Latest Issue of Washington Trails Hits Streets

As the editor, I get excited about each new issue of Washington Trails. So, no surprise, I was stoked when the latest issue arrived at the WTA office yesterday.

Here's why.

It's WTA's 45^th anniversary, so I got to talk about WTA's founder Louise Marshall in my column. As it turns out, the earliest editions of The Signpost, as Washington Trails was originally known, foresaw a long future. 

Bus hikes! In this piece, WTA member Leslie Leber walks you through two great hiking trails that are easily accessible by public transit. At a time when we should all be driving less, reaching trailheads by bus is an exciting prospect.  

If you've ever met WTA's Tim Van Beek, you know he thinks that WTA's Volunteer Vacations are Awesome with a capital A. (He'd like to say that they are AWESOME with a capital-all-letters, but I just can't get that by our copy editors.) In this issue, you get three pages of TIm's enthusiasm for our Volunteer Vacation program, only slightly checked by the editorial process.

Women. Awe-inspiring hiking, climbing, camping, voting, fire-watching women. In the article "The First Ladies," you'll take a 100-year look at women who pushed themselves to achieve great feats in the wilderness. Working on this piece with historian Judy Bentley, guidebook author Joan Burton and climber Carla Firey was incredibly fun. I hope you enjoy the results of our research.

If you've ever had to leave your tent in the middle of the night, you know how handy a head lamp can be. You'll find loads of helpful advice in our illumination products review. And you have to check out the super-organized lighting device comparison chart found on this site. Our gear team crafted this chart to help you find the right light.

I love wine and I love hiking. If you're anything like me, you'll appreciate Janice Van Cleve's feature. She describes a few of the many great wineries and hiking trails surrounding Lake Chelan.

And, finally, I am proud to say that this issue is a milestone in the publication's 45 year history. It's our first full color issue. From an exquisite shot of Snow Mountain Ranch taken by David Hagen to Kirk Kirconnell's great food photography, having every image appear in color is a welcome upgrade.  

If you're not already a Washington Trails subscriber, you just might want to become a member today. Our May+June issue promises to be every bit as good as this spring issue. (And that's one more reason to be excited. The official start of Spring is just twenty days away!)