Ski to Sea by Kitty Bond Race day is May 27 this year. As soon as the official time hits 7:45 a.m., the first leg of the journey takes off. The Mount Baker Marathon started in 1911 as “America’s …

Book Reviews By Pat Grubb Sea Kayaking: Basic Skills, Paddling Techniques, and Expedition Planning by Dan Henderson Dan Henderson is a long-time paddling coach and world-renowned expert in kayak …

Divine Divergence Hiking the Nooksack Cirque and Yellow Aster Butte trails By Ryan Hasert The book drops with a familiar thud and joins the many other hiking books scattered across my kitchen table. …

Summer gear, 2012 By Molly Baker Keen Shasta WP Light Hiking Shoes The Shasta WP (waterproof) light hiking shoe is ideal for weekend hikes, urban treks around town or brisk walks with friends on your …

Liquid light Paddling in search of bioluminesence By Sue Madsen Bioluminesence! I’d heard of it but had never seen this liquid light. As we paddled along the floating docks that ring the marina, …

Farmers Markets Anacortes Farmers Market Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. anacortesfarmersmarket.org Bellingham Farmers Market Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. bellinghamfarmers.org Birch Bay Public Market …

Home grown Deliciously local food and drink By Sherry Sennet From delicatessens to fine dining establishments, more restaurants are seeking local food producers to supply their culinary needs. While …

Zip on The thrill of gliding through trees By Carissa Wright Stretched between two huge trees, you’re careening through the air at what seems like a thousand miles per hour, soaring high above …

Shooting stars Prime viewing sites of the Perseids By Sue Madsen A rim of yellow fading to cerulean blue outlines the horizon to the west, but overhead the sky is a deep indigo with stars just …

Turns all year Who says you can't ski in the summer? By Sam Lozier On a clear day, you can look east and see the perpetually snow-capped mountains of the Cascades. If you’ve lived here for a while, …

What's SUP? Water from a higher point of view By Shannon Skouras I drag my fingers through the cool water of Bellingham Bay as the sun beats down on me. I’m lying on my stand up paddleboard, …

Shredding Cleator Chuckanut has a mountain bike trail for all riders By Shannon Skouras As we turn off Chuckanut Drive and the pavement abruptly changes to gravel, my heart starts to …

Below the surface Diving in the Pacific Northwest By Sue Madsen On a cold, windy Saturday, a group of eight hardy souls gathered on the beach on Whidbey Island in wetsuits. It was the first …

Deming Logging Show By Jeremy Schwartz The first thing I saw at the Deming Logging Show grounds was an old wooden stump with dozens of chainsaws sticking out of it. The blades of the saws, plunged …

'ROUND LUMMI Circumnavigating “the other” island By Dave Peebles The islands present a number of impediments to the would-be tourer, however, which I suppose is actually part of the charm. Among …

Tulip time Gear up for Skagit valley's annual festival By Jeremy Schwartz As northwest Washington emerges from a punishing winter, Mother Nature makes it evidently clear to Whatcom and Skagit county …

Coming home A pro skier longs for her favorites By Molly Baker Pro skiers don’t get health benefits or retirement packages. They get travel packages. It was always one of the opportunities of the …

Crud and mud Keep your bike clean and maintained for optimal performance By Ashlon Durham Your bike may speak a language all its own. Whether you are riding mountain bike trails, commuting to work or …

Building trails Transitioning into biking season By Owen Dudley People have all kinds of reasons for using trails. Whether it’s hiking, horseback riding, hunting or mountain biking, trails allow …

Big, sharp and pointy A talk with Dunham Gooding about the American Alpine Institute By Pat Grubb The American Alpine Institute (AAI) has grown from its beginnings in 1975 as a small outfit offering …