T’was the night before Christmas all along the O.P. Not a creature was stirring; even the marmots were asleep. The stocking were hung by the campfire, from Olympia to Neah Bay In hopes that St Nicholas would soon be on his way;
The Seven Day Sunset Challenge: Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Edition
Most mornings I wake up. This is not out of the ordinary. I have done it for the overwhelmingly majority of my time alive. Out of the 14,000+ days of my life, the one at the start of each week has notoriously been the hardest. Garfield famously moans, from his bed that is shaped like a …
Yes! The Wild Olympics Bill Just Passed The Natural Resources Committee. Now What?
December 5th, 2019, is a good day. On this day, 126,500 acres, 19 rivers and their major tributaries, a total of 464 river miles, got a little closer to becoming more protected and wild. The river valleys, located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, received some good news out of D.C. The Wild Olympics …
The First Low Snow Has Arrived in Olympic National Park
Each year, when daylight hours start to dwindle and the temperature hovers around freezing, an excitement builds around the Pacific Northwest. As news reports whip us into a frenzy over incoming winter weather conditions, the freezing level starts falling toward sea-level, raising our expectations for a chance to experience a winter wonderland. When it snows …
Adventures in Moose Country: Watching the Rut in Grand Teton National Park
There are moments you will always remember in life. For some, it is their first kiss. For others, it may be their wedding day, the birth of a child, college graduation, the first time they voted for President, or even buying avocado toast instead of a house. The moments that stick with me are those …
Have You Been Stricken With Larch Madness?
Douglas Scott for Curbed Seattle By now, you have seen the pictures across social media and heard your outdoor adventure friends talk about their most-recent larch adventure in the Cascades. If you haven’t, I am impressed. In the Pacific Northwest, larch fever is easier to catch than a whiff of pumpkin spice at a Starbucks.
Things You’ll Hear While Waiting For Old Faithful
Seeing Old Faithful erupt in Yellowstone National Park is one of the quintessential moments in America’s National Parks. For generations, experiencing this iconic event has dazzled the crowds who visit all year long. While each eruption is special and unique, there are a few things that happen nearly every time Old Faithful goes off. In …
Olympic National Park’s Road to Graves Creek Has Reopened
As cold air returns to the region, bringing with it a fall snow event in the higher elevations, some good news was announced by Olympic National Park. On Friday, September 27th, the road to Graves Creek in the Quinault region of the park reopened to vehicles. The press release reads as follows:
101 Mountain Goats Moved From the Olympic Mountains in August of 2019
Goodbye, Mount Ellinor Mountain Goats. You will be missed. There are now a lot less mountain goats wandering the rocky summits of the Olympic Mountains. For the second straight year, the Mountain Goat Removal process has been hailed a success by the agencies carrying it out. A total of 22 mountain goats were removed from …
Road Repairs to Close Olympic National Park’s Graves Creek Region in September 2019
Heading the Quinault Rainforest in September of 2019? Be prepared for closures and restrictions to reach the Graves Creek region. Starting on September 3rd and lasting into early October, Olympic National Park will be working to fix spots on the road damaged from previous washouts. The image above is from a washout in 2016 that …