Washington Disasters (Rob & Natalie McNair-Huff)

Most folks living in the Northwest today remember the Nisqually Earthquake of 2001. I was in my office, for instance, mildly eavesdropping on a class in the next room. I stood up when the shaking began and rode it out in the doorway while the people in class chattered in their seats, neither panicking nor [...]

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Lewis and Clark (Rex Ziak)

There’s a place in southeastern Washington State that’s probably insignificant to nearly everyone who drives by at 60 mph on Highway 730. It’s just north of the Oregon state line at Wallula Gap near the co-mingling of two rivers, the Columbia and the Snake. There’s no marker but the amateur historian in me has stopped [...]

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High Rocks and Ice (Bob & Ira Spring)

A while back I expressed to you my wish — my ache — to be up hiking the high country trails at Mt Rainier. I shared a few mountain photography books with you at the time, but I’d be remiss to talk about such things in this region without mentioning Bob & Ira Spring, twin [...]

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J.P. Patches: Northwest Icon (Chris Wedes)

J.P. Patches was interviewed on the radio yesterday. His wonderful television show started fifty years ago this week. My goodness! Who is J.P. Patches? He’s a legend in the Seattle area. For 23 years — the longest run for a local children’s program in the country — the J.P. Patches Show aired every morning on [...]

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Mount Rainier National Park Impressions (Charles Gurche)

Last time we chatted I was longing to see Mt Rainier again and had comforted myself with one of Art Wolfe’s great photography collections of the Cascade Range: Seven Summits. I also went through Charles Gurche’s Mount Rainier National Park Impressions [LibraryThing / WorldCat]. Gurche’s book is not as ambitious as Wolfe’s but many of [...]

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Seven Summits (Art Wolfe)

I’m homesick for the mountains. Or simply The Mountain. I can usually see Mount Rainier out an upstairs window if I lean against the shower and hope the wind blows enough to strip the neighbor’s tree of its leaves. But outside right now it’s dark and gray and rainy. From the previous postings you might [...]

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