Outside

Hikers fear plan to log Blanchard Mountain
Greg Johnston: If you want to experience the special sights of Blanchard Mountain and its Oyster Dome Trail in the Chuckanuts, best do it now before the Department of Natural Resources implements a logging plan.

Outdoors Report: Trout action warming up with the weather
Greg Johnston: While trout fishing appears to be picking up in lakes statewide, there's a bonanza brewing for halibut and lingcod on the marine waters.

Area Recreation Clubs

THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008
Center for Wooden Boats keeps the past afloat
Greg Johnston: On Seattle's Lake Union, the Center for Wooden Boats offers an easy, often cost-free opportunity to get up close with -- and even sail on -- some beautiful craft lovingly constructed in times past.

Outdoors Report: Opportunities abound for anglers, shellfish harvesters
Greg Johnston: It's a smorgasbord of opportunities out there for fishers, clam diggers, shrimpers and oyster gatherers.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008
Downhill mountain bike racing is a thrill-packed, muddy experience
Downhill mountain biking is a thrill-packed, gravity-fed, often muddy experience, with "lifts" to get riders and their bikes back to the top for another run. Want to do it? There's a legal run established near Port Angeles.

Butte's big summer includes the three-day National Folk Festival
The National Folk Festival comes to Montana this summer, bringing the event's mix of "music, dance and tradition from across America" to historic Butte in Big Sky country.

Outdoors Report: Seasonal trout lakes set to open
Greg Johnston: A slight warming trend heading into the weekend bodes well for Saturday's opening day of trout fishing in Washington's seasonal lakes.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Vancouver's Stanley Park is the queen of urban refuges
Greg Johnston: VANCOUVER, B.C. -- You can't really know Canada's vibrant and diverse western metropolis, home to 2 million busy souls including the surrounding communities, without first taking a walk through the city's forest and down by its shores.

B.C.'s hidden gems: Adventures and grand views await
Here are a few special hidden gems you can discover while visiting British Columbia, with something for hikers, archaeology buffs, gardeners and lovers of wide-open vistas.

Outdoors Report: Columbia providing surge of chinook action
Greg Johnston: The angling menu this weekend depends on your tastes. Spring chinook fishing on the Columbia River is terrific, halibut fishing in Puget Sound is off to a fine start and razor clam digging prospects are good on the south coast ocean beaches.

Be wild and green in B.C.
The first issue of a new publication, "Be Wild in BC," being launched Thursday in Vancouver, will help you connect with eco-friendly vacations in British Columbia.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008
Classic lodges of the Olympic Peninsula provide perfect getaways to national park
Greg Johnston: The Olympic Peninsula, known for its unspoiled wilderness, features three classic lodges -- two of them historic landmarks and each of them worth a visit.

Immerse yourself in redwoods a half-hour from San Francisco
California's popular Muir Woods National Monument, a dozen miles north of San Francisco, celebrates a century of conservation.

Previous headlines

OUTSIDE ARCHIVE (By topic)

- Access
- Adventure
- Bicycling
- Boating
- Camping
- Canoeing/
Kayaking

- Climbing
- Diving
- Environment
- Fishing
- Flying
- Horseback
Riding

- Kite Flying
- Relaxing
- Running
- Skate Boarding
- Skating
- Water Sports
- Wildlife

ACCESS

Teenager glides past disability with help of program (March 9, 2000)
Disabled learn to tame the wind (June 18, 1998)

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ADVENTURE

Defying gravity (July 31, 2003)
Challenge courses help people rise above fear

Kenai Peninsula (August 15, 2002)
Pack your bag full of Alaskan adventures.

Season's Readings (Nov. 22, 2001)
A good guidebook or field guide is essential.

Kicking up dirt (August 16, 2001)
Trail-bike riding churns out fun -- and controversy

War and Peace
A history-filled adventure on San Juan Island (July 15, 1999)

Guided hikes fun way to see wilderness
Orienteering teaches players how to read nature1s clues
Sea-run trout earns affection of anglers
Rich estuary is an unspoiled gem of a marine trail

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BICYCLING

Wheeling to wine country (October 2, 2003)
Thanks to the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish trails, Woodinville is a hot destination for lunch and a sip

Easy riding (Sept. 4, 2003)
There's no need for speed when biking lovely Lopez Island

Biking in B.C. (July 3, 2003)
Exercise, scenery and soothing stops

Two for the road (Feb. 27, 2003)
Sharing a tandem bike is a great way to pump up a healthy relationship

Winter wheels (Dec. 19, 2002)
These mountain bikers are pumped, no matter the season

Taking to the streets (May 30, 2002)
Bicycle Saturdays and Sundays is an old and popular tradition

