Try a trip to Wenatchee

Downtown Wenatchee is overlooked by Saddle Rock with Mission Ridge in the distance.

You don't have to go all the way to San Antonio to visit a River Walk.

One can be found as close as Wenatchee.

And there is plenty of other things to do in the Central Washington city and its environs than take a stroll along the Columbia River at River Walk Park.

Although the park is a good option.

It lies on a narrow strip of land between the Columbia and the railroad tracks and features green grass, trees and a paved trail.

It can be accessed by an arching covered bridge over the railroad tracks from near the Wenatchee Convention Center.

It can also take you to the Pybus Public Market, another favorite tourist stop in town.  The market has a deck suitable for hosting small outdoor dances and dozens of shops -- and places to eat.

The Wenatchee River joins the Columbia River in town and features white water rafting and fishing upstream.  A state park lies at the confluence.

Skiers can find nearby Mission Ridge off Blewett Pass.

But Wenatchee boasts more than just outdoor recreation.

It also offers big time sports practically year round.

The Wenatchee Wild plays in the Junior professional Western Hockey League, competing with the likes of the Seattle Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips, Spokane Chiefs, Portland Winterhawks and Tri-City Americans as well as Canadian teams.

In the summer months you can watch the Wenatchee Apple Sox, who play a high caliber of baseball in the independent summer collegiate West Coast League.

Other Northern Division opponents include the Bellingham Bells, Port Angeles Lefties and Canadian entries from as far away as Edmonton.

There are plenty of places to stay in Wenatchee, as well as shopping opportunities and drive-ins and restaurants.  Not to mention golf courses.

You can also easily access the Lake Chelan area to the north.

So whatever you prefer to do, Wenatchee and areas nearby will have it.

How to get there:

Wenatchee can be found by heading east on Highway 2 over Stevens Pass, or west on the same highway across the farmlands and desert from Spokane.

Another option is to hop on I-90 from Highway 18 or I-5 and travel east over Snoqualmie Pass.  Take Highway 97 from near Cle Elum or Ellensburg and go north over Blewett Pass to Highway 2 and turn right through Cashmere.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Coldwater had hot beginning

With most lakes, scientists can only make an estimate as to the time period in which they had their beginnings.

But the beginnings of Coldwater Lake can be pinned down to the minute.

Try 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980.

That's when a gigantic landslide swept down the north slope of nearby Mount St. Helens, unleashing a tremendous eruption -- and plugging off Coldwater Creek.

Çoldwater Lake formed in its place, with the Army Corps of Engineers later stepping in to make the plug permanent by creating a spillway and outlet channel.

Now the large lake sits placidly behind Johnston Ridge, filling a valley between it and Coldwater Ridge.

You can pull over on top of the plug on your way to or from the Johnston Ridge Observatory and check out the scene, or launch a boat as long as it's not motorized.

Rainbow and cutthroat trout provide targets for boaters with a one fish daily limit and maximum length of 16 inches.  The lake was stocked at one time but is no longer.

Or they can just cruise the five mile long, half mile wide lake and get a closer look at rocky Kim Island.

The area also features picnic tables, rest rooms and trails, including the 0.6-mile boardwalk Birth of a Lake Trail.  The Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center is nearby and overlooks the lake and valley.

The lake has an average depth of 87 feet with a maximum of 180 feet.  Its surface sits at 2,503 feet above sea level and covers 773.2 acres.

How to get there:

Take the State Route 504 exit off Interstate 5 at Castle Rock and head east toward Johnston Ridge.  Coldwater Lake will be to the left.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Tulips return to Skagit Valley

Tulip time is upon us again.

The colors are just starting to show in the Skagit Valley, and in the coming weeks of April full blooms will spring out and draw an expected one million visitors.

If they are anything like last year's season, they will be well worth the journey to Mount Vernon and environs.

The most popular way to visit is on your own by automobile, cruising the country roads between the fields.

Stops can be made at the four major gardens for a small price, and you can get out, stretch your legs and carefully wander through the fields snapping pictures.

Or you can go the easy route and visit by tour.

You can reach Shutter Tours at (425) 516-8838, and Skagit Valley Guided Adventures by website for tours at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Some parks departments offer tours as well, such as Federal Way for seniors age 50 and over and inclusions, but they fill up fast.

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival runs an office and website with information on all of the above and more year round.

It runs seven days per week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in April and Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the rest of the year.

It is located at 311 W. Kincaid Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.  It can be reached at P.O. Box 1784, by phone at (360) 428-5959 or by e-mail at info@tulipfestival.org.

The four major gardens are RoozenGaard at 50 acres, Tulip Town at 18 acres, Tulip Valley Farms at 12 acres and Garden Rosalyn at seven acres.

