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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008 TrailsFest is packed with outdoor options for all By Sharon Wootton Herald Columnist There's nothing like summer to tease out our instinct to spend as much time outdoors as possible. For those new to the area or fairly new to taking advantage of all that's offered in Washington state, a trip to TrailsFest 2008 July 19 at Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend is worth the effort. It's a chance to learn from experts, sample equipment and take a hike at an annual event sponsored by Washington Trails Association. Talks run throughout the day; topics include map and compass, living in cougar country, plants, trail food, day hiking, birds of Rattlesnake Lake, backpacking systems, hiking with pack goats, first aid, bears, dogs and hiking with children. About 60 exhibitors offer their wares and activities, including Women Climbers Northwest, Rhodie's BBQ, Green Trails Maps, the Wilderness Society, Passages Northwest, Outward Bound Wilderness and the Peace Corps. Activities include a scavenger hunt, s'mores and camp songs, a climbing wall, knot-tying demonstrations, children's activities, wagon rides and a Zipcar shuttle. For more information on the free event (a few activities have a small fee), go to www.wta.org or call 206-625-1367. Highly recommended: After previewing four of the five segments of "Earth: The Biography," I can only recommend ditching the reality shows and watching the five-hour broadcast Sunday through Tuesday on the National Geographic Channel (this alone may be worth springing for whatever the channel costs). Over the decades I've watched hundreds of hours of nature-related programs. This soared to favorite status by the time I was part way through "Volcanoes" and didn't slip after watching "Ice," "Atmosphere" or "Oceans." Host Iain Stewart takes viewers on a five-hour, seven-continent journey packed with plenty of "I didn't know that" moments, terrific photography (this is why they created HDTV), right-on graphics and eye-opening surprises. He's enthusiastic enough to make me want to return to my former life as a science teacher. And while global warming lurks around the edges of this educational series, you're never self-righteously hammered over the head about it. Stewart simply offers some well-packaged science, and viewers can draw their own conclusions. Nature walks: Learn about local wildlife and ecosystems this summer in a new interpretive program near Snoqualmie Pass. Rangers will guide visitors on 90-minute walks to Gold Creek Pond in the Gold Creek Valley just east of the pass. District Ranger Jim Franzel says the guides will talk about the unusual history of the pond, how restoring the pond created a variety of wildlife and natural systems, teach about resident bull trout, beaver and invasive plants. There's also a good chance of seeing osprey, beaver, elk or kokanee (landlocked sockeye salmon species). The pond has a Watchable Wildlife designation, so the trail accommodates all ages and abilities. The one-mile paved loop is basically flat. Nature walks are at 10 a.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays from July 19 to Sept. 14. For information, call 425-434-6111 Thursday through Monday. Reservations are required and a $10 donation per person is requested. Sound bites: Women in the Outdoors daylong seminar will take place July 26 at Fort Lewis, geared toward beginners and open to females age 14 and older (253-735-7828) … Everett nature photographer Randall J. Hodges had a four-page photographer's guide to the Enchantments in the July issue of Washington Trails magazine. On the bookshelf: Erin Widman targets various spots on the body most likely to be stiff and sore from hiking, biking or kayaking in "Sleeping Bag Yoga" ($13, Sasquatch Books), with complementary illustrations by Jean Bradbury. Since this is yoga for the ideas, positions include moonlight, crosswind, thundercloud, many miles and lightning bolt. Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.

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