Field Notes How to Filson’s Guide to Conifers of the Cascades Washington’s forests are home to more than 25 unique species of trees. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to quickly identify the 5 key varieties in the North Cascades. Read more 4 Min
Signature Materials Filson Signature Materials: Technical Rainwear Pt. 2 When looking at pictures of rain jackets on a web page, they all kind of look the same. How does one choose? Simple: honestly prioritize your needs as a user and choose the jacket that best fits those needs. Read more 5 Min
Profiles The Glaciers of the North Cascades North Cascades National Park counts more than 300 glaciers along this northwestern spine of mountains—and that’s just inside the park boundaries. The North Cascades are the most glaciated place in the country outside of Alaska, but this ice-clad range has remained relatively under the radar compared to places such as Montana’s Glacier National Park or Mount Rainier in the South Cascades. The landscape here feels wilder, at the edge of things, with a mystical feel of vastness and geologic time lent by the presence of these relics from the last ice age. Read more 5 Min
Profiles North Cascades: Bastion of the Wild Sitting like stone guardians just below the Canadian border, the North Cascade mountains are keepers of the wildness that once roamed unchecked across North America. Soaring high into the skies, their stony and snowy peaks seem to scrape at the clouds that pass overhead demanding tribute as they float by. Sparkling like scattered gems, glacially fed lakes brilliantly reflect the sunlight while, through deep green valleys, bright, blue-gray rivers run down to the surrounding flatlands. It is a spot where a person could quickly leave behind all of the trappings that attach themselves to our modern daily existence and transport to another existence entirely. Read more 4 Min
Profiles Climber Fred Beckey: Spirit of the Mountains If you listen hard enough, you can hear Fred Beckey’s spirit whispering among the towering peaks and hidden valleys of the Northern Cascades. Around campfires, bar tops, or anywhere that people gather, his name tends to pop up. He is an outdoors urban legend, the mythical mountaineer who spent eight decades solely focused on one thing and one thing only: climbing. Read more 3 Min
Signature Materials Filson Signature Materials: Technical Rainwear Pt. 1 When you’re outdoors and can’t escape wet weather, staying dry is a very real need. Quality rain gear not only keeps you more comfortable—in cold temperatures, it can prevent life-threatening hypothermia. Rain gear that strikes a balance between conflicting criteria such as water resistance vs. breathability, mobility vs. simplicity, and packability vs. durability solves problems for the outdoorsman. This article takes a look at some of the modern technologies available to keep us dry, and how they work. Read more 5 Min
Profiles Leif Whittaker: My Old Man & the Mountain My Old Man and the Mountain is Leif Whittaker’s engaging and humorous story of what it was like to “grow up Whittaker”―the youngest son of Jim Whittaker and Dianne Roberts, in an extended family of accomplished climbers. He shares glimpses of his upbringing and how the pressure to climb started early on. Read more 6 Min
Profiles Amy David: Why I Guide As a professional skier, Amy David spends most days in the winter backcountry, skiing and snowmobiling while being photographed and filmed for media content. Simultaneously, She leads a backcountry retreat program for women and is currently working to earn a backcountry ski guide certification from the American Mountain Guide Association, the highest standard for mountain guides. Read more 6 Min
Field Notes The Evolution of Mountaineering Gear Humans have climbed mountains since they first crossed the Alps or left religious offerings in the highest heights. But it wasn’t until the mid-18th century that Europeans turned their gaze to the tops of mountains. Read more 8 Min
Field Notes Train Like a Wildland Firefighter with Mountain Tough Fitness Lab The day-to-day rigors of a wildland firefighter require supreme mental and physical strength. These folks hump 45-pound packs up and down steep, rugged terrain for three to five miles a day — usually in the intense heat of a wildfire. If you want what it takes to be a wildland firefighter, you have to train like one. That’s where MTNTOUGH comes in. Read more 2 Min
Field Notes A Wanderer’s View of Starved Rock State Park, Illinois As far as state parks go, Starved Rock is tall. Something to be said in a flat, corn-centric state like Illinois. But from its massive Cottonwoods and Oaks that first greet you, to its grand views of the Illinois River, its serpentine boardwalks to the bluffs, its waterfalls, and even its soaring eagles, everything points to the sky. Read more 5 Min
How-To Snakebite Prevention and First Aid While snakebites are a relatively rare occurrence, knowing how to prevent or treat one is a potentially lifesaving skill. This is especially true for those of us who spend a lot of our time outdoors, whether for work or recreation. The more you know, the better you can prepare if something should ever happen to Read more 5 Min
How-To What to Pack for a Backpack Fly Fishing Trip Backpacking is a great way to re-familiarize yourself with the often-elusive feeling of spare time. With a little extra planning, you can turn a backpacking trip into a fly-fishing trip. We asked Sage Elite Pro and backcountry fishing expert Seth Blackamore about what he packs for a minimalist backcountry fishing kit. Read more 2 Min
Field Notes 70 Years of Seattle Mountain Rescue Imagine for a moment you’re miles deep into your favorite backcountry and you’re unable to get out. It’s 1936. You’re using gear that today sits in vintage displays– leather boots, knickers, wooden ice axes. You don’t have a cell phone or locator beacon. There’s no SOS button, no 911. Back then, there was Ome Daiber. Read more 8 Min
Profiles Cooper River Trail Some of us like hiking and some of us like fishing; a lot of us like both. The Cooper River Trail is the perfect trail for those who like both. Just outside of Cle Elum, WA, the Cooper River Trail is just that, a trail that follows along the Cooper River. Read more 1 Min
Profiles Franklin Falls Trail Looking for a quick hike before work or an afternoon trek through the forest, Franklin Falls is a great option for those based in the Seattle area. This short two-mile trail has numerous features for its brief length. Read more 1 Min
Profiles Heliotrope Ridge Trail The Heliotrope Ridge trail is a roughly 6 mile roundtrip trail that features a trek through an old growth forest, several creek crossings, and an up close and personal look at the Coleman Glacier. Read more 1 Min
Profiles Celebrating the National Parks Centennial: Elliot Ross and the Range of Light Elliot Ross is a New York City based freelance photographer. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, his interest for the photographic medium, for far flung places, and for observing the effects of isolation on interpersonal relationships developed during his upbringing in rural Northeast Colorado. He holds a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design. His Read more
Profiles The Cosmos and the Desert: Thosh Collins’ Western Photography Anthony “Thosh” Collins has spent the last eighteen years documenting and sharing the beauty, strength, intelligence, and resiliency of the Native cultures of the West and their unique landscapes. Rooted in his O’Odham heritage, a tribe from Salt River, Arizona, he utilizes photography to promote a positive image of Indigenous people and the land they Read more
Field Notes Explore the End of Summer: 4 Late Season Hikes in the Northwest with the WTA Washington Trails Association is a member-supported nonprofit that works to protect trails and promote hiking in Washington through volunteer trail maintenance, education and advocacy, and inspiring the next generation of hikers. Learn more at wta.org. Labor Day weekend is past and the days are getting shorter, so it may seem like prime hiking season is drawing to Read more