First ascent of Mt. Hood commemorated

   Lewis and Clark spotted Mt. Hood in October 1805 but the first documented ascent of the mountain wasn’t until Aug. 6, 1857. On that date Henry Pittock, L. J. Powell, William S. Buckley, W. Lyman Chittenden and James Deardorff successfully summitted Mt. Hood’s 11,239 feet. Pittock is a Portland pioneer and a former publisher of The Oregonian.

    To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the ascent, Timberline Lodge hosted the “Mt. Hood Climbing Expo” in early August. The event included climbing demonstrations, historical information and educational displays as well as programs in the Lodge’s outdoor amphitheater.

    For more on Mt. Hood, pick up a copy of McNeil’s Mount Hood by Fred. H. McNeil. For more about Mt. Hood, log onto www.mthoodmuseum.org

Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington’s Last Frontier
Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, 7 p.m.                              

Seattle REI Flagship store Free Presentation

  Looking for a new place to escape crowds and enjoy wilderness? East of the Cascades, you’ll find the Kettle and Selkirk Mountains - a beautiful but largely undiscovered corner of Washington State still home to grizzly bears, wolves, moose, lynx and bighorn sheep. Join Outdoors NW Trails Editor and outdoor author Craig Romano, wildlife photographer Paul Bannick, and long-time wilderness advocate Tim Coleman as they shares stories and images of the rugged wilderness and communities of this region and explore the area’s importance as a wildlife bridge between the Cascades and the Rockies.
 
    For more information, please visit http://www.conservationnw.org/calendar/columbia-highlands-book-event-rei-seattle/ or contact Gwen Heisterkamp at (206) 675-9747, ext. 205 or gwen@conservationnw.org.

Burke-Gilman Trail wins go-ahead improvement in Lake Forest Park

   A two-mile section of the oldest and most heavily used portion of the Burke Gilman Trail through the Lake Forest Park area is scheduled to be widened and improved in 2008. Currently, portions of this section of the 30-year-old trail is spray-painted in orange marking the tree-root bumps and cracks in the pavement making it unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians alike.

    A state Growth Management Hearings Board invalidated in July a Lake Forest Park City Council ordinance that had put on hold King County’s work to redevelop and widen this portion of the trail. The design phase is scheduled to be finished in December with trail work to begin in 2008.

    The trail from 145th Avenue N.E. to Log Boom Park is scheduled to be expanded from its current width of 10 feet to about 18 feet wide including larger shoulders to help separate walkers and joggers from bicyclists and other wheeled users.

    For more information and updates, log onto www.metrokc.gov/facilities/burkegilmantrail

Brooks Sports honors Liz Duncan

   Liz Duncan, a Brooks Sports customer service representative, was hit by a car and killed while on a training run in Seattle April 21. Duncan, 26, was standing at an intersection when an out-of-control car jumped the curb, killing her instantly. Duncan is survived by her family, including two brothers and her parents in the Tri-Cities area of Washington.

    To commemorate Duncan, Brooks Sports recently announced they will dedicate a running shoe to her memory. The Defyance, available in early 2008, will be marked with Duncan’s initials. Brooks will also offer commemorative shirts featuring a photo of Duncan, with the hope that people will wear them to the races Liz registered for and planned to run in the coming year.

    In addition, Brooks Sports has established the Liz Duncan Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit Athletes in Action, an organization that was close to Duncan’s heart. Athletes in Action is dedicated to building relationships, character and hope through sport. The fund will enable college athletes to attend AIA summer mission trips.

    To contribute to the fund, make checks payable to the “Liz Duncan Memorial Fund “ and mail to the Liz Duncan Memorial Fund, c/o Brooks Sports, Inc., 19910 North Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Bothell, WA 98011-8215. For more news on Duncan: http://www.brooksrunning.com/corporate/news/04_21_07_Liz_Duncan.phtml

It’s the Berries!

   It is blackberry season in the Northwest! With just 62 calories per cup and packed with free radical-fighting antioxidants, these juicy little gems are a great choice for a healthy diet. A cup of blackberries provides half your day’s supply of Vitamin C and nearly a third of your daily requirement of fiber.

    Sprinkle blackberries on your cereal in the morning, put them in a smoothie or add them to pancakes. Blackberries also make great pies and cobblers. Try the recipe below for a delicious breakfast treat or an energy-boosting snack.

Blackberry Breakfast Bars
2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
2 T sugar
2 T water
1 T lemon juice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp baking soda
½ cup butter, melted

    In a medium saucepan combine berries, sugar, water, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Stir in melted butter. Set aside 1 cup of the oat mixture. Press remaining mixture into an ungreased 9x9x2-inch pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Carefully spread filling on top of baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, lightly pressing mixture into filling. Bake at 350 degrees for another 20-25 minutes or until topping is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 18 bars.
Recipe from Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission.

Ferry County Rail Trail on track
By Craig Romano

   In the golden hills and pine cloaked mountains of northeastern Washington a broad coalition of folks have gotten on board to create the state’s next great rail trail.

    The proposed 28-mile Ferry County Rail Trail will not only provide hikers, cyclists, and cross-country skiers with stunning views of the pristine Kettle River and the lofty and wild Kettle River Range rising above it, but it’ll also become the first international rail trail in the western United States.

    Named after the sparsely populated county it traverses, the trail will run from just outside of the historic gold mining town of Republic north to the riverside burg of Danville on the Canadian border. From there the trail will tie in with B.C.’s extensive Kettle Valley Rail Trail. Utilizing a rail bed that served as the local timber industry’s lifeline for nearly a century, the new trail has great potential in promoting an economy based on sustainable ecotourism.

