WHATCOM COUNTY To say that it's easy to get lost mountain-biking on Bellingham's Galbraith Mountain is like saying that Northwest winters are a mite cloudy. Or that Seattleites enjoy a spot of coffee now and again. Or that Microsoft retains a lawyer or two. It's understating the obvious.
And what's obvious is this: So many trails, fire and logging roads crisscross this hump of mixed forest and clearcut that you're never quite sure which direction you're riding.
By Mike McQuaide | January 16, 2003
Take a Walk
Location: East of Enumclaw.
Length: About 12 miles (including two interpretive loop trails, a half-mile and a mile in length).
Level of difficulty: Level-to-moderate, dirt/gravel trails, muddy in places. Some trails are not maintained in winter, so there may be some obstacles to climb around. The flat, half-mile loop trail has an accessible, fine-gravel surface.
By Cathy McDonald | January 16, 2003
Gearing Up
Snowshoeing and backcountry skiing provide wonderful wintertime fun for outdoor enthusiasts. But they also present problems. These are two highly aerobic activities, meaning you'll generally work up a sweat. The problem is, you'll be sweating in the freezing winter wilderness, and once you stop moving, the perspiration freezes.
By Dan A. Nelson | January 16, 2003
Gearing Up
It was a glorious winter weekend on Mount Hood. The powder was deep, the wind was dormant and the sun sparkled off a fresh blanket of snow. But, I was seriously annoyed. The climbing skins on my skis kept peeling off, and I was about ready to dive into a snow bank and call it quits.
My friend, who was 100 yards uphill from me, saw that I was at the end of my rope. He carved a graceful line back down, hauled my sorry butt out of the snow and presented me with a thermos of hot spiced cider. All of a sudden, my mood brightened.
By Kristin Hostetter | January 16, 2003
