Traveling in Washington
Washington state is the most north western state in the continental US. It is most similar to Oregon in that both states have temperate rainforests, a Pacific coastline, western mountains and eastern deserts. I’ve taken three trips to Washington with the first being a short summer trip to Mt St. Helens. Years later I returned for over a week of mountaineering courses which was the foundation of all my future climbing trips, and finally ten years after that I returned for a dedicated trip to Seattle and Olympic national park. I can say despite all the trips here this is one of America’s greatest travel destinations, which an almost endless amount of urban exploring in Seattle to the diverse activities offered in the state’s mountains and ocean.
Seattle
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Famous for coffee and its towering Space Needle, Seattle is a huge city that’s a favorite among many Americans. Seattle is the home of such companies like Microsoft and Starbucks, and has a healthy economy with lots of unique neighborhoods and sites. The best time to visit is in the summer, when Seattle boasts some of the best weather in the country. Just a few place of interest are Pike’s Marketplace, the harbor, and even a tour of the underground Seattle; the old city that was destroyed in a fire and was simply built over.
Olympic National Park
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Olympic national park is arguably one of the most diverse national parks in the country. Some of the habitats here include beautiful coastline along the Pacific ocean, temperate rainforests, and to top it all off even some world class mountaineering! The temperate rainforests are some of the most beautiful and unique forests in the United states, and are home to animals such as black bear, elk, wolves, and even mountain lions. On the other hand the mountains of Olympic national park don’t even reach 8,000 feet (2,500 meters) but with many of the scraggly mountains covered in glaciers they can offer some very serious technical climbs.
North Cascades
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Although the Cascades extend from California to British Colombia Canada, Washington state’s Northern Cascades are known for their picturesque non volcanic mountains. The cascades have several ski resorts, hiking trails and some serious mountain climbing. Mt. Shuksan which is also in the North Cascades is one of America’s most beautiful mountains.
Olympia
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Washington’s capital of Olympia is a small city located at the bottom of the Puget sound, giving it cool summers and mild winters. Its proximity to local giants such as Mt. Rainier and St. Helens make it a very picturesque town. The capital’s waterfont and surrounding landscapes give the population easy access to some of the best national parks in the country.