Recently declared a drought zone, the Olympic National Park on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula may be unusually accessible this spring and summer. For better or worse, this year the designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve with its beaches, rain forests and mountains will experience one of the driest springs on record. If you […]
By Leslee Jaquette My friend Shannon and I recently spent a delightful four-plus hours hiking the seven-mile round-trip trail to Annette Lake in the I-90 Corridor. Exiting at milepost 47, it’s only a couple of quick turns off the freeway and you are parked in the lot and ready to rock. Across the highway, the […]
The Willamette is a vital, multi-purpose waterway that touches the lives of millions of people. It provides ports for commercial barges and oceangoing ships, irrigation for crops sold worldwide, an abundant fishery, and recreational opportunities.Nearly 70 percent of Oregonians live within 20 miles of the Willamette River, and some may not even realize it. Although […]
Wind surfing capital of the world is Hood River’s latest distinction. Previously known for growing luscious apples, pears, cherries, peaches and other fruits, and for the view of the majestic snowcapped peak of Mt. Hood, Hood River has become the destination of choice for wind surfers from around the world. The winds from the Columbia River […]
Wind surfing capital of the world is Hood River’s latest distinction. Previously known for growing luscious apples, pears, cherries, peaches and other fruits, and for the view of the majestic snowcapped peak of Mt. Hood, Hood River has become the destination of choice for wind surfers from around the world. The winds from the Columbia River […]
While any season is a good time to travel to Leavenworth for shopping, beer drinking and weinersnitzel eating, summer is elegant and warm in this tourist town east of Stevens Ski Resort off Highway 2 in the North Cascades. Good weather means you don’t have to hurry. Instead, you can relax and enjoy the scenery […]
By Leslee Jaquette This summer my gang of camping and hiking buddies has its collective eye on Larrabee State Park. We think it would be perfect for a mid-week destination getaway. This 2,683-acre camping park with 8,100-feet of saltwater shoreline on Samish Bay near Bellingham in northwest Washington offers something for everyone. The park features […]
Gardeners and non-garden-types may be interested to learn that Crater Lake National Park in Central Oregon is a giant moss garden! Yes, aquatic moss not only lives, but flourishes, in the incredibly cold and deep lake at depths from about 100 to 400 feet. Scientists are studying it and often use a deep-sea rover to […]
The Jesuit Novitiate in Sheridan, Ore recently agreed to conserve more than 100 acres of “stunning” coastal landscape overlooking Nestucca Bay. The Nature Conservancy in Oregon and the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked with the Jesuits to conserve the 102.53-acre property located on Cannery Hill overlooking Nestucca Bay. Ownership of […]
By Leslee Jaquette Armed with a new REI backpacking pack that actually fits, I’m ready to venture out on more Northwest overnight explorations. One hiking destination that totally intrigues me is so new it’s not even on my Atlas (circa 2002). I’m talking about Steens Mountain Wilderness area in Southeast Oregon not too far from […]