Garden Rosalyn costs $15 to tour, while Roozengaard is $17 weekdays and $18 weekends.  Tulip Valley Farms checks in at $19.50 and Tulip Town at $20.

All but Garden Rosalyn offer discounts if you register online ahead of time.

How to get there:

Take Mount Vernon exit 225 or 226 off Interstate 5 and follow the Tulip Festival signs out to the area of the farms.

They are all located just south of State Route 20.

Photos by Jeff Clinton and text by Tim Clinton.

Cline Spit offers easy access

Cline Spit has its advantages over much larger and longer Dungeness Spit nearby.

It has a boat ramp while Dungeness does not, it is free to walk on while Dungeness is not -- and it is much easier to get to.

Rather than taking a long walk through the woods to get to the beach, you simply drive down a small hill, park, get out of your car and you are there.

And the view isn't bad either.

Look east on a clear day and you can see snowcapped Mount Baker in the distance beyond a wetland and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Look west and you can see the sun trailing across Dungeness Bay or even a sunset if it's later.

To the south is a wooded bluff with wind swept fir trees, and to the north, west and east is log strewn Dungeness Spit in front of the horizon line.

And instead of offering a miles long beach hike like Dungeness, Cline Spit County Park is packed into just less than the length of a football field at 80 yards of beach front.

The park encompasses two acres in all.

Rows of boulders separate the beach from the parking lot, and provide a place for youngsters to climb and make up their own adventures.

Or adults and children can walk the beach and listen to the sounds of the lapping waves, screaming seagulls and gravel crunching under their feet.

The ramp can launch vessels up to 17 feet in length.

Aside from boats to fish from and explore with, the adventurous can launch sailboards, kayaks, rafts and jet skis.

Call Clallam County Parks at (360) 417-2291 for more information on Cline Spit.

How to get there:

Cline Spit County Park is located at 199 Cline Spit Road No. 1, Sequim, WA 98382.

Cline Spit Road is accessed off Marine Drive on the bluff to the south.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Dosewallips boasts waterfront

It's more than just a place with a funny name.

Whether you are looking for a peaceful place to picnic or stay overnight, Dosewallips State Park will fulfill your desire.

The 425-acre piece of land sandwiched between the Hood Canal and Olympic Mountains with the Dosewallips River running through it offers both -- and more -- year round.

You can sit by the river or the saltwater and take in the sights, or find a way to recreate at both or either body of water.

A total of 5,500 feet of beach front property on the Hood Canal is included, as well as 5,500 feet of waterfront on either side of the Dosewallips River that comes cascading down from the Olympics.

A parking lot and picnic area is located next to the Hood Canal on the east side of Highway 101, while the campground and a few small cabins are located to the west.

All of the campsites are grassy and scenic, and all of the cabins are among trees facing west toward the Olympics with a covered front porch from which to enjoy them.

Each cabin is suitable for five guests, with three able to sleep on bunk beds and two on a futon couch. Three have both a living room and bedroom, and outside of each is a picnic table and fire grill.

Some cabins allow pets for a $15 plus tax fee per night.

All are located near shower and bathroom facilities and all have their own electric heat.

Check in time is 4 p.m. and check out is 11 a.m.

The state park is also close to the Olympic National Park with access up the river, featuring a waterfall.

As with all Washington state parks, a Discover Pass is required to park your vehicle at Dosewallips.  They can be obtained for $30 and offer a year's worth of visits to whatever state parks you desire. 

How to get there:

Dosewallips State Park is located at 306966 US-101, Brinnon, WA 98320.

You can get to it by turning onto Highway 101 from either Highway 104 to the north shortly after the Hood Canal Bridge and before you get to Discovery Bay, or from Interstate 5 in Olympia to the south.

Or, if you are coming from the northern Olympic Peninsula like from Sequim or Port Angeles, stay on Highway 101 at the interchange with Highway 104 and head south.

Call (360) 796-4415 for more information or (888) CAMPOUT for reservations.

Photos and text by Tim Clinton.

Newberry makes an impression

 

They are Oregon's other crater lakes, the ones you probably have never even heard of.

Two of them sit at the bottom of the expansive Newberry Caldera in Central Oregon, about 20 miles south of Bend.

Paulina Lake and East Lake are much smaller than Crater Lake, the gem of Crater Lake National Park, but both stand out in their respective settings as they sparkle in the sun reflecting the mostly blue skies above and greenery around them.

Paulina Lake boasts two boat docks, a lodge, and a scenic loop trail around its shores, while East Lake is more forested with its own resort tucked into the southeast corner.

