OutdoorsFest - Bringing the Outdoors to You

The long summer days may be behind us, but that won't stop us from dreaming up hikes for next year, and planning fun trips into the snow in the meanwhile.

This Saturday, September 18, The Mountaineers are holding a fun outdoors-oriented event called OutdoorsFest at their Seattle headquarters in the Sand Point neighborhood. Washington Trails Association is excited to be one of many non-profits on the roster for OutdoorsFest to help participants learn more about outdoor adventure, from hiking to rock climbing to watersports. Many of your favorite outdoor gear vendors will be there to show off their stuff, including Eddie Bauer, Outdoor Research, Hilleberg tents, and Cascade Designs. Workshops that build skills and teach conservation awareness run all day long.

WTA will be kicking things off at 11:30 am with a talk about Hiking as a Family, featuring Joan Burton, author of Best Hikes with Kids in Western Washington, and Krista Dooley, coordinator of WTA's Families Go Hiking program. Come and have fun with us as we discuss why it's such a great idea to hike with children, share tips for keeping them happy and motivated on the trail, and divulge a few of our favorite kid-friendly hikes in the region.

OutdoorsFest will also have a Kid's Gear Swap where you can find everything you need to outfit your smaller adventurers, or pass along a few things you don't. In the afternoon, there'll be a fun Backcountry Cook-Off where you can learn new trail recipes and watch as contestants prepare a dish using only equipment and ingredients that you would take into the backcountry.

Don't forget to stick around for WTA's 3:30pm workshop on Giving Back: Volunteer Trail Work. Learn more about how you can help maintain the trails you love. WTA folks will introduce you to the joys of a day of volunteer trail maintenance, give a tool demo and get you ready to give back to trails.

You can find more info on OutdoorsFest right here. We hope to see you there.