When Stan Pine first moved to Clatsop County from the dry landscape of central Oregon, he was wary of the rain. Already an avid hiker, he noticed the way downpours soaked the forests and anybody caught on the trails.

Now a North Coast resident of over a decade, Pine hikes rain or shine, and appreciates the way the frequent showers saturate his surroundings with greenery.

“I’ve learned you can hike in the rain, you can hike anytime of the year,” he said. “Sometimes in that deep forest, you can’t even feel the rain.”

Whether he is hiking with others or by himself, Pine carries with him more than just sturdy shoes and a bottle of water. He has become intricately familiar with the histories of the trails he walks, studying changes in topography and noting shifts in land use.

Pine said his interest was sparked when he started walking his dogs on trails in central Oregon.

“There was a lot of history out there, but none of it was easy to access. There were always names like ‘Wagonblast Road,’ and I always wondered if there was dynamite that blew up a wagon or something,” he said. “There’s always interesting names out there. So I started collecting data on all of these things that I saw or heard or read about.”

Over the 35 years Pine lived in central Oregon, he developed a knack for finding smaller, lesser-known trails and uncovering new corners of history. He said he wanted to share both the paths and the information he’d discovered with others and took to the written word.

“I had a love for history, and a love for outdoor hiking, and just decided it’d be fun if I could write a book that had something that included both my passions,” he said. “I put those two together and wrote two books over the years. And then I moved to Clatsop County and it’s the same thing. There are lots of books about history, and lots of books about hiking. But there wasn’t really anything that put it all together.”

Pine continued to explore the paths less traveled, noting that most hiking guides in the area focused on popular, well-trodden trails such as the Fort to Sea Trail or Tillamook Head. He also emphasizes the importance of including “strolls” — places that do not necessarily follow a trail but provide scenery to leisurely wander and admire the surroundings.

“I want to include things that appeal to everybody,” he explained. “You can look in my book, and I’ll say, ‘This is a good one for a baby carriage, you can push a baby carriage along here.’ Whereas most hiking books are really more challenging.”

Accessibility is important to Pine. A major reason for his continued dedication to hiking is his commitment to recovery from a triple bypass surgery. To stay healthy and active, he hikes at least three times a week.

Pine said his favorite place to hike is the Netul Landing Trail at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, because it offers an atmosphere of serenity alongside the opportunity to catch a glimpse of wildlife while walking along the easy trail.

“Each time you turn a corner, you might see otters in the river, or ducks or herons. Right now there’s lots of spiders and spider webs that get rain or dew on them, they’re beautiful things to walk past and look at. Sometimes you’ll see a deer, or one of the eagles that seem to be out along the river there.”

Pine’s recently self-published book, “Hiking Historic North Clatsop County, Oregon,” contains over 85 scenic hikes, walks and strolls in Astoria, Warrenton and Seaside.

Along with historical tidbits and thoughtful advice, the book often offers a humorous perspective that invites others to join in the fun, regardless of their hiking experience or ability. It can be found for sale at Seaside’s Beach Books, the Seaside Museum & Historical Society, Astoria’s Godfather’s Books and the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria.

“I’m glad to have something out there that lots of people can enjoy,” Pine said.

Jasmine Lewin is a reporter for The Astorian in Astoria.