Travel & Outdoors

Life & Style It's springtime - the bears are waking up

By Associated Press Published: Mar 20, 2013 at 3:31 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 20, 2013 at 3:31 PM PDT

With the arrival of spring weather, Washington state wildlife officers warn that bears are waking up — and they're hungry.

Life & Style Company to halt drilling next to Glacier Park

By MATT VOLZ,Associated Press Published: Mar 20, 2013 at 3:20 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 20, 2013 at 3:20 PM PDT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Colorado exploration company will stop drilling next to Glacier National Park, with company officials saying they haven't located enough oil and gas to continue after 14 wells and more than a decade of work.

Anschutz Exploration Corp.

Life & Style Cross-country car trip used only solar, hydrogen

By Associated Press Published: Mar 18, 2013 at 1:39 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 18, 2013 at 1:39 PM PDT

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee college professor is celebrating his coast-to-coast trip using no petroleum fuel.

Middle Tennessee State University fuels researcher Dr. Cliff Ricketts drove into Long Beach, Calif., having used only solar power and hydrogen to power his car.

Life & Style 'I will never look at a field of snow the same way again' (Photo Gallery)

By NICHOLE L. BALLARD Rawlins Times Published: Mar 13, 2013 at 8:18 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 13, 2013 at 8:18 AM PDT

Sonja Hinrichsen is internationally known for her snow drawings — intricate patterns etched into a snowfield with snowshoes.

Life & Style 53-year-old musher becomes oldest Iditarod champ (Photo Gallery)

By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press Published: Mar 13, 2013 at 7:10 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 13, 2013 at 8:54 AM PDT

Mitch Seavey and 10 dogs crossed the Nome finish line to cheering crowds at 10:39 p.m. Alaska time Tuesday.

Life & Style Monarch butterflies drop ominously in Mexico (Photo Gallery)

By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press Published: Mar 13, 2013 at 6:53 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 14, 2013 at 12:53 PM PDT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The amount of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico dropped 59 percent this year, falling to the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began 20 years ago, scientists reported Wednesday.

Life & Style Kayaker paddles 4,000 miles

By Associated Press Published: Mar 13, 2013 at 8:12 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 13, 2013 at 8:12 AM PDT

A kayaker has arrived in Key West after paddling some 4,000 miles — from the northernmost spots in lower 48 states to the country's southernmost city.

Life & Style Crater Lake snow plowing might fall victim to federal budget cuts

By Associated Press Published: Mar 13, 2013 at 8:08 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 13, 2013 at 10:19 AM PDT

The federal budget cuts known as the sequester are threatening an annual rite of spring in Oregon — plowing the snow that has buried the roads at Crater Lake National Park all winter.

Life & Style Travel spotlight: Riding the rails on the California Zephyr train (Photo Gallery)

By MELANIE CARROLL, Associated Press Published: Mar 11, 2013 at 8:24 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 11, 2013 at 10:46 AM PDT

The journey east on Amtrak's California Zephyr train is as good as the destination.

Life & Style White House tours halted, there's just no money for them

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Published: Mar 6, 2013 at 12:43 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 6, 2013 at 12:43 PM PDT

The Obama administration is canceling tours of the White House beginning Saturday, citing staffing reductions prompted by automatic budget cuts that began to take effect last Friday.

Life & Style Fashion icon Jean Paul Gaultier is taking his exhibition to London (Photo Gallery)

By Associated Press Published: Mar 7, 2013 at 9:00 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 6, 2013 at 12:38 PM PDT

Nautical sailor tops and Madonna's conical bra are coming to London next year in an exhibition of the work of fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier.

Life & Style National Geographic honors Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Published: Mar 5, 2013 at 2:43 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 5, 2013 at 2:43 PM PDT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — National Geographic has designated the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as one of its top 10 "Best Spring Trips."

The Kentucky tourism attraction is showcased along with excursions and festivals in New Zealand, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, South Africa and Argentina.

Life & Style TSA to allow small knives, bats, clubs on planes

By Associated Press Published: Mar 5, 2013 at 2:34 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 5, 2013 at 2:34 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Airline passengers will be allowed to carry small knives, souvenir baseball bats, golf clubs and other sports equipment on planes beginning next month.

Life & Style Travel spotlight: Tulsa, Oklahoma's art deco style, music and more (Photo Gallery)

By HILLARY SPEED, Associated Press Published: Mar 6, 2013 at 9:00 AM PDT Last Updated: Mar 5, 2013 at 12:10 PM PDT

What you find in Tulsa is an eclectic mix of new and old: artsy hangouts that show off its thriving hipster culture as well as well-preserved historic gems that harken back to the oil boom of the early 1900s.

Life & Style New at Graceland: Viva Las Vegas! (Photo Gallery)

By Associated Press Published: Mar 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT Last Updated: Mar 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT

A new exhibit opening at Graceland showcases Elvis Presley's strong connection to Las Vegas, where he performed and vacationed.