Staff Picks
kate
editor in chief
Gift Picks:
“This year I’m giving guides that celebrate the season: 52 Ways to Nature: Washington, by local outdoor/travel expert Lauren Braden, starts with winter and offers clear direction to go ice skating, razor clamming, forest bathing, and more, before rolling into springtime adventures. And it’s such a beautiful book, you don’t even need to wrap it! The Naturalist’s Companion is another beauty offering tips to get more out of your time in nature, no matter the season. And the long-awaited The Art of Shralpinism by elite alpinist Jeremy Jones isn’t just for snowboarders; it’s a gorgeous manifesto for anyone who lives among mountains.”
Personal Favorites:
A Thousand Trails Home, The Skies Above, Valley of Giants
DARRYL
director of sales & marketing
Gift Pick:
"I’m giving my sister-in-law's family the entire Green Trails series of folded maps for the state of Washington so they stop borrowing mine! I am also adding A Woman’s Place Is in the Wild Deck to all my nieces’ stockings to introduce them to these powerful, inspiring women when they play card games and hopefully make them want to know more."
Personal Picks:
Best Hikes with Kids Western Washington, Way Out There, Stehekin: A Valley in Time
Alison
Customer service & metadata manager
Gift Pick:
"My favorite book to gift is Nature Obscura by Kelly Brenner. For anyone interested in the natural world, it is such an engrossing read. Organized by season, this book will open your eyes to the fascinating stories of the urban dwelling species that live all around us."
Personal Picks:
It Happened Like This, Turning Homeward, Miles from Nowhere
liam
DISTRIBUTION CENTER ASSOCIATE
Gift Pick:
"Elwha – A River Reborn
Nothing inspires hope and spawns passion like beautiful photos of good works. The removal of the Elwha Dam and restoration of the river is captured in living photos of an environment in transition. This is truly a book to lift spirits.
Emergency Essentials Pocket Guide
I don’t always have all 10 essentials with me every time I hike, but this one seems like it can make up for a couple of them. Nice and compact, it keeps tucked away in a hidden pocket, so I always have it when I need it. Great stocking stuffer for anyone else you want to keep safe."
Personal Picks:
Field Guide to Cascades and Olympics, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Turning Homeward
mary
senior editor
Gift Pick:
"One of my most treasured possessions is The Annotated Alice that my mother gave me for Christmas in 1973. Maybe that’s why I love to give books as presents; they have such staying power. Winter is great for really getting into a book so I’m giving Imaginary Peaks to those on my list who will appreciate vicarious travel through time and space. I’m going to give Tami Asars’s Fall Color Hikes: Washington to local friends, even if peak season will be over by Christmas. It’s always great to plan for next year (isn’t that what planting bulbs in fall is all about?) and maybe I’m hoping for a ride to a few trailheads. And I’m giving Trees of the West because—Molly Hashimoto! I’ve given all of her books to my former mother-in-law and I’m not about to stop now."
Personal Picks:
Scraps, Peels, & Stems, Urban Cycling, Pickets and Dead Men
joleen
Distribution Center Lead
Gift Pick:
"Mostly I give Camping Washington by Ron Judd because I know a lot of people who camp. The people I’ve given it to have really liked it – one friend even started keeping a journal with photos and ratings of each campsite he tries."
Personal Picks:
Bears Don't Care About Your Problems, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, A Sideways Look at Clouds
laura
marketing manager
Gift Pick:
"Washington Wildflower Hikes is one of my go-to gifts for anyone who lives in Washington. It’s the perfect winter gift because it gives everyone something to look forward to! For my out-of-state family I’m gifting my bird-loving mother-in-law Paul Bannick’s new 2023 Owls calendar and Molly Hashimoto’s Birds of the West. For my active & outdoorsy sister who recently moved to Boulder I’m giving her a collection of Colorado books for all her interests: Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes Colorado, 75 Classic Rides Colorado, Climbing Colorado’s San Juans, and The Best Urban Hikes: Boulder.
Personal Favorites:
A Shape in the Dark, Crossing Paths, Bears Don't Care About Your Problems
tom
publisher & director of finance & operations
Gift Pick:
“My gift pick is also a personal pick. At the Helleberg house, we are very much connoisseurs of kids’ books and National Parks A to Z by Gus D’Angelo is a great one. Beautiful illustrations, text that is accessible and enjoyable for a range of readers, plus it’s packed with natural history and conservation content – this book is the complete package. The only reason not to put a copy in your stocking this year is because you don’t want to wait that long. I know I have been gifting it like crazy from the moment it arrived in the warehouse."