Trail Mix (Feb. 28, 2002)
Miles and miles of Puget Sound routes await bicyclists

Mountain bike guide scrimps on details (Feb. 28, 2002)

Autumn Rollout (Nov. 1, 2001)
Fall biking pumps up the senses

Spinning in Seattle (Nov. 1, 2001)
Seattle pedals to the top of Bicycle Magazine survey

Monumental Riding (June 28, 2001)
Mountain biking St. Helens is both breathtaking and challenging

Spinning Wheels (May 10, 2001)
Suburban mountain-biking trails require conscientious riding

Getting pumped for Portland (March 29, 2001)
Bike route takes riders on a tasty tour of Tacoma (March 29, 2001)
High-flying mountain bikers rip up the law of gravity in B.C. (Nov. 2, 2000)
Iron Horse Trail: Old railroad bed traverses scenic areas (Oct. 14, 1999)
Cascade club peddles bike-friendly image (Feb. 18, 1999)
Bikers have miles to go before they sleep (Feb. 18, 1999)

Iron Horse State Park
Trail meeting to help decide uses for trail (Nov. 12, 1998)

Mountain Biking Guides
Handy references to biking in state's woods (Oct. 8, 1998)

Napa Valley
Guided cycling tours bring out the beauty of CA wine country (May 14, 1998)

Burke-Gilman Trail
Congestion, convenience, sereneness (April 16, 1998)

Different spokes
Recumbent and tandem bikes gain respect(February 12, 1998)

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BOATING

Wood takes a bow (May 1, 2003)
Historic boat enthusiasts gather to talk shop before season's opening day

Ready, set, sail (May 2, 2002)
Kick off boating season in the San Juan Islands

Boat safety (May 2, 2002)
Small-craft operators face the most danger

Outdoor Notebook (May 2, 2002)
Boat sales boast vessels of all types for wallets of all sizes

Book Review (May 2, 2002)
Don't leave port without it

Rowing (May 2, 2002)
Finding joy in the pull of an oar

Reliving history (July 19, 2001)
On the trail of Lewis and Clark by kayak

Teaching the blend of �you, the boat, the water and the wind� (May 3, 2001)
Opening Day is all about boats (May 3, 2001)
Center for Wooden Boats puts visitors in touch with Seattle's nautical history (May 4, 2000)
Megayachting is in a class of its own (May 4, 2000)
New Web sites cater to boaters (Sept. 2, 1999)
Luxurious landings: Posh ports of the San Juans let boaters slip into something elegant (April 30, 1998)
Idyllic settings, simple joys lure boaters to San Juan marine parks (April 30, 1998)

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CAMPING

On fire (Oct. 9, 2003)
Mount Rainier's slopes are ablaze with fall color

Quit your pitching (May 23, 2002)
State parks offer options to pitching a tent

Fire Ban lifted
Wenatchee fire ban lifted (October 8, 1998)

Campfires
Some Western Washington campfire bans have been lifted (October 1, 1998)

Strathcona Park
Vancouver Island's well-kept secret is brimming with treasures (September 24, 1998)

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CANOEING/KAYAKING/RAFTING

WAKE adventure (November 13, 2003>
Whacky strokes from these paddle folks make kayaking pure pleasure

Southern exposure (August 7, 2003)
Kayaking south Puget Sound reveals a bounty of wonders

Kayak lessons (May 8, 2003)
Whitewater kayaking will sweep you away

Kayak Snohomish River (April 17, 2003)
Paddle the Snohomish and leave today's hustle-bustle in your wake

The Padilla Primeval (Jan. 10, 2002)
A paddle in the bay with naturalist Jennifer Hahn

Dash of Salt (Oct. 11, 2001)
Paddle trip to Lummi Island sprinkled with adventure

Rapid Transit (Sept. 20, 2001)
Rafting Idaho's Salmon River a ride into wildness

The last great place (Aug. 23, 2001)
Where the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge meets the Beaufort Sea

Rafting down the Taku (July 26, 2001)
An adventure down the Taku River watershed in British Columbia

The ancient sport of dragon boat racing (Aug. 31, 2000)
New water trail means paddlers no longer up a creek (Aug. 17, 2000)
Rafting the Yakima (Aug. 10, 2000)
Chelan up close (Sept. 23, 1999)
Rescue practice prepares paddlers for a sudden dunking (Sept. 23, 1999)
A golden ride down the Copper River (Aug. 19, 1999)
Mercer Slough offers quiet respite amid the concrete jungle (Aug. 12, 1999)
Clayoquot's uncommon kayaking (July 22, 1999)
Canoeing the Skykomish (June 24, 1999)
Sea-run trout earns affection of anglers (Oct. 22, 1998)
Rich estuary is an unspoiled gem of a marine trail (Oct. 15, 1998)

