0401, 2021

Earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest

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Two weeks after Valentine’s Day, 2001, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the south sound region of Washington state near where the Nisqually River empties into Puget Sound. It was nearly 11 a.m. on a Wednesday, and the state legislature was in full swing. The violent tremors lasted nearly a minute, rocking the state capital of Olympia and the nearby cities of Lacey, Tumwater, Nisqually, DuPont, and Shelton. The shocks registered

1805, 2015

35 years since the mountain woke up

It was at this exact moment, 35 years ago, that the deadliest and most economically-destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States occurred just 60 miles from where I now live. Fifty-seven people were killed. 250 homes were wiped out. 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways and 185 miles of highway…gone. An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale triggered an eruption and caused a massive debris avalanche that

0509, 2013

Around the state in 48 hours: Part 1

Washington Our Home
September 5, 2013
Central Washington, Eastern Washington, General, History, Restaurants, State Parks, Western Washington
1
1454

Everybody thought I was joking when I said I was taking a business trip from Olympia to Vancouver to Yakima to Spokane to Wenatchee to Everett to Bellevue to Tacoma and back to Olympia in two days. The itinerary I had laid out with Google Maps said it was a cinch and I’m the guy who enjoys driving around this beautiful state we call home. Well, I proved to everyone

1409, 2012

Ascending Saint Helens, Part 4 of 4: The gear that got me there

Washington Our Home
September 14, 2012
Family, Gear, Hikes, Mt. Saint Helens, Recreation, Western Washington
2
3647

I sincerely hope anyone reading this is inspired to climb a mountain of their own. I hope it’s one of the beloved mountains of Washington State, but any mountain that strikes a chord in your heart will suffice. It’s not just something other people talk about. You can do it too. Just make sure you have the right training, the right gear and the right attitude and you’d be surprised how high you can climb.

2708, 2012

Ascending Saint Helens, Part 3 of 4: More than a mountain

Washington Our Home
August 27, 2012
Family, Gear, Hikes, History, Mt. Saint Helens, Recreation, Western Washington
1
1963

I was almost five years old when I rode on my father’s back during a hike on Mt. Rainier one sunny Saturday afternoon. During that walk, he paused for a moment while viewing the distant, lofty, snow-capped peak to the southwest, speculating aloud on the possibility of one of the 18 volcanoes in the Cascade Mountain Range ever erupting. It was May 17th, 1980, and the next morning the world

2108, 2012

Ascending Saint Helens, Part 2 of 4: Rock-hopping at the jetty

Washington Our Home
August 21, 2012
Family, Gear, Mt. Saint Helens, Pacific Ocean, Recreation, Western Washington
0
2169

After deciding to climb Mt. Saint Helens in early 2012 and committing myself by actually purchasing the permits back in February, Dad and I had been training for the climb for months as the ascent date approached. It wasn’t until August finally arrived that we fully realized the gravity of the task we were about to undertake and upon reevaluation, found ourselves lacking in several training areas. When deciding to

2008, 2012

Ascending Saint Helens, Part 1 of 4: Gaining in elevation

Washington Our Home
August 20, 2012
Eastern Washington, Family, Gear, Hikes, Recreation
0
1493

It was early February of this year when I decided I was going to climb Washington State’s Mt. Saint Helens and peer into the mile-wide crater of the active volcano. As a native Washingtonian, summiting every snowcapped peak in the state had been on my bucket list for longer than I can remember. Years ago, I asked my father – another native Washingtonian with a love for the outdoors –

0408, 2012

Lake Chelan, often mistaken for an Italian lago

Washington Our Home
August 4, 2012
Central Washington, History, Mt. Saint Helens, Western Washington
4
1694

I’m reading (actually, listening to) a book called The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan. In it, Gifford Pinchot comments that Washington State’s Lake Chelan bears a striking resemblance to Italy’s Lago di Como (Lake Como). I thought that was interesting so I put together this little side-by-side comparison thanks to the technological marvel that is Google Maps. What do you think? Does

1905, 2010

Remembering St. Helens 30 years later

Washington Our Home
May 19, 2010
Family, History, Mt. Saint Helens, Western Washington
3
1130

These were my comments printed in the Vancouver Columbian for their 30-year anniversary special on the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. You can read them on the website here: http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/apr/14/lifelong-interest-started-boom/ I’ll be the first to admit that my memory as described below is slightly inaccurate, as I found out from my father after discussing this article with him, however it is still worth posting due to the special occasion. Enjoy!