In addition to the big shrubs we know as Rhododendrons with their sturdy presence and voluptuous flowers, there are other less well-known Rhododendrons in the genus.
Skagit Outdoors
Dropping temperatures, increasing clouds and the re-employment of that distinctly Northwest fashion staple — the hoodie — mean that summer is sadly giving way to autumn.
It’s a whole wild world in that soil! In a gram of healthy soil there are a billion bacteria, hundred million fungi, 10-100,000 protozoa and nematodes.
MOUNT VERNON — The finishing touches have been put on the first-of-its-kind mountain bike skills course in Skagit County.
Completing the 41-mile Timberline Trail around Oregon’s Mount Hood in a single day is impressive in its own right.
In an area where the south fork of the Stillaguamish River moves from mountain terrain to valley before winding its way toward the saltwater near Camano Island, the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians and U.S. Forest Service are working to reroute the river’s flow in order to improve habitat for fish.
The Skagit River will close to recreational fishing several days each week from Highway 9 to Baker River, starting next Tuesday.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is enlisting the help of hunters in an effort to better understand the extent of elk hoof disease within the state.
Vertebrate pests, while not as prevalent or pervasive as disease or invertebrate problems, can often make life miserable for gardeners.
GUEMES ISLAND — A trail is being built on Guemes Island to provide a measure of safety for bikers and walk-on passengers arriving at the island’s ferry dock.
A $150,000 grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office will help service hiking trails in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, including some in Skagit County.
Weather and gardening are related in many ways, and though you can’t control the weather, you can do things to deal with the weather that comes your way.
A common lament of gardeners is having no more room to put plants. But what about vines?
Summer has arrived. Dry road conditions and sunny weather create the sweet spot for road travel.
A pod of mammal-eating transient orca whales, also called Biggs’ killer whales, made an unusual appearance Friday, June 18, off of Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes.
What is your first memory of digging in the dirt?
SEDRO-WOOLLEY — The trail leading around Thompson Pond at what will become Olmsted Park continues to evolve, as do other trails in and around the SWIFT Center and the Northern State Recreation Area.
SEDRO-WOOLLEY — They tried to identify a bird with a lengthy wingspan as it soared soared above.
BAKER LAKE — After being closed for about two weeks in response to reports of hikers encountering an aggressive cougar, the 14-mile Baker Lake Trail was reopened Wednesday.
BAKER LAKE — The Baker Lake Trail and two nearby campgrounds are closed due to multiple reports of hiker interactions with an aggressive cougar.
The Skagit Watershed Letterbox Trail program leads participants on scenic and educational adventures on three trails in Skagit County.
DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK — The Sand Dune Trail at Deception Pass State Park’s West Beach will be temporarily closed starting Monday.
A weed is generally defined as something growing in a place it is not wanted and is competing with desired plants. How do you know if what you have is a weed or a plant?
The days of mixing kitty litter into leftover cans of paint in preparation for the trash can are over.
With fishing season in full swing and several hundred lowland lakes throughout the state primed for anglers, now is the time to get outside and make a few casts.
Skagit County is home not only to tulips that wow visitors from around the world, but to cole crops that help feed the world.
DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK — Jason Armstrong believed there would be interest in Deception Pass State Park’s memorial tables and benches.
While its standing in the federal District Court case involving the historic 1974 Boldt decision remains in question, Fish Northwest has filed another lawsuit.
BOW — Birds of a feather don’t always flock together.
Local anglers were forced to don their rain gear Saturday for the state’s lowland lakes opener.
At the end of an unusual season, the Anacortes High School girls' cross country team earned a unique honor.
A Concrete comeback in the first half wasn’t enough Friday to help the Lions keep up with a high-scoring La Conner High School football team.
The state Department of Fish & Wildlife announced late last week that it has reached a draft agreement with co-managing tribes for this year’s fisheries.
SEDRO-WOOLLEY — Big things are afoot at the SWIFT Center and the adjacent Northern State Recreation Area.
Just in time for a sunny Western Washington weekend — and coinciding with the start of National Park Week — the National Park Service announced Friday the release of a mobile app.
The Highway 20 west entrance portal to North Cascades National Park was recently vandalized, and thefts at the park’s trailheads are increasing.
Teams, trails, clues, lost realms and protective gemstones can mean only one thing.
The Skagit County Board of Commissioners approved a 30 mph speed limit Tuesday on Lake Erie, striking a compromise between boaters and residents who live along the lake.
Perhaps you too have noticed the lack of “buzz” in your garden. It’s certainly in the news that pollinators are dying off, due to many problems.
About 2,000 bird-watchers went online Thursday for a tour of the Skagit Valley landscape that supports migratory birds including iconic bald eagles, trumpeter swans and snow geese.
Pam Pritzl of Camano Island wasn’t about to let foul weather stop her from participating in the 24th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count.
ROCKPORT — Don Smith, senior park aide at Rockport State Park, has held a program called Deep Forest Experience the past couple winters.
DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK — What better way to memorialize someone who loved the outdoors than by placing their name on a picnic table or bench at Washington’s most visited state park.
MARCH POINT — Some of the region’s great blue herons will begin their seasonal move-in this month at a rookery, or nesting site, on March Point.
DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK — Several area state parks are reeling from the mid-January windstorm that pummeled Western Washington.
Portions of the Skagit and Sauk rivers will open to steelhead fishing Monday.
A recent outbreak of salmonellosis is leading to the deaths of wild birds throughout the northern United States.
The hunting season for brant geese in Skagit County will once again be abbreviated.
The start of the new year is a great time to hunt for waterfowl, cast for fish in winter lakes, and enjoy the annual spectacle of bald eagles, snow geese, elk and other wintering wildlife.
Though it has been clear and cold, there are still excellent recreational opportunities for those willing to layer up.