Strathcona Park
Vancouver Island's well-kept secret is brimming with treasures (September 24, 1998)

Blazing paddles
Inside Passage expedition soon gets novice kayakers steaming full speed ahead (Aug. 27, 1998)

River dance
Running the rapids is exciting, challenging -- and dangerous (May 14, 1998)

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CLIMBING

A rock for the ages (Sept. 11, 2003)
B.C.'s Stawamus Chief is a wonder of the climbing world

Out on a ledge (May 16, 2002)
Moms and daughters face fears in the Icicle Creek canyon

Tackling the lure of Rainier takes training (July 19, 2000)
As a female climber, Boskoff aims for new heights (Sept. 23, 1999)
Japanese mountaineer youngest to conquer the Seven Summits (Sept. 23, 1999)

High Spirited
Rock climbers find great rewards in extreme challenges (July 30, 1998)

Red Rock Canyon
A big draw for climbers from around the world (April 16, 1998)

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DIVING

Beauty and the deep (Nov. 28, 2002)
The San Juan Islands yield a world
of wonders beneath the waves

Beneath the bay (June 7, 2001)
Divers find booty aplenty but old bottles are the real treasure

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ENVIRONMENT

See how they run (Oct. 30, 2003)
Watch the sockeye salmon run at Cedar River

On the beach (May 29, 2003)
Naturalists bring to light a usually hidden world of marine wonders along urban shores

Alaska's Prince William Sound (Nov. 7, 2002)
Plying the bays and fjords in a land of stupendous beauty

Golden opportunities (Oct. 17, 2002)
High-altitude conifers shine in fall

Jetty Island (August 1, 2002)
A man-made creation is now a natural oasis

North Cascades calling (July 18, 2002)
Saving the environment by educating people

Park Central (July 11, 2002)
Sooke is central to coastal wandering

Black River (June 27, 2002)
A bountiful river is the focus of an intense protection effort

A shoreline most sublime (April 4, 2002)
Whidbey the perfect place to wander

Marymoor Park (Mar. 21, 2002)
A park for all people -- and wildlife.

Plant Patrol (Feb. 21, 2002)
Society tracks down native plants out of love and a growing concern

Tint of Autumn (Oct. 4, 2001)
It's time to revel in fall's glory.

Steens Mountain preserve (August 16, 2001)
Celebrating a program for environmentally sensitive areas.

Lake Crescent never grows old (August 9, 2001)
I stare down at the depths of Lake Crescent. The lake stares back.

A backcountry hike with a dog (August 2, 2001)
Whether Rover should be allowed to roam is a hot trail issue.

Cascades crusade (July 5, 2001)
Reconnecting a checkerboard of old-growth forests

Top picks from Washington's bounty of beautiful state parks (June 14, 2001)
Seattle parks teach an appreciation for the environment (April 26, 2001)
High on Highway 2 (June 1, 2000)

Rooting for the future
Volunteers dig in to replant native evergreen forests (Feb. 10, 2000)

The call of the Loomis
Environmentalists protect a patch of earth filled with wildlife (July 8, 1999)

Ah, the call of the wild: Ring! Ring! Ri-i-i-ng!!
Muddy Waters: Nature thrives in estuaries
Tracking animals tells you much about the life they lead

Orienteering
A sport of skill that teaches players how to read nature1s clues

Iron Horse State Park
Trail meeting to help decide uses for trail

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FISHING

Silver bullets (September 18, 2003)
Coho delivers plenty of bang for your recreational buck

Reeling in the good times (July 24, 2003)
La Push boasts a new attitude and great fishing

Where the 'gators' bite (June 12, 2003)
Get your hook in a 'gator' and you're off on a reel-spinning thrill

The return of the kings (July 25, 2002)
For the first time in years, chinook are back in numbers

Reeling in the Rainbows (April 11, 2002)
Basin lakes are an anglers' oasis

Book Review (April 11, 2002)
Update to state fishing guide is solid if slightly flawed

Blue-ribbon trout (Mar. 28, 2002)
Yakima River worth its weight in gold

Diggin' It (Dec. 6, 2001)
This fall's crop of razor clams is superb

Thrilled to the Gills (Sept. 6, 2001)
Salmon numbers are up and that has anglers jumping for joy

Crab Grabbing (June 21, 2001)
Puget Sound's Dungeness bounty is fun to catch and great to eat

Steelhead stronghold (March 15, 2001)
Olympic Peninsula the last best place for prized wild fish

