camping

Our time on the Fond du Lac River is nearing an end. We have seen it change in character, from tumbling over granite boulders into Lake Athabasca to winding through magnificent sandstone ledges. It has definitely shrunk in size as we have traveled upstream over the past week.
We spent… Read the rest

Right now I’m in Telluride CO. sitting on a couch, which reminds me how the Playground Tour all began. Last winter, I was doing nothing, writing like I am right now, only I had no story to tell. Recently graduated from college, I was living at my parents’ home trying… Read the rest

“I am German, you know. It is time for beer.”
I break my focus from pitching the tent and squint up at Guenter, the sun flaring above his head. I nod in approval, but notice he’s drinking Coors. Should I be more upset about the fact that Guenter’s perception of… Read the rest

Mt. Rainier National Park offers some of the most diverse alpine terrain in the Pacific Northwest. Millions of visitors flock to the dormant juggernaut during peak seasons, and even in winter there is a steady flow of admirers. Surrounding areas receive some traffic too, such as the impressive Tatoosh range… Read the rest

Around the campfire, a quirky and somewhat obscene musical experiment quickly develops since its inception earlier in the afternoon on the third pitch.
The dwindling fire dances in the satin sheen of the lone classical guitar. In the shadows of the last log burning, voices sing, sometimes mumbling; the music… Read the rest

Deep in the heart of the central eastern Cascades lies the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area and the Enchantments. Magnificent alpine lakes surrounded by jagged granite rock and remnant glacial fields make this wilderness destination one of the most popular areas in Washington’s backcountry during peak season. Winter offers solitude and… Read the rest

My idea of what a mining town might have been like is probably skewed severely by the many westerns I used to watch with my grandpa while growing up. However, the possibility of seeing the remains of the city that was once the center of Washington’s gold rush was extremely… Read the rest

I found myself looking at the forecast for all of Washington and everywhere was calling for rain. It’s getting to be that time of year again. Everywhere but Frenchman’s Coulee. At least the forecast was calling for a small percentage of a chance of rain there. To add, I’ve never… Read the rest

The temperature was finally beginning to drop to a normal level and the forecast was looking good. It was time to head out to another beautiful area in the northern area of Mt. Rainier National Park, only this time the focus was getting in July ski turns. Kyle had returned… Read the rest

The Sunrise area of Mt. Rainier National Park, at 6,400 ft., is the highest point one can drive to within the park boundaries. Its location at the northeast corner of the park offers views that many visitors claim are unsurpassed by any other area of the park. From here, one… Read the rest