Visiting Seattle and Olympic Park

I love to hike the trail up the Ho river. Go to the Ho river ranger station off 101. Take the short hike in the rain forest then for more of a challenge start up the Ho river trail as far as you want. I also like the trail to the falls at Sol' Duck Hot springs. The hot springs are not too shabby either. Any of the beach hikes are great. Also go to hurricane ridge and hike up there from the ranger station. Great eats in Seattle. I like Fandango in Bell Town.

 

Also I forgot go to www.rei.com. REI has a number of very good books by the Mountaineers and others with day hikes. Also visit the flagship REI in Seattle. It is a kick. 4 story indoor rock climbing mountain just to start off.

 

Oooh, I love that rock climbing mountain in the Seattle REI! There's a two-story one in the REI in Redmond Town Center too (do they all have one?). I have a hard time staying off it as I'm an avid climber.

As for food in Seattle... Seattle is loaded with really good resterants. Check out Seattle's China Town too; I heard they revamped it. And don't forget to check out the Waterfront! And because everyone else does it when they get here, go see the Space Needle and the Science Center (see if there's anything playing on the IMAX that you might be interested in). Sci Center and IMAX rule. OH! And if you're a scifi buff, check out the new Scifi Museum (located in the Experiance Music Project building). I haven't seen the museum yet, but it sounds cool from what I've read about it.

 

shocker: its too bad you couldnt come in the middle of sept. that is when we are having our first PriusChat WA St. get together...

of course you could just hang out around here for a couple of weeks and show up anyway. you are officially invited. we expect you to be there and will be extremely disappointed if you couldnt make it. (not to pressure you or anything like that...)

see ya soon!!

 

For a great drive and hiking trip try the North Cascades Hiway. here you will see probably the most scenic drives in the US.

you will be here for one of the 4 months the highway is open since most of the year, the road is buried in snow.

but be warned, if you are afraid of heights, this might not be for you. but if you like great mountain vistas, gorgeous deep blue lakes with dams, and deep lush green valleys unspoiled by man, you cant miss this.

there are several places to pull over and park and hike along the mountain face to get a better view of a lake, stream or valley. bring a camera, your walking shoes, and be ready to be wowed by the area that aledgedly inspired the song "America the Beautiful"
(at least that is what one plaque on a trail said.)

the best part is that although very scary (many places feature sheer cliff edges and drops of up to 3000 feet) it is very safe for hiking. most trails are rated for distance, difficulty and recommended age of hikers so there are few surprizes. many areas have several trails in the same area that meet in the same place so there is something for nearly every one.

be sure to visit North Cascades National Park. it is only national park in the lower US that is NOT ACCESSIBLE by automobile. you must walk in from the road. but do so if you are able you will not regret it.

i have been there twice and each time i am rendered speechless by the awesome beauty of the place. and as many in this forum will attest, it takes a lot to shut me up!!

Continue west on the Highway to Whidbey Island via Camano Island and cross over Deception Pass and the gateway to the Pacific. "Sitting on Top of the WorldThe Bridge at Deception Pass is famous for its view of hugh rocks jutting up from the ocean as it guards the entrance to Puget Sound. another "must see".

if what i have said wont convince you, try these site for info.

http://www.cascadeloop.com/mile_post_7/

 

I remember the last time I was there, out of Colonial Creek camp ground on the trail. Me, my wife and our two Newfounds. On leashes of course. We came around a 90 degree turn an there, in the middle of the trail, right in the middle of the trail, was a big, brown, bare (glad it was not a grizz) The two Newfs looked at the Bear, and the Bear looked at the Newfs. So with less than 50 feet between us we looked at each other.... for a long.... long time. The Bear reared up a bit, more sitting down than standing and then ambled off the trail. We beat it back to the Colonial Creek Camp Ground and loaded up our Red VW (Camper) Bus and beat feet to Winthrop over the north cascades highway. I don't know what we have done if the dogs barked or the bear reacted, but I do wonder to this day what they both were thinking.

 

Hdrygas: Eeeee! You've got Newfs?!?!?! I love those dogs!!!!!


Shocker: check out Mt. St. Helens on your way up! It's awesome. I am going there tomorrow (sunday). Haven't been there in years, so I don't remember much. Can't wait to see it again.

 

Mt. St. Helens??

well it mostly still there... more than half of it was left behind...

it is 1500 feet shorter now...

 

place to stay

I visited that area with my parents in May of this year, unfortunately not the best weather, but we had a great time. We stayed at the Palace Hotel in Port Townsend. It's an old Victorian-style hotel and the rooms are really neat. The whole town reminded me of an old English port town. They have a couple of really nice restaurants there as well.

As a daytrip we drove all along the coast to Neah Bay where we visited the Makah Tribe museum and hiked Cape Flattery, the most northwestern tip of Washington. Beautiful! The road there is windy and it will take you 2 to 3 hours to get there from Port Townsend, but it is definitely worth it.

Esther

 

Scratch the North Cascades Highway. 2 major land / mud slides has it closed. Check to see if it is open when you get here. They might choose not to open it before winter.

 

nope way to early to let it go. only way they wouldnt clear it right away is if weather prevented access to it.

the longer they wait, the harder it will be to clear. they will have it cleared in a few days. probably have one lane open in less than 24 hours.

you must realize that that area accounts for 4 million visitors a year and that doesnt count local camping. waaay too much money involved there to close the place.

besides, the area averages a slide a week so they are used to it and very prepared.