Photographer and writer IRA SPRING'S crisp, breathtaking images of the Northwest wilderness have been inspiring outdoor enthusiasts for several decades. His creative stamp can be found in more than forty books on the outdoors, including Mountaineers Books' titles such as, An Ice Ax, A Camera, And A Jar of Peanut Butter. Ira Spring was also one of the original contributers to the 100 Classic Hikes series. One of the Northwest's most active trail lobbyists, Spring was given the 1992 Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award for his volunteer efforts toward trail preservation and funding. Craig Romano is an avid hiker, runner, kayacker, and cyclist. He is the author of Best Hikes with Dogs Inland Northwest, Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington's Last Frontier, as well as Backpacking Washington, Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge, Day Hiking Olympia Peninsula, Day Hiking: North Cascades, Day Hiking Central Cascades, and Winter Hikes of Western Washington Deck. Craig lives in Mount Vernon, Washington. KAREN SYKES was an avid hiker and scrambler who spent close to fifty-two weekends a year exploring the mountains of Washington in a quest for off-the-beaten-track experiences. She also wrote a weekly hiking column for the "Getaway" section of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Karen passed away in 2014.