Hot tuna
Blistering speed and muscle power make albacore a force to reckon with (Sept. 7, 2000)

The lure of shad
Whether you eat them or use them for bait, they're a 'blast to catch' (June 15, 2000)

Running hot
Delectable spring chinook salmon are back in numbers -- and anglers are fired up (May 18, 2000)

Hooked on steelhead
Legendary thriller's migration lures anglers to Whidbey's singular saltwater fishery (Jan. 13, 2000)

Razor's Edge
Digging for golden clams is a coastal tradition that takes skill (Nov. 4, 1999)

Return to Westport
Wild coho are taboo, but there are still plenty of other fish in the sea (Aug. 26, 1999)

Oysters & geoducks & clams, oh my!:
Shellfish season lures legions of diggers to Puget Sound tideflats (May 6, 1999)

The Quinault quest
Steelhead are monstrous and so is the challenge (March 25, 1999)

A shore thing
Beach and pier fishing for salmon have a long history of camaraderie (Sept. 17, 1998)

Trout St. Helens
Rainbow and cutthroat reborn in lakes spawned by the eruption (July 16, 1998)

Spey fishing
The long and the short of this traditional casting method (April 9, 1998)

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FLYING

Soaring clubs (Sept. 12, 2002)
Soar like an eagle -- inexpensively

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HORSEBACK RIDING

Hoofing vs. hiking (Sept. 30, 1999)
Iron Horse State Park

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KITE FLYING

Beach party
Golden Gardens is the happenin' place (June 26, 2003)

The sky's the limit
With high-tech materials, kites soar in popularity (March 13, 1997)

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RELAXING

Nature's power play
Haystack Rock belies the fury of the Oregon Coast (November 6, 2003)

Coastal wanderings
The Oregon shore is blessed with beauty (June 19, 2003)

Ocean Shores
Tiny Ocean Shores boasts a big beach (July 10, 2003)

Rustic hideaways
Rent a fire lookout for some back-to-basics relaxation (Sept. 13, 2001)

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RUNNING

Breezing along a backwoods trail
Trail running can feel like the most natural thing in the world (Oct. 31, 2002)

The People's Park
What makes Green Lake so special (Sept. 27 2001)

Book review
No flab in new trail-running guide (May 24, 2001)

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SKATE BOARDING

Mountainboarding
Where's there's a hill there's a way to enjoy mountainboarding (Sept. 26, 2002)

Boarding party
The good times are rolling (April 5, 2001)

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SKATING

On a roll again
Skating rinks are seeing a resurgence of popularity among young and old (March 22, 2001)

Burke-Gilman Trail
Congestion, convenience, sereneness: Ever-growing Seattle route has it all (April 16, 1998)

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WATER SPORTS

For sail
School offers training to young sailors from all walks of life (August 22, 2002)

Boarding School
Learning to fly a kiteboard (Nov. 8, 2001)

Northwest a perfect place to discover the joys of windsurfing (May 31, 2001)

Surf City, Canada
Hockey may be safe as the national pastime, but on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, surfing is a way of life (April 27, 2000)

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WILDLIFE

City critters (September 25, 2003)
Area parks are host to a surprisingly wide variety of wildlife

Out for blood (April 10, 2003)
How to enjoy the great outdoors without getting bitten

Bobbing for birds (March 27, 2003)
Board a boat for the fresh perspective on the joys of birding

Where the whales are (July 4, 2002)
San Juan Island is a happenin' place for land-based whale watching

Grab those binoculars (April 25, 2002)
Head to the Washington coast for massive bird migration

Marymoor Park (Mar. 21, 2002)
A park for all people -- and wildlife

Book Review: Butterfly enthusiasts will be all aflutter (March 14, 2002)

A whale of a time (Nov. 15, 2001)
Orca-watching in south Puget Sound

Thousands of trumpeters make the New Johnson/DeBay Swan Reserve their winter home (Feb. 22, 2001)
Talon show: Bald eagles make Brackendale, B.C. the viewing capital for our national symbol (Feb. 15, 2001)
Swimming with the salmon in Vancouver's Campbell River (Sept. 21, 2000)
Up close with orcas way up north (Sept. 21, 2000)
Washington is a birder's paradise (April 20, 2000)
It's a home where the buffalo roam -- and elk, too (March 2, 2000)

Wading game
From lumpfish to limpets, tide-pool walks explore an amazing world of curious creatures (Jan. 6, 2000)

Predator paradise
Stunning variety of wintering raptors draws birders to Western Washington (Jan. 28, 1999)

Footprints
Tracking animals tells you much about the life they lead (Dec. 17, 1998)

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