Staff Picks
kate
editor in chief
Gift Pick:
"I love nonfiction books that truly transport you through vivid descriptions, fully realized characters, and immersive storytelling, and I love climbing books that aren’t really about climbing! So I plan to gift Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams by Katie Ives to a number of people this holiday. Katie’s writing is akin to the work of David Roberts (RIP) or Robert Macfarlane, writers who place mountains and our wilderness experiences in a larger context. And Cairns: Messengers in Stone, by David B. Williams, is a perennial favorite of mine for similar reasons!"
Personal Picks:
A Thousand Trails Home, Birds of the West, Fresh Pantry
DARRYL
director of sales & marketing
Gift Pick:
"I’m giving Hut to Hut USA: The Complete Guide for Hikers, Bikers, and Skiers by Sam Demas and Laurel Bradley to all my travel friends I haven’t seen since COVID, It’s time to plan some mountain bike and backcountry ski hut trips! I also plan on gifting Mount Rainier National Park: An Artist's Tour by Molly Hashimoto to a few of my art-loving friends and my mother-in-law who is an artist."
Personal Picks:
Raven's Witness, Minus 148 Degrees, 100 Classic Hikes Washington
juno/jordan
office dog/Accounting and Office Coordinator
Gift Pick:
"Juno, our resident office dog, will be buying everyone on her list the Campfire Stories Deck: Prompts for Igniting Stories by the Fire, so folks can sit around the fire dropping s’mores crumbs for her. But in all seriousness, Campfire Stories Deck is my go-to gift this year to bring people together over a fire, telling stories and enjoying each other’s company."
Personal Picks:
High Infatuation and Thirst
Amber
development director
Gift Pick:
“I’m planning to gift A Shape in the Dark: Living and Dying with Brown Bears by Bjorn Dihle to all of my outdoor-loving bibliophile friends. History, nature, adventure, and of course – brown bears! It’s beautifully written and truly is the perfect book to cozy up with…preferably next to a fire with a big mug of tea.”
Personal Picks:
Peak Nutrition, Karakoram, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills
Alison
Customer service manager
Gift Pick:
"I am a cat person…but a lot of my friends have dogs. Best Hikes with Dogs: Western Washington by Dan Nelson has made a great gift for all of my canine-loving friends!"
Personal Picks:
Peak Nutrition, Nature Obscura, Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail Washington
mary
senior editor
Gift Pick:
"I’m not sure how many copies of this book I’ve given away, but the gifting that stands out in my memory is the copy I gave to a neighbor as an apology after things got a little feisty during an annual night-out a few years back. I figured Paul Souder’s book would appeal to him because Paul’s boat, C-Sick, plays a major role in Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, a Bay, and the Quests for the Perfect Bear by Paul Souders and my neighbor Bob enjoys messing around in boats. I’ve given copies to other friends because the light-hearted tone, exciting adventures, and gobsmacking photographs make it a fun read, while Paul also sneaks in some provocative reflections that make one stop and think."
Personal Picks:
Strange and Dangerous Dreams, City Goats, The Bond
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 A Sideways Look at Clouds
laura
marketing manager
Gift Pick:
"Last year I gave Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home by Heather Anderson to two of my sisters who have started getting into backpacking and they both reported back that they loved it. This year I’m giving them all Heather’s follow-up, Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail. My mother-in-law loves birds, I already gave her Gerrit Vyn's two Pacific Northwest Birds pocket guides (Forest & Mountains and Lowlands & Coast) which she loved - so for Christmas I'll be gifting her Gerrit's Pacific Northwest Birds 2022 Wall Calendar."
Personal Picks:
How to Suffer Outside, Best Hikes with Dogs Western Washington, Journeys North
tom
publisher & director of finance & operations
Gift Pick:
“I’ll be sending A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou by Seth Kantner to all my Alaska friends and family. It’s a beautiful book. Seth’s writing captures that life and that country with such clarity and detail that even those lucky enough to be born on the last frontier will feel like they’re getting a guided tour to a new and marvelous land.”
Personal Picks:
Earth Almanac, The Big Thaw, Camping Washington
ellie
sales representative
Gift Pick:
"How to Suffer Outside: A Beginner's Guide to Hiking and Backpacking by Diana Helmuth is the perfect present for all my friends, from triple-crowners to people who have never left the city. It’s such a fun read for anyone who likes to reminisce about the struggles of type 2 fun in the mountains, and loaded with helpful information for anyone with questions about backpacking. I laughed so much while reading this book and I know all my people will love it too."
Personal Picks:
A Shape in the Dark, Dragons in the Snow, Climbing Self Rescue
janet
managing editor
Gift Pick:
"Some of my neighbors and I have been installing mason bee houses so I’m giving them Mason Bee Revolution: How the Hardest Working Bee Can Save the World-One Backyard at a Timeby Jill Lightner and Dave Hunter so that we can keep growing our bee population. The raspberries and blueberries on our block have never been so prolific!"
Personal Picks:
Nature Obscura, A Sideways Look at Clouds, Day Hiking: Central Cascades
Marissa
publicist
Gift Pick:
“I’ve gifted so many people copies of Urban Trails: Seattle that I’ve taken to always keeping an extra copy on hand. I think the book should be included in a welcome package for any newcomer, and even longtime residents will find new places to explore. The entire Urban Trails series make lovely gifts, and I’ve also given friends copies of Urban Trails: Eastside, Urban Trails: Everett, and Urban Trails: Portland. They’re such a great compact size and full-color, too.”
Personal Picks:
Douglas Fir, Nature Obscura, Swimming Holes of Washington
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 Picks:
Spirited Waters, Day Hiking North Cascades 2nd Ed., A Thousand Trails Home
jen
SENIOR DESIGNER AND PRODUCTION MANAGER
Gift Pick:
"Inevitably, every time I’ve cooked from Dirty Gourmet: Food for Your Outdoor Adventures by Mai-Yan Kwan, Emily Nielson, and Aimee Trudeau while camping, someone asks where the recipe came from. It’s become my go-to gift for friends who love cooking and camping. It’s a great resource not only for car camping, but bikepacking as well!"
Personal Picks:
Seattle Stairway Walks, Biking Puget Sound, 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 Picks:
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 Picks:
Faith of Cranes, Crown of the Continent, The Salmon Way
sarah
development manager
Gift Pick:
“My aunt LOVES wildflowers and has even written her own children’s book about the wildflowers in Colorado. In hopes that she’ll come to the Pacific Northwest to hunt for wildflowers with me, I’m planning on gifting her Washington Wildflower Hikes: 50 Destinations by Nathan Barnes and Jeremy Barnes!”
Personal Picks:
Mud, Rocks, Blazes, Journeys North, Alpine Lakes Wilderness
liz
DISTRIBUTION CENTER ASSOCIATE
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 Picks:
Backpacking Washington, 2nd Edition, Mount Rainier National Park Artist's Tour,Peak Nutrition