Skip Card

Skip Card grew up in Tacoma, Wash., and was drawn to the Northwest's forests and mountains at a young age. By his 20s, he was an avid recreational backpacker and mountain climber, eagerly exploring the beauties of the Cascades and Olympic Mountains.

Card's career as a newspaperman took a beautiful turn in 1998, when he became a full-time outdoor recreation reporter for the Tacoma News Tribune. His work attracted the attention of Mountaineers Books, which connected Card with forecaster Michael Fagin. The two collaborated to create "Best Rain Shadow Hikes: Western Washington." Later, Card worked with climbing ranger Mike Gauthier to provide historical features for the second edition of Gauthier's "Mount Rainier: A Climbing Guide."

Card moved to New York City in early 2004. Exploring trails within two hours of Manhattan, he wrote and shot photographs for "Take a Hike: New York City," published in 2006 by Moon Outdoors, a division of Avalon Travel.

Card lives with his wife, Jean Margaret, and their daughter, Julia, on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The family regularly spends weekends in Woodstock, NY.