Together they are the centerpiece of the 55,500-acre Newberry National Volcanic Monument created inside the Deschutes National Forest by an act of Congress in 1990.

In between is a small forested and cratered cone with its Little Crater Trail, and to the south is the aptly named Big Obsidian Flow.

Evidence of the area's volcanic past is everywhere.

A huge magma chamber under ground has emptied its contents and everything on top of it collapsed downwards, creating the caldera -- much in the same way Crater Lake was created when Mount Mazama erupted.

Ensuing volcanic activity created Little Crater and Big Obsidian Flow and other area features. The last of the smaller eruptions came in the year 690 AD, but the entire Newberry Volcano is still considered active and closely monitored.

Recreational opportunities now abound, from boating, rafting and fishing on the lakes to hiking the many trails that crisscross and encircle the scene, which is all overlooked by 7,984-foot Paulina Peak to the south.

Paulina Lake has hot springs across the water from the lodge, which is located near the trailhead for Paulina Creek Falls on the southwest corner of the lake.  The Paulina Visitor Center is also located near the road as it enters the area.

Camping is offered at numerous locations, especially near the lakes.

East Lake covers 1,050 acres and is located at 6,400 feet in altitude.  Paulina Lake is somewhat lower at 6,331 feet above sea level and larger at 2.394 square miles.

How to get there:

Paulina Lake Lodge is located at 22440 Paulina-East Lake Rd., La Pine, OR 97739 while the overall Newberry National Volcanic Monument headquarters and the Lava Lands Visitor Center is at 58201 US-97, Bend, OR 97702.  East Lake Resort is at 22430 Paulina Lake Rd., La Pine, OR 97739.

Call (541) 383-5300 for information.

The entrance to the area is an eastward turn off Highway 97 on route 21 between La Pine and Sun River.

Photos of Paulina Lake (top) and East Lake (bottom) and text by Tim Clinton.

 

Wild ride pays off in great views

It's worth the wild ride to get to Windy Ridge on Mt. St. Helens' blown out Northeast side.

The road weaves its way through thick forest as you head south from a turnoff on Washington's Highway 12 near the town of Randle.

Vehicles dip in and out of ruts and potholes galore, as the foursome I was with found out on a late August day.

Barry and I bumped our heads on the ceiling frequently in the back seat, while Nancy and Ethan in the front fared little better on the jolting trek.

A different kind of shock awaits you as you get closer to the mountain, as you suddenly pop out of the forest into a world of much smaller and evenly sized trees.

You are now entering the blast zone carved out when the mountain blew her top during a massive landslide the morning of May 18, 1980.

Life is slowly but surely returning to the area, from alders, firs and alpines to flowers and brush.

Thanks to the smaller size of the trees, the mountain itself comes into view and reappears again and again along with its close neighbors Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier.  Oregon's Mt. Hood even appears for a brief moment.

The path offers vistas from pullouts along the way until at last you come to the wide parking lot at Windy Ridge.

From here you get a view of the Northeast side of the mountain, right into the crater with the lava dome that gradually built up since the 1980 blast.

A switch-backed path goes up a hillside and offers a view over some hills and trees in between the ridge and the mountain, and on one side of the lot you can look down on the log-strewn remains of Spirit Lake.

Once you are done taking in the sights and absorbing the size and scope of the 1980 disaster, it's time to hit the long and winding road out once more.

How to get there:

To get to Windy Ridge, take Highway 12 from either Interstate 5 to the west or from the Yakima side to the east.

Follow the Mt. St. Helens and Windy Ridge signs south from near Randle.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Skagit Valley tulips blooming late

Skagit Valley's annual Tulip Festival may be running the entire month of April as always, but the tulips have not been cooperating.

Colder than normal temperatures for this time of year have set the blooming season back at least one week.

The daffodil fields are still in bloom right now, with the first tulip blossoms not expected to appear until this weekend.

What promises to be a colorful tulip season will not peak until some time in the ensuing weeks.

But four huge farms are more than ready to go for what will be the 40th running of the festival and are taking reservations and selling tickets ahead of time for visits in the Mount Vernon area.

RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town are back in the act along with newcomers Garden Rosalyn and Tulip Valley Farms.

The Skagit Valley tulips come in a wide variety of colors and Catherine Smith, a Korean friend, says that each has a different meaning.

Yellow and red dominate the scenes at the Skagit farms.

"It's hard not to smile when looking at a bouquet of yellow tulips, therefore the flower language of the yellow tulip is happiness and good luck," she said.  "Red tulips mean eternal love and passion, so they are more popular flowers among couples and also used in weddings.  If you are the romantic type and want to win someone's heart, send a beautiful bouquet of red tulips."

