engagement. Long delayed, the Forest Service has promised to release the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Travel Management Plan early in 2013, to be quickly followed by the DEIS for the Forest Plan Revision. Both of these processes will offer our community a chance to engage, to talk with the Forest Service about how we use and value our public lands. And if we work hard enough, the snow may just melt in time for us to enjoy new Wilderness, for the first time.

by — December 10, 2012 — 0 comments — Community, Earth, Fireside
Pratt River Trail No 1035

Pratt River Trail No 1035

The resurrected Pratt River trail provides a good answer to the hiker’s question as to where to hike in November. The Pratt River trail is an old trail given a new life from the work of the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, the Trio Construction Company from North Idaho, Washington Trails Associations, other organizations and volunteers. It is believed that miners were the first to blaze a trail to Pratt Lake at the turn of the century; there were gold claims in the region, including claims on Chair Peak.

by — November 27, 2012 — 0 comments — Fireside, Trails
The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

On a beautiful fall afternoon, the leaves had already fallen, carpeting the trail in a cascade of yellow and red. The trees offered little areas for the afternoon sun to creep through so there was a slight chill passing through the length of the road. About five miles in, the trees cleared and suddenly we had an uninterrupted view of Cook Inlet and Anchorage’s resident peak Mount Sustina. We took a break to watch the fishing vessels crisscrossing the waters of the inlet, and watched the myriad of people who were on the trail each in their own way; running, biking, dog walking, it seemed like all of Anchorage was enjoying the breathtaking scenery.

by — November 13, 2012 — 0 comments — Fireside, Trails
A Dark and Snowy Night

A Dark and Snowy Night

Before we even left the parking lot strange lights encircled us. Our eyes played tricks on us as they danced around, never quite letting on their identity or getting close enough to make out the forms near them. We pushed on quickly, looking forward to getting away from the spookiness of the parking lot, but little did we know the trees and snowfields above would prove even more haunting.

by — October 31, 2012 — 0 comments — Fireside
Washington Werewolves

Washington Werewolves

Her sudden scream cut across our conversation; we dropped our candy, watching in horror as something big began to drag her into the brush.

by — October 30, 2012 — 0 comments — Fireside
Fauna From The Himalayas

Fauna From The Himalayas

I’m on the ascent to the magnificent Annapurna range that has an unparalleled reputation for breath-taking views, quaint Sherpa villages and an enviable array of flora and fauna. My first stop is Hyangja – a Tibetan refugee camp where I enjoy fuelling myself with freshly steamed buffalo momos and hot chai in preparation for walking that awaits me.

by — October 29, 2012 — 0 comments — Fireside
Wind River Range Part II-Washakie Pass-Cirque of the Towers to Big Sandy

Wind River Range Part II-Washakie Pass-Cirque of the Towers to Big Sandy

We found ourselves in an incredible, almost unearthly landscape shaped by glaciers, rivers and inexorable wind – a quarter-mile-wide bench with little vegetation, piles of boulders, a high ridge some thousand feet above us to our east, and a steep thousand-foot drop to our west with the myriad peaks along a hundred miles of the divide stretched out beyond. The wind, mostly in our faces but sometimes blissfully off the starboard bow, was like a living thing, blasting, swirling, sometimes even lifting us up so that we would stagger to keep our footing.

by — October 26, 2012 — 0 comments — Earth, Fireside, Trails
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