Personal Favorites:
A Thousand Trails Home, Orca, Best Hikes with Dogs Western Washington
ellie
sales representative
Gift Pick:
"I’m looking forward to gifting the long-anticipated Fruits of the Forest: A Field Guide to PNW Edible Mushrooms. With almost 200 species of mushrooms, this book will be an excellent resource for my experienced foraging friends, as well as those who always point out all the fungi on hikes and wonder what they are. Extra special people will also be getting the Mushroom Logbook, a perfect little journal to help with spore printing, identification and keeping track of all the secret spots. Confession this is actually a selfish gift, the goal is that they cook up all the delicious recipes in the back of the book and share with me."
Personal Favorites:
Imaginary Peaks, Edge of the Map, Classic Cascade Climbs
janet
managing editor
Gift Pick:
"I’ve got some twenty-something adventurers and wilderness lovers in my life so my new-to-rock-climbing daughter will find Valley of Giants in her stocking--for some powerful female inspiration--and my Alaska-loving son will find Alaska Adventure 55 Ways--and will surely fold down lots of page corners for future explorations. My art and nature-loving friends have another lush Molly Hashimoto title coming their way--the gorgeous Trees of the West."
Personal Favorites:
Fall Color Hikes Washington, Colors of the West, 52 Ways to Nature Washington
Marissa
publicist
Gift Pick:
“I’m excited about Trees of the West: An Artist's Guide this holiday season, and I can’t wait to give it as a gift to all my fellow tree lovers. From coastal Doug fir giants to stately ponderosa pines to my beloved redwoods, this book has something for everyone who finds beauty and peace in our forests. As always, Molly Hashimoto’s art is stunning and a true feast for the eyes. I’m also looking forward to giving Rise and Roar: A Guided Journal for Outdoor Adventure to a good friend who is always eager to try new outdoor activities; I think the fun illustrations and detailed prompts and ideas will really inspire her.”
Personal Favorites:
Douglas Fir, Nature Obscura, Swimming Holes of Washington
kate j.
PUBLICIST
Gift Pick:
"A lot of my friends are new to the world of solo hiking and camping, so this year I’ll be gifting several copies of Adventure Ready: A Hiker’s Guide to Planning, Training and Resiliency. It’s a great wintertime gift because it gets you preparing for the season ahead. I really appreciate that it tackles not only the physical aspects of adventuring, but the mental and emotional side as well. It’s great for beginners and anyone who needs a refresh on their outdoor skills."
Personal Favorites:
Dayhiking (all of them!), Campfire Stories, How to Suffer Outside
laura
editor
Gift Pick:
"Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home is a great gift to give far-flung friends and family a sense of the magnificent southern resident orcas. Everyone I've given it to has exclaimed over the astonishing photos and thoughtful storytelling. For a jolt of motivation, pick up a copy of Rise & Roar: A Guided Journal for Outdoor Adventure for a friend (or perhaps yourself). Sharisse Steber's prompts and advice help you decide what to do and go do it."
Personal Favorites:
Spirited Waters, Day Hiking North Cascades 2nd Ed., A Thousand Trails Home
jen
creative director
Gift Pick:
"National Parks A to Z is a fantastic all-ages gift, filled with fun details about our national parks, and featuring some truly great illustrations by Gus D’Angelo. I also hope to gift Molly Hashimoto’s Trees of the West: An Artist's Guide this season—it’s a truly lovely book, jam-packed with the most beautiful watercolors and block prints of all the many trees we get to enjoy here in the west."
Personal Favorites:
Campfire Stories, Unraveled, How to Suffer Outside
emily
acquisitions editor
Gift Pick:
"After living on a boat with limited space for seven years, I have a deep appreciation for small presents that are both useful and beautiful, so I’ll be giving our Birds of North America playing card deck to a few boat liveaboard friends. I’m also gifting Walking Toward Peace: Veterans Healing on America’s Trails by Cindy Ross to several military veterans in my life, including my dad’s best childhood friend, a retired pastor in Indiana who loves long trail hiking."
Personal Favorites:
This Land of Snow, Forget Me Not, The High Sierra
helen
Executive Director of Conservation and Advancement
Gift Pick:
"Whether you're a newcomer to the Pacific Northwest or a lifetime resident-- Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home by Lynda Mapes captures the essence of what makes life in the Pacific Northwest extraordinary."
Personal Favorites:
Faith of Cranes, Crown of the Continent, The Salmon Way
liz
accounting and office coordinator
Gift Pick:
"I want to get into Alpine climbing so I’m gifting Classic Cascade Climbs: Select Routes in Washington State by Tom Sjolseth, Jim Nelson, and David Whitelaw to myself and my husband so we can do it together. I see all the peaks in Washington and can’t wait to get to the top of them!"
Personal Favorites:
Backpacking Washington, 2nd Edition, Mount Rainier National Park Artist's Tour,Peak Nutrition