How to get there:

Take Mount Vernon exit 225 or 226 off of Interstate 5 some 60 miles north of Seattle and follow the Tulip Festival signs out to the area of the fields.

The festival runs an office that is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in April located at 311 W. Kincaid Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 with a phone number of (360) 428-5959.

More information can be found at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival website at tulipfestival.org, including links to the individual farms for purchasing advance tickets.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Ferries make getting there fun

They say that getting there is half the fun, and that's certainly the case with taking a ferry boat ride to and from Vashon Island.

The ships ply the waters of Puget Sound at all times of day and most of the night from three different terminals, offering a look at the stunning Pacific Northwest scenery.

You can catch one to and from Fauntleroy in West Seattle, Southworth on the other side of the sound on the Kitsap Peninsula, or Point Defiance in Tacoma to the south.

Or you can stay on the boat and skip the island except for a quick docking, going all the way from Fauntleroy to Southworth or vice versa.

The Faultleroy and Southworth ferries make landfall on the northern tip of Vashon Island and the Point Defiance ferry has Tahlequah on the southern end as its destination.

Once aboard you can leave your vehicle and take the stairs to the main passenger cabin.  You can take a seat in one of the booths and watch the Sound go by, or stroll around and go out on the deck at either end of the vessels and feel the breeze as it speeds along.

The Fauntleroy and Southworth runs offer a cafeteria with food and drink on the Issaquah, while the Point Defiance and Tahlequah runs do not aboard the Chetzemoka.

Restrooms are offered on both ships.

The trip back is always included with the cost of going to Vashon Island. That is the case whether you leave for the same destination you came from or from the other end of the island.

That's because there is no other means to get your vehicle on or off the island, so if you are getting off it is correctly assumed that you already paid the fare.

Costs vary depending on vehicle type and length and how old the driver and any passengers are, but are available online at the Washington State Ferries site.  Enter the departure and arrival sites to get a table to calculate from. 

How to get there:

Fauntleroy can be found by taking the West Seattle bridge (Spokane Street) to 35th Ave. SW and turning left to go south to SW Morgan Street, where you take a right.  Go down the hill and take a left at the stop sign on Fauntleroy and follow it down to the terminal.

Southworth is located by turning onto Sedgwick Rd. (Highway 160) off Highway 16 and taking a right on Southworth Dr. just above the terminal.

The Point Defiance terminal is off Highway 16 onto Pearl Street (Highway 163) in Tacoma, where you take a right and head north to its end.

Story and photos by Tim Clinton.

 

Tour the Cascade volcanoes by air

There's more than one way to see the Cascade volcanoes of Oregon and Washington.

You can take days and pick them off one by one in your vehicle.

But there's also the option of seeing them in the span of about an hour by jet on your way to or from California.

Nine of them were clearly visible for those on the right side of Alaska Airlines Flight 1061from Santa Ana's John Wayne airport to SeaTac the afternoon of January 19th -- as they are on many West Coast flights.

In this case the glistening snow covered peaks stood out above a sea of low clouds as viewed from an announced height of 38,000 feet.

Mount McLoughlin near Medford and Ashland led off the parade, and after awhile the Three Sisters came into view.

One was spotted first from the inside seat away from the window, and a lean forward suddenly revealed a second volcanic peak.

In the case of Oregon where there is two that close there must be another, and sure enough a lean back into the seat revealed a third.

After the scene that was too close and big to fit into one photo frame, clouds once again dominated the scene until another peak came into view -- Mount Jefferson.

Shortly thereafter the distinctive pointed peak of Mount Hood popped into view.

Next up in the lineup of nine was somewhat distant Mount Adams in Washington, and it was followed shortly by truncated Mount St. Helens.

This mountain had its peak slide off into a huge explosion on May 18, 1980.

Now it sat peacefully below all coated with snow, with the crater visible as well as two lakes on the exploded north side, Spirit Lake and Coldwater Lake.

Coldwater was created by the events on that fateful day in 1980, while Spirit Lake existed before but was greatly rearranged by them.

Before the blast the now log strewn lake surrounded by mostly barren but recovering hills was a gem sitting among a pristine forest.

 Last but certainly not least to appear was Mount Rainier.

At first it was visible in the distance, but quickly disappeared from view through the windows as the Boeing 737-800 banked down toward SeaTac.

Just as quickly the mighty landmark snapped back into view as the jet liner evened out, this time from a closer and lower vantage point.

The non-volcanic but also snow capped Olympics appeared in the west as the airplane circled around to the north for its landing at SeaTac International.