    A major highlight along the trail, Curlew Lake, is home to one of Washington’s loveliest state parks, Curlew Lake State Park, with lakeshore camping and wonderful swimming, fishing, and paddling opportunities. At the north end of the seven-mile long lake is a historic trestle, destined to be a popular feature along the trail.

   While local support for a non-motorized trail is strong, spearheaded primarily through the efforts of Bob Whittaker and the Ferry County Rail Trail Partners (FCRTP), a small but vocal faction would like to see the proposed trail open to motorcycles and ATVs.

    For more information on the trail and how you can help, visit www.ferrycountyrailtrail.com.

Challenge yourself for a good cause

   The LIVESTRONG Challenge is the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s signature fundraising event, held this year in Portland, Ore., Philadelphia, Pa., and Austin, Texas.

    The 2007 Portland LIVESTRONG Challenge is scheduled for Sept. 29-30. Participants can choose to walk or run a 5K or join a 10-, 40-, 70- or 100-mile bike ride. The registration fee is $50. Cyclists are required to raise a minimum of $250; there is no fundraising minimum required for walkers and runners. For more information, see
www.livestrongchallenge.org.

Pass, please

   Many of our Northwest parks and recreation areas require an entrance or day-use fee. Plan ahead and purchase one of these passes so you’ll be ready to hit the trail on a moment’s notice.

National Forest Day Pass
    You can purchase day passes in advance and self-validate them to use whenever you want. Perfect for spur-of-the-moment park visits. Just $5 each, day passes can be purchased online at www.naturenw.org or by phone at (800) 270-7504.

Annual Northwest Forest Pass
    For $30, you can gain entrance to all Forest Service or day-use fee sites in Washington and Oregon. The pass is valid for the pass owner plus passengers in a private vehicle. Translation: a car full of friends is fine, but don’t try to get in a busload of acquaintances. Purchase online at www.naturenw.org or by phone at (800) 270-7504.

Oregon Pacific Coast Passport
    This day-use passport covers entry, vehicle parking and day-use fees at all State and Federal fee sites along the Oregon Coast. You can buy an annual passport for $35 or a 5-day passport for $10. It’s available at all Forest Service and Oregon Parks and Recreation offices along the Oregon Coast, or call (800) 551.6949.

America the Beautiful Pass
    Formerly called the Golden Eagle Pass, these $80 passes are honored nationwide at all Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management and U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service sites. Senior passes (age 62 and older) are available for $10 and are valid for the pass holder’s lifetime. Purchase online at www.natlforests.org or call (877) 465-2727.

Washington and Oregon Recreation Pass
    This pass includes all sites honored by the America the Beautiful Pass, plus 26 Oregon State Parks, 23 participating Washington State Parks, and six Army Corps of Engineers sites. It’s available for $100 at Forest Service offices, online at www.naturenw.org, or by calling (800) 270-7504.

    Not sure if you need a pass? Check your destination on http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits/

Idaho’s Scenic Byways
    Idaho’s Tourism Development Division and Transportation Department has launched a web site dedicated to the state’s 27 scenic byways. The site, www.idahobyways.gov, provides detailed information about each route, with interactive maps, notes on points of interest along the way, details about road conditions and links to lodging and attractions. You can also order a free Idaho Scenic Byways guide online that will fit right in your glove compartment to refer to when you’re on the road.

Crystal Mountain gets new lift
    Another 1,000 acres of skiable terrain will be open this winter at Crystal Mountain with the addition of a new fixed-grip, double Doppelmayr chairlift. This will give Crystal a total of 2,300 acres of lift-serviced ski terrain. The name of the new chairlift is Northway which will take skiers to an elevation of 6,770 feet at the top of Northway Peak after a ride of just under 10 minutes. It will move 1,200 skiers per hour taking them on a vertical ride of 1,870 feet. From the top, skiers will be faced with an amazing choice of skiing in the North Country area of the ski resort.

    For more, visit www.skicrystal.com/1733.html

New owner, new name for Anacortes paddle shop
    Island Outfitters, the full service paddling shop located in downtown Anacortes, was recently purchased by Matthew Ross, a former employee. Ross has since changed the name to Sea Kayak Shop.

    Ross will continue the full service specialty/pro shop services that Island Outfitters has offered for the past 12 years. The shop is right on the way to the ferry that services the San Juan Islands. The shop offers instruction, coaching, tours, and equipment sales and rentals.
Contact Ross at (360) 299-2300 at log onto www.seakayakshop.com

Bicycle Alliance Auction
Oct. 27
    Support Washington state’s bicycle advocacy group, Bicycle Alliance of Washington, by donating items for its 15th annual auction Oct. 27. The auction will be held at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion. For more information, call (206) 224-9252 or log onto www.bicyclealliance.org/auction/index.html

New Clark County bike map
    The new 2007 Cycling Clark County Map is now available. A waterproof version costs $4 while the paper version is free.

    Contact the GIS Map Store in Vancouver, Wash. at (360) 397-2092, ext. 4641, email Linda.Mattila@clark.wa.gov or contact the Bicycle Transportation Alliance office at www.bta4bikes.org or call (503) 226-0676, ext. 13.

New Event: Seattle Oyster
    Seattle will host its first ultimate adventure race when the Arthritis Foundation brings the Seattle Oyster to town Sept. 23. Three-person teams in men’s, women’s, co-ed, corporate and family divisions will inline skate (or scooter), trek or stair climb, raft/creek/plunge, run, bike and navigate their way throughout Seattle starting from the REI Flagship store. The course is 30 to 40 miles long and should take about 4-8 hours to complete.

    Cost is $90 with a minimum of $300 in pledges. (Corporate and Family division costs varies). Contact www.oysterracingseries.com