Recreational whitewater rafting likely began in the 1940s on Wyoming’s Snake River, when some intrepid argonauts saw a wooden boat, a gnarled mash of rocks and roiling, swift water, and thought, “That looks fun!” Thirty years later in 1972, it became an Olympic sport at the fateful Munich Games. Now, though the technology has improved […]
Visitor’s Guide
Posted inStories
A Charmed Life in Rio Dell
Standing on the river bar, Debra Garnes squints in the sun, a pair of triangle abalone earrings glint at her neck. She waves her left arm to indicate the white bluffs and their stark contrast to all the greenery around us and across the Eel River. The water below glitters jade green at a distance […]
Posted inStories
Stargazing on the North Coast
Without the glare of city lights, starlight casts its soft glow on the landscape. In rural Humboldt County, the dark skies are filled with an unfathomable number of stars and a foray into the night need not take you far to see them. As a rule of thumb, stargazing is best from the higher elevations […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Getting Veggie-centric at Wildflower Cafe
Vegetarian dishes are too often relegated to a sidebar, corner or back page of a restaurant’s menu, as if to say, “if we must.” Not so at Wildflower Cafe & Bakery, where vegetables in their many forms secure top billing and all the cameos, too. A staple of Arcata’s Northtown for more than 30 years, […]
Posted inShopping
More Than Skin Deep
‘Ohana Organics True to its name, this family-run, organic beauty care company brings the aloha of Hawaii here to Humboldt County. ‘Ohana Organic creates body scrubs, lotions, tattoo butters, cleansers, vegan products, salves and more. The company’s philosophy is “real ingredients for real people.” Putting theory into practice, ‘Ohana Organics grows all its own certified […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Souji House in Garberville
For years, Southern Humboldt residents have enjoyed shopping at Chautauqua Natural Foods for organic food and supplements. In June of 2018, the owners of Chautauqua Natural Foods opened Souji House, an “Asian soul food” restaurant offering colorful lunch dishes, organic soft serve, Japanese sweets, beer, wine and sake. Peg Anderson started Chautauqua Natural Foods 35 […]
Posted inStories
The Foggy Bottoms Boys
Down a winding unpaved road on the outskirts of the Victorian Village of Ferndale, you’ll find a farm nestled among many others in a verdant, fertile valley. This farm is special, though, thanks to the young couple running it. Thomas and Cody Nicholson-Stratton, the Foggy Bottoms Boys, manage and operate their family’s farm in much […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Alchemy Distillery
Does it take a village to make whiskey? For the owners and operators of Alchemy Distillery, community collaboration and a commitment to the environment have coalesced into an intoxicating beverage. Amy and Steve Bohner are known for building things. Steve (short cropped hair and a belly-length beard with lightning bolts of gray) and Amy (a […]
Posted inPerfect Trips
Perfect Spring Trips
Green is our middle name. Not only is Humboldt County home to emerald forests that stretch for miles, it is also an eco-friendly community with a unique history of conservation. Here are a few of the ways you can explore the North Coast that celebrate and preserve the environment. Good deal. Outdoorsy Type Arcata Marsh […]
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Blue Lake Casino Bets on Sustainable Fun
A man pulls down hard on a lever and watches as each reel on his slot machine spins and stops: one, two, three. He misses a jackpot by just one cherry. A row of machines over, a woman murmurs, “Come on, baby,” while her nickel slot machine spins. Across the aisle, a dealer places another […]
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Bout That Time
The lights dim and the crowd cheers. A line of skaters roll out as a voice ricochets through the arena, announcing their names. Wheels screech and we take our places on the track. Soon we will go head-to-head with the opposing team. It will get physical because this is roller derby. And it will get […]
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Curating Self, Refashioning Tradition
The video “Dragging/Undragging” unfolds on a split screen. On the left, a person turns from the camera. The T-shirt comes off and a breast-flattening compression shirt goes on; next comes makeup and a comb to tease up a tall pompadour. Humboldt artist Brittany Britton becomes Jules, a West Coast drag king. At the same time, screen […]