How to get there:

Book a round trip to a California destination on a hopefully clear enough day and forgo the urge to nap, read or watch a movie and look out the window.

Photos and text by Tim Clinton.

Mt. McLoughlin

Three Sisters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Sisters

Mt. Jefferson

 

Mt. Hood

Mt. Adams

Mt. St. Helens

Hit the slopes at Crystal Mountain

If you love to hit the slopes, Crystal Mountain is a great place to hit them.

The Pierce County ski resort east of Enumclaw offers views of Mount Rainier in places as you course your way down.

You can certainly see it from the top of the Crystal Mountain gondola ride, which lures visitors for its view year round.

The now 60 year old resort itself sits at the end of a valley on a dead end spur road off of Highway 410.  Rather than continuing over Chinook Pass, exit left at the Crystal Mountain Road signs before you get to the top.

Crystal Mountain Resort runs free shuttle trailers from the parking lots up to the base of the slopes, or, if you are going on a weekend or holiday, you can even catch a free bus ride all the way from the Enumclaw Expo Center.

The Enumclaw bus starts running Monday,  Dec. 26 this year with reservations recommended.

Reservations are required for parking, however, at a price of $30 on Saturdays and holidays and $20 on Sundays.  It is free to those with a valid season pass or those in carpools of four or more.

Unless you are over the age of 80 and can ski for free on slopes for all skill levels, it also costs for the lift tickets.  You can buy them online ahead of time and save under Crystal Mountain's dynamic pricing system.

The cost for daily lift tickets is $139-$189 for adults, or $55-$75 for senior citizens under the age of 80.

Prices also run $55-$75 for children ages 5-12 and $124-$169 for ages 13-22.

You can also save by purchasing one of several season passes available, or a three-day Wild Card pass for $299 for adults that is good weekdays only through March 13.

Season pass holders can get friends and family in for 25 percent off regular lift ticket prices this winter.

The highest slope originates above the tree line at 7,000 feet in elevation, with the vertical rise set at 2,612 feet.

Snowshoe trails are offered for those who want to enjoy the views and resort participating in a different sport.

Ski and snowboard lessons are available.

For more information on the Crystal Mountain Resort, call (833) 279-7895 or check online at the crystalmountainresort.com site.

How to get there:

The address for Crystal Mountain Resort is 33914 Crystal Mountain Blvd., Enumclaw, Wash.

Take Highway 410 off Highway 167 near Sumner, or join it from somewhere else including in Buckley or in Enumclaw at the foot of the Cascade Mountains.

Head toward Chinook Pass, which is closed during the winter and most of the spring, and veer off at Crystal Mountain Road.  The road winds its way up the valley to the resort, which boasts three hotels, two on-mountain restaurants and a day lodge with a cafeteria, an espresso stand and two restaurants with bars.  Equipment rental is offered, including being reserved and paid for online.

Night skiing is available on weekends and holidays.

You can also get there on Highway 410 out of Yakima in the summer months to enjoy the gondola, but you have to go around on Snoqualmie and White Pass during the winter for the shortest distance.

Text and photo by Tim Clinton.

There's a lot to do at Flaming Geyser

There is plenty to see and do at Flaming Geyser State Park, even if there isn't much of a flaming geyser.

There is a flame flickering about six inches tall, coming up out of a pile of small rocks and fed by natural gas pockets some 1,000 feet below the surface.

But there are no water eruptions in the Yellowstone sense of the word.

Now I had always been told by older generations of residents that there once was a water geyser here that flamed if you threw a match into it.

But, the story goes, the owner tried to make it bigger by blasting it and killed the water show instead.

Now the internet says that what existed was an eight-foot flame when lit, but it was capped at its current height for safety.

But what the 503-acre park lacks in the way of the geyser it more than makes up for with three miles of freshwater front on the true centerpiece -- the Green River.

The tree-lined river cuts and meanders throughout the property, providing raft, kayak and inner tube opportunities when safety precautions such as life jackets are observed.

It also provides photo and riverside picnic opportunities galore, or you can pick out a spot to simply sit on a log, rock or bank and take in the view and the sound of rushing water over rocks, or to fish from if you are licensed and so desire.

Across the developed park area from the river is a hillside with 4.3 miles of hiking trails.  One mile's worth of trails in the park are even open for horseback riding.

A playground is offered as well as ample fields to participate in badminton, volleyball, Frisbee, softball or catch.

You can find fire pits here, and restrooms including for ADA are available.

Wildlife and bird watching exists for the observant.

How to get there:

The address of Flaming Geyser State Park is 23700 SE Flaming Geyser Rd., Auburn, WA 98092.

