Exploring the Olympic Peninsula : Port Townsend.

One definition of the word " adventure " I can personally relate to is -

Something that’s new or different that isn’t an everyday occurrence

My latest trip to Port Townsend was something different to me. No biking, hiking, climbing...Just relaxing!

Port Townsend is famous for its historic homes and buildings, art galleries, museums, farmers markets, and of course festivals. Port Townsend is only one of three Victorian Seaports on the National Register of Historic Places.





So, a big part of the day I spent just walking around downtown ( which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and further was declared a National Historic Landmark ).

Even if you are not a history buff, visit Fort Worden State park, where you can feel " back in time " : visitors can view the original 12- gun emplacements, "discover " the bunkers, and even stay in restored residences or barracks. Fort Worden's Coast Artillery Museum was small, but very interesting. Because there were not many visitors at that time, we were even offered an interpretive walk.









In addition to the fascinating history of the place, the park offers a variety of outdoor activities : boating, swimming,diving, fishing, crabbing,kayaking,picnicking, hiking....







Fort Worden State Park and Conference Center is a 434-acre multi-use park and it's really hard to experience its history and beauty in just one day ( in my case -2 hours). If you are looking for a cheap stay, Olympic Hostel offers frugal lodging options right here at the park.





If you are looking for something more upscale , the Clam Cannery Hotel offers Port Townsend’s most luxurious waterfront accommodations ( and it's just 10 minutes away from the park ).

What struck me about the hotel was the difference between " outside" and "inside". When we got there, at first I thought I had the wrong address. It looked so...



But inside ( ! ) :

The Clam Cannery Hotel - first class accomodations for outdoor enthusiasts.

Who says you have to sacrifice comfort and luxury to enjoy the great outdoors ?
If you are looking for somewhere truly unique to stay, when visiting Port Townsend, consider the Clam Cannery Hotel, the only 4-star quality hotel in Port Townsend.

This new boutique, all suite waterfront hotel offers unobstructed views of the Cascades, the Olympic Mountains, Whidbey Island and the Strait of Juan DeFuca. The hotel is called the Clam Cannery because the building was once home to one of the largest producers of canned clams on the west coast of the United States. Painstakingly restored by local artisans with an extensive use of materials reclaimed from the building, this historic structure is now one of the Pacific Northwest's most beautiful boutique waterfront hotels.

With the Olympic Mountains on one side and the Cascades on the other, Port Townsend is a unique location for recreational opportunities, with many of which are just withing minutes from the Clam Cannery.

What to do in Port Townsend is never a problem. Outdoor enthusiasts will find an adventure for almost every type, from adrenaline junkies to culture and history hounds.

Port Townsend is surrounded by water, so it's little wonder that the dominant outdoor activities here are water sports - fishing, sailing, kayaking, scuba diving, and of course, beach combing.

"Beachcombing" is the recreational activity of looking for and finding various curiosities that have washed in with the tide: seashells of every kind, sea beans (drift seeds), sea glass (beach glass) and driftwood.

Crabbing is one of Puget Sound’s most popular recreational fisheries. Each year, sport fishers catch more than a million pounds of Dungeness crab, using pots, ring nets and – in the case of wade and dive fishers – their bare hands ( at the Clam Cannery you can practically throw a crab pot from your balcony).

Port Townsend is a gateway to San Juan Islands, famous for its Orca whales and occasional gray and minke whales. Hop on board a local charter boat , and enjoy a fun-packed and fascinating whale watching tour on the water around the Olympic Peninsula and the San Juan Islands.

Set sail on a 82 ft. gaff-rigged schooner: a roomy, comfortable, traditional vessel that offers groups of up to 6 people a memorable sailing adventure. Explore the San Juan Islands, or cross the border into Canada with a destination of either Desolation Sound or Barkley Sound.

Admiralty Dive Center, a full service dive center ( just several blocks away from the Clam Cannery) , offers "Discover Scuba" class for the curious non-certified divers. The course entails a short academic session, pool session and, upon successful completion, a two-tank boat dive.

Your visit to Port Townsend wouldn't be complete without a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic downtown district with beautiful views of Admiralty Inlet and Mount Baker, while your driver tells you about Point Hudson's history.

Whether you are traveling with family, pets or that special person in your life, there's no better place to stay while you’re in Port Townsend than the Clam Cannery Hotel. With unobstructed view of Port Townsend Bay, the surrounding mountain ranges, marine traffic and Port Townsend Historic District in their backyard, the hotel is the ideal home base for exploring the Olympic Peninsula.

Guided snowmobiling tours in Winthrop

Not being able to get my "snowmobiling fix " in Chelan, I jumped on a great opportunity to go on a guided four hour snowmobiling trip in Winthrop.

Snowmobilers use Winthrop for their adventures into the North Cascade Mountains. Two popular snowmobiling parks near Winthrop are Boulder Creek and the Eight Mile Creek sno-park on the west side of the Chewuch River. The latter was the one, we went to for our tour. Here, sledders can cruise up one of the most popular, accessible and spectacular destinations around Sweetgrass Butte.


The tour was organized by Don Lundgren, the owner of the Chewack River Guest Ranch. The Ranch is conveniently located just 10 minutes away from downtown Winthrop. You have the choice of two and four hour guided tours. If you are an experienced rider, you can rent a snowmobile for a full or half day ( 4 hours), and they will deliver it to the trailhead ( minimum two riders/snowmobiles required). For guided trips they provide all the gear ( sled,full tank of gas, helmet, snow suit, boots ).

The ride itself was awesome. Having two guides ( one leading, another "sweeping") provided a safe and fast pace. Unfortunately, the weather that day ruined the whole experience . Thick fog, that set in over the weekend, obstructed the panoramic views of the entire Methow Valley.




In my opinion, exploring the backcountry with a guide is the best option for visitors who don't know the area or winter safety practices. While learning how to operate a snowmobile is the matter of minutes, there is more to it when it comes to your personal safety. Lot's of things can go wrong : you lose control of your sled, damage the machine, get stuck in the deep snow, run out of gas, get lost in the backcountry....

Another reason I prefer guided snowmobiling tours is that they are planned, hassle free, safe and fun adventures ! You don't have to load/unload, transport, fill in with gas, fix it, think where and how far you want to go... Besides, snowmobiling is not something I would personally do on a regular basis.

Visiting Winthrop In Winter/Spring

Winthrop has been on my "Bucket List" for the past two years...

Known for the American Old West design of all the buildings in town, the theme idea was inspired by the example of Leavenworth, which in turn was heavily based on Solvang, California. 

The charming atmosphere of cute western town, board sidewalks, beautiful vistas, high, ragged peaks, cowboys and the old west everywhere - that are the pictures portrayed in every local guide book, trip planner or a brochure.

But when you get here...

It's a "two-line, half -mile, overpriced everything, tourist infested " town with more hotels than "places to see/ things to do " ( though some of the hotels are an attraction of their own, and some people consider drinking - " a thing to do"). 

Three Fingered Jack's Saloon is the area's main attraction. So, other than drinking , you don't really have too many options. 

After all, wandering around Shafer Museum, learning local history is always more fun when you are buzzed.




But for outