Hikeoftheweek.com-- New and Improved!

New and Improved!

The long-awaited for relaunching of Hikeoftheweek.com has finally arrived! Thanks to Ashley Knecht of Mountaineers Books, Hikeoftheweek.com finally has the professional look and user-friendly features that it deserves. I started the site back in 2005 with Michael Fagin of Washington Online Weather. Two years ago I took complete control of the site but just didn't have the time and knowledge to make the upgrades that it needed. This year, all of that changed. Check out the site if you've haven't in a while. You will notice and be pleasantly pleased with the following features:

• Professional look and graphics
• Sliding content
• Larger photos
• User-friendly search engine
• subscription service
• multi-categorized archives

Hikeoftheweek.com continues to be sponsored by our friends at Snohomish County Tourism, Green Trails Maps and Mountaineers Books. Every other week the hike will spotlight a Snohomish County destination from suburban walks to backpacking routes deep within the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Every other week in between, Hikeoftheweek.com will spotlight a seasonally based hike throughout Washington state (sometimes spilling over into adjacent Oregon and British Columbia) with current emphasis on the Columbia River Gorge and Eastern Washington destinations to highlight my most recent books--where more detailed information including maps can always be found on the spotlighted hikes. Look forward in the future too to special guest posts from other hiking authorities as well as special posts, contests, and book promotions. Take a look at the site and let me know what you think. Happy hiking!

Bookmark This!

Just a note to let you all know that the revamp of Hikeoftheweek.com is moving right along. Started by me and Michael Fagin back in 2005, Michael turned over the full reigns to me this past month. My wife Heather has been teaching herself web design and she is slowly learning some new tricks. What you will get right now if you visit is a new hike every week which is timed so that you can hike it when it is posted. Destinations vary from around the state-usually coordinated with some of my books (I give you a little taste and hope you'll want to get the book to get the details and more) and every other week the destination is in Snohomish County, our major sponsor. So check it out and let me know what you think. We'll be adding polls and news features and eventually a comment/forum section as well. See you on the trail!

(Photo- Heather on the White Chuck Bench Trail, this week's hikeoftheweek.com destination.)

What's next?

Beware of water on the Trail!

One of the more oddly signed trails in our state's trail system is Little Si. Managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, the trailhead, trail and junctions are all well signed. I don't have a problem with that-in fact I commend the agency-for far too often trails managed by the US Forest Service lack any signs. What I find rather odd however is the large road like "Caution Falling Rock" sign on the trail. Now, its okay to warn about natural hazards at the trailhead kiosk-but seriously, isn't there always a risk of falling rock when you're heading up a mountain? This large highway sign looks so out of place on the trail. And-really now, does it do any good? What's a hiker to do-head up the trail neck-cocked upward at the slopes above? What then? A watch out for twisting ankles and falling sign!? Hikers assume risk when they enter the backcountry-a big sign stating the obvious probably doesn't alleviate the risk. All it does probably is let the land agency off the hook from being sued from a misguided hiker who thinks that the agency can control nature from acting up. Heck, if DNR can make nature heed its wishes-then it certainly would be able to get a much more destructive force from coming down on it-mainly Governor Gregoire's budget cuts for DNR! Hm-how much are you axing again from DNR Christine?And how much of a raise are state union workers getting again? My tax dollars pay for both and you have your axing and propping up in the wrong order. Maybe you can find a few more dollars in the coffers to put up a new sign "Caution, State Budget Cuts Coming-Kiss Your Favorite Trails Goodbye!"

(Photo-Christian Carver prepares for falling rock and Gregoire's falling DNR budget)

New and Improved for 2010

Regular followers of Hikeoftheweek.com, and I am hoping that there are many of you out there, will be pleased to know that the site is undergoing a major restructuring. It is currently being redeveloped and should be back online shortly. The site founded by me and Micheal Fagin back in the Autumn of 2005 has been a great success. With Green Trails Maps, North Olympic Peninsula Visitors Association, and the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau as past and present sponsors, the site has been able to provide you with over 250 hikes so far! Wow! And there are still plenty of more to be shared with you. The new site will have interactive features, an improved archive and search engine as well as news clips relating to trails and conservation in Washington state. And of course most of the hikes will be linked with my guidebooks, so if you need a map and all kinds of other important information on a particular hike you can get the book and get out there and start exploring! I hope you are excited about this new and improved Hikeoftheweek.com as I am. Stay tuned, it's on the way!