From Auburn and Highway 18, go up the Green Valley Road and wind through the farmlands for about 15 miles until you come to the sign for Flaming Geyser State Park to your right.

You go down a short road until you cross the Green River into a field where the road comes to the automated pay station.  Here you can get a $30 annual Discover Pass or a $10 day use pass.

The road continues to cross the field -- where you can fly model airplanes -- until you come to the Green River, which it then follows until its conclusion with a parking lot and recreational fields with picnic shelters.

To get to the Flaming Geyser itself, take a short trail up from the end of the road and parking area past the old resort until you come to a rock lined pit.  In the middle is a flickering flame coming out of a pile of smaller rocks.

Beyond this point you cross a creek and the trail either takes you down to a scenic spot on the Green River or up a hillside into the trees.

Call (253) 735-8839 for more information on the park, which is open year round from 8 a.m. until dusk.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Take the pass less travelled

 

At 5,575 feet in elevation, it ranks as the highest paved pass in the state of Washington.

Yet Sherman Pass, tucked away in the Okanogan Mountains in the Northeast corner of the state, is one of the least known and least travelled.

But you can't say it isn't pretty, and it has a picnic area, campground and viewpoint near the top from which to enjoy it.

From Sherman Overlook at the 5,220-foot mark you can look up and to the south at 6,998-foot Sherman Peak, which is tree covered and often snow covered before other places in the state get a taste of it.

At least that's the way it was when viewed on a September trip over the pass in 2017.

Fresh snow clung to the side of the road, and blanketed the slopes above it.

To the north, on the other hand, you could see the dry grass and trees typical of the mountains of Eastern Washington.

You can also look down the valley and the road that winds toward the distant town of Republic.

The campground located here has nine tent/trailer sites with bathrooms available.

Sherman Pass also features the Canyon Creek Campground located to the east above Kettle Falls, and a snow park -- also to the east of the top.

The Canyon Creek Campground is open from Memorial Day weekend through Oct. 27 each year, while the Sherman Overlook Campground is open from Memorial Day weekend through Sept. 30.

The snow park is a rather difficult non-motorized trail for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. A Washington state Sno-Park Permit is required from Dec. 1 through March 31, which is the peak season.

How to get there:

Sherman Pass can be found on Highway 20, which runs east and west between Kettle Falls and Republic on what is a 35-mile stretch of the road.

The address of the Sherman Overlook Campground is Kettle Falls, WA 99141.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Smith Rock jumps out of a hole

Smith Rock has an odd look to it when you first see it across the Central Oregon desert.

The feature looms above the scene located near Redmond and Terrebone north of Bend, but appears to be coming up out of a huge hole.

When you get to the rim and look down you see that what is actually a series of gigantic rocks starts below and is even taller from bottom to top than it initially appeared.

The Crooked River snakes its way through the landscape around and in front of the rocks.

All of the rocks are part of what is left of an ancient volcano.

The hole they come up out of was formed when the magma chamber below was emptied and collapsed in on itself to create the Crooked River Caldera.

Subsequent activity resulted in the rocks, which are composed of volcanic tuff.

The tops of the rocks stand at roughly 3,200 feet above sea level.  They offer the goal of thousands of possible climbing routes available in Smith Rock State Park.

The 641-acre park is crisscrossed by 15 major trails for other uses such as hiking, trail running, mountain biking and horseback riding.  They range from several easy trails to difficult paths with names such as the Misery Ridge Trail.

Slack lining is another available activity in the park.

Those with less time and/or energy can walk a short ways down from the parking lot and take in the scene at a lookout next to one of the gnarly juniper trees.

The day use area is open all year from dawn to dusk, with tent camping only offered to those who want to stay.

How to get there:

Smith Rock State Park has an address of Smith Rock State Park, Terrebone, OR. 97760 and can be reached by calling (800) 551-6949 or (541) 548-7501.

Follow the signs from nearby Highway 97, which runs north and south across all of Central Oregon and Washington.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Grand Coulee light show returns

It's back.

The nightly "One River, Many Voices" laser light show has returned on the spillway of the Grand Coulee Dam after the COVID pandemic took it away.

It came back to the gigantic Eastern Washington structure May 28 of this year and is still running through Sept. 30 starting at 8:30 p.m.

Right before each show more Columbia River water is allowed over, providing a white screen for a backdrop.

Only a comparative trickle flows during the day.

No admission is charged for onlookers for a feature that covers the building of the dam and its benefits as well as what it has done to the environment and the Native American side of the story.

The dam itself is so huge that it boasts 12 million cubic yards of concrete and stands at 550 feet high.

It has enough concrete to form a sidewalk four feet wide and four inches deep all the way around the equator twice -- or 50,000 miles long.

