Story and photos by Oliver Lazenby W hen Chuck Patterson decided to open a grocery store, he first needed to do some research. He drove south and stopped at more than 50 roadside gas stations and …

Story and photos by Brad Andrew T he mountain bike trail builder is a unique breed. The trail builder leads a life of labor that garners little acknowledgement. It is a life lived in forest shadows, …

Story by Aubrey Laurence J ust as my wife and I gained the summit of Mount Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak, I pulled back my hood and heard a bewildering noise. It was a constant, high-pitched …

Brian Chapel photo. Story by Andy Basabe “D’ya remember when…?” That’s the silly question that delineates generational differences in communities. “D’ya remember when Mt. Baker Ski Area …

A tent on the Baker River. Andy Porter photo. Story by Oliver Lazenby I n 1994 when the Northridge earthquake knocked out power across Los Angeles, astronomers at Griffith Observatory, just north of …

NCI founders Tom Fleischner and Saul Weisberg 30 years ago and five years ago. Photo courtesy of NCI. By Oliver Lazenby T hirty years ago, two climbing buddies who were worried about the future of a …

Josh Hummel splashes through a puddle on Tiger Mountain. Jason Hummel photo. Sahale Arm, North Cascades National Park. Andy Porter photo. The summit ridge of Chickamin Peak, Alpine Lakes Wilderness. …

By Oliver Lazenby Unlike last year, it’s actually snowing in the North Cascades this winter. That’s good news for skiers and snowboarders but bad for hikers hoping for a repeat of 2015, when you …

By Steve Guntli In the 1970s, Stephen King published a book (under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman) called “The Long Walk.” The story involves a dystopian future contest where hundreds of young …

By Cory Tarilton Photos by Lauren Dunn Many changes signal the end of summer in the Pacific Northwest. The mountains shed their green hues in exchange for vibrant fall colors. The rock climbing gets …

Shredder of red tape. When it comes to building trails, the box of paperwork that precedes any digging is just as important as shovels and excavators. Todd Elsworth shows what it took to build the …

Damaged buildings in Kathmandu. Photo by Doreen Richmond. Two local women tell their story of living through one of Nepal’s greatest tragedies Jeannie DeBari and Doreen Richmond were nearing the …

Climbing Iceland's highest peak By Aubrey Laurence A t 3 a.m., I peeled back the room-darkening shades to reveal the objective of our day: Hvannadalshnúkur (pronounced kvah-nuh-doll-shnooker, more …

The art of cooking over an open flame By Jason D. Martin I used to hate campfires. They’re dirty. They make your clothes smell bad. They’re a lot of work. And they’re kind of dangerous. But …

Foliage trails on Highway 542 By Oliver Lazenby F all might be the best season for hiking in the mountains. Snow is long gone, mosquitos are dead and the short growing season in the meadows comes to …

By Leif Whittaker I f you spend enough time in wild places, miles away from the nearest bathroom, you’re bound to have a moment when it’s more than a little awkward to answer nature’s call. …

Multisport adventure on the Mt. Baker Highway By Oliver Lazenby T he dark tower of rock that makes up the summit of Tomyhoi Peak scared me. I had been moving toward the dark tower for more than 24 …

Photo by Chris Duppenthaler A new trail connects Bellingham to the summit of Mt. Baker By Ian Ferguson You see Mt. Baker on the horizon, dwarfing the surrounding peaks, and you wonder how long it …

Three amazing hikes on the Olympic Coast By Tara Nelson With snow-capped peaks, coastline, wildflower meadows and moss-draped rainforests, the Olympic Peninsula is absolutely loaded with spectacular …