It took from 1933 to 1942 to build it, and it irrigates 600,000 acres.

For more information, contact the Grand Coulee Visitor Center at (509) 633-9265.

How to get there:

The Grand Coulee Visitor Center is located at WA-155, Coulee Dam, WA 99116.

Take Highway 17 north from I-90 and Moses Lake, turning right onto Highway 2 and taking a left off of it at Highway 155.  Head north along Banks Lake in the scenic Grand Coulee until you come to the dam after a narrow strip of land.

Text and photo by Tim Clinton.

Overlook has Heavenly view

There is nothing diabolical about the Diablo Lake Overlook.

In fact, the view from the North Cascades Highway turnout can be downright Heavenly.

The turquoise lake below winds its way around snow capped peaks as you look in multiple directions from a vista that boasts ample parking for onlookers.

And even though the overlook and Diablo Lake itself are technically not in North Cascades National Park, you can certainly see it from there.

The jagged glaciated pinnacles of the park stand out to both the north and south of the highway and waterway through the Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

The lake is a reservoir behind the Diablo Dam that can be seen in the distance to the northwest and is located between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake on the Skagit River.

Diablo Lake has a surface elevation of 1,201 feet and covers an area of 1.422 square miles.

It gets its stunning color from glacial flour, or fine rocks particles, suspended in the water that enter the lake through glacial streams.

It is best viewed on sunny days in July, August and September, when most seasonal glacial melt occurs.

And the temperature of Diablo Lake is anything but hot, and is in fact said to be downright cold.

The water is the home of Bull, Cutthroat, Rainbow and Brook Trout that can be pursued by those with a valid Washington fishing license.

Camping can be found in the area, including right on Diablo Lake,

The north shore of the lake also boasts the 3.8 mile long Diablo Lake Trail.

But the best place to take it all in is the overlook.

How to get there:

The Diablo Lake Overlook is located at mile post 131.7 on State Route 20, otherwise known as the North Cascades Highway.

The quickest way to get there from Western Washington and Oregon is to take the State Route 20 exit off Interstate 5 and head east, but the most scenic way to go is from east to west.

Take Highway 2 from Snohomish in the west or from Spokane and dozens of small communities in the east and turn north on Highway 97 or 97A north of Wenatchee.  Turn northwest on Highway 153 in Pateros and follow it until you reach State Route 20 and turn left.

Photos and text by Tim Clinton.

Steamboat Rock stands out

Steamboat Rock sticks out like a sore thumb.

You can see it for miles away mostly out your front window as you traverse Central Washington's lengthy Grand Coulee from south to north, or mostly out the back window from north to south.

The basaltic butte stands out so much that it has been used as a navigational reference point for everything from covered wagons to modern fighter jets.

It is also pretty enough as it towers above Banks Lake to warrant its own state park.

It is situated on a peninsula jutting out into the 25-mile long lake created by water from the Grand Coulee Dam, with the connecting piece of land south of the rock offering ample parking, camping, boating, restrooms, showers and other facilities.

Steamboat Rock can be viewed up close from there, or from pullouts across the water on Highway 155 to the east.

The 5,043-acre state park has 50,000 feet of freshwater shoreline, with the 800-foot tall rock itself covering 600 acres.

Hiking and biking is available on 13.1 miles of trails including onto the top of the rock, where wildflowers abound in favorable months.  There are 10 miles of horse trails.

Individual campsites can be reserved for use from April 1 to Oct. 31 and are first-come, first-served from Nov. 1 to March 31.  There are 26 standard campsites and 164 full hookup sites plus three cabins.

Discover passes are required for use of the park at $30 per year good for all Washington state parks.  One day passes are also available at $10 per vehicle.

How to get there:

Turn north onto Highway 155 off of Highway 2 just east of Coulee City and the Dry Falls Dam and drive until you come to the state park to your left.

You can also get there from Highway 174 and the Grand Coulee Dam area to the north by heading south on Highway 155.

From Interstate 90 and Moses Lake, head north on Highway 17 until you come to Highway 2, taking a right and heading east before taking a left onto Highway 155 after Coulee City.

A short cut is available heading east on Interstate 90 before Moses Lake, turning northeast onto Highway 283 until it joins Highway 17 at Soap Lake, where you take a left.

The Steamboat Rock State Park address is 51052 WA-155, Electric City, WA 99123.

Call (509) 633-1304 for more information on the state park, or (888) 226-7688 for camping.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Sunrise shines in the morning

Morning is the best time to visit Sunrise, whether that is your destination or you are on your way around Mount Rainier.

Since it is located on the northeast side of the mountain the sun hits there first in the summer, plus if you are early enough you can beat the crowd.

Cars were lined up into the distance waiting to get in before midday on a Saturday, July 9 visit, after you were able to enter with no wait by 10 a.m.

Also helping with the crowd would be an arrival in the middle of the week, especially after school starts and before it is closed by snow.

This year snow remains a factor even in July.

It has been cleared from the roads, but patches remain everywhere around the lodge and gift shop, adding to the view but blocking many trails.

The views of Mount Rainier are outstanding, particularly of the steep Emmons Glacier coming down from the crater on Columbia Crest. Other features like Steamboat Prow and Liberty Cap stand out to the right.

But not to be overlooked are the features to the left on the other side of the White River Valley across from Sunrise.

Jagged peaks stick up into the sky including that of Little Tahoma right next to Mount Rainier, or Mount Tahoma as it was known to the Native Americans.

Little Tahoma ranks among the tallest peaks in the state of Washington at 11,138 feet, but is dwarfed by the 14,410 feet of Mount Rainier.

Sunrise Day Lodge is open from July through the end of September and is located at 6,400 feet -- or 1,000 feet higher than the 5,400 feet of Paradise Inn on the south side of Mount Rainier.

How to get there:

Take Highway 410 out of Sumner, Highway 164 out of Auburn or Highway 169 from Renton and Maple Valley into Enumclaw where the three highways converge.

Follow Highway 410 east toward Chinook Pass, but veer right before you get there into the White River Entrance of Mount Rainier National Park.

From Yakima and the east, take 410 west over Chinook Pass and take a sharp left shortly thereafter into the White River Entrance.

The road to Sunrise switches back and forth up from the entrance and includes one wide parking lot and lookout at the point of the last switchback.  From there it's a short jaunt to Sunrise.

Thursday, Aug. 4 will be free admittance day for Mount Rainier and all other national parks in the United States.  The next free day after that will be Saturday, Sept. 24.

Private vehicle passes good for seven days are normally $30, while seven day motorcycle passes are $25.  The per person walk-up or bicycle fee is $15.

Annual Mount Rainier passes for a car, driver and passengers are $55.

Discover Passes are for state lands only and do not include national parks.

Call (360) 569-2211 for more information on Mount Rainier National Park.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

Step back into the Old West

You can almost feel like you are stepping back in time to the Old West when you visit Winthrop.

False fronts and wood paneling highlight the buildings downtown, giving them a late 1800s look.

The hillsides above the town in Central Washington's Methow Valley are even mostly barren with desert scrub brush straight out of a Western movie.

The only giveaways are that the streets are paved instead of dirt or gravel, and the wagons and horses have been replaced with automobiles that go by on Highway 20.

Of course the motif was designed to lure in North Cascades travelers and get them to stop and shop, or to stay and make the town a center of operations for outdoor adventures.

After all, Methow Trails maintains 120 miles of trails for cross country skiing in the winter or for hiking and mountain biking in the summer and early fall.

Most of the trails are snow free from early May through November, except for the higher elevation paths that are open from July through early October.

Heliskiing is also offered in the nearby mountains for the most adventurous.

Winthrop is only the permanent home of 340 people according to the 2020 census, but what the town lacks in size it makes up for in big events.

The biggest event of the slate is the July 15-17 Rhythm and Blues Festival that attracts musicians and visitors annually from all over the Northwest.

It is so big that onsite camping is allowed with portable showers provided for those unable to get standard accomodations in the area.

Winthrop also hosts tournaments during the winter on its outdoor National Hockey League-sized rink as well as up to eight teams for the Winthrop Snowshoe Softball Tournament taking place every President's Day weekend in February.

Scheduled for Nov. 25-26 of this year is the annual Christmas At The End of the Road celebration that also ranks among the bigger of many scheduled local events.

While much of the North Cascades Highway 20 to the west is closed for the winter and early spring, Winthrop and the Methow Valley can be approached from the east all year.

For more information on year round recreational opportunities, contact Methow Trails at (509) 996-3287.

How to get there:

From late spring through early fall the most direct route to Winthrop from Western Washington and Oregon is to head to Burlington on Interstate 5 and take the Highway 20 exit heading east.

A short cut from the south is to take the Highway 530 exit near Arlington and go northeast until the road joins Highway 20 in Rockport, where you take a right.

But the more scenic and year round route is from east to west on Highway 20.

You can get to it from Highway 2 (Stevens Pass for Western Washingtonians) from the west or east and turn north on Highway 97 or 97A, which reunite in Chelan and head further north.  Take a left on Highway 153 in Pateros and another left when you come to Highway 20 near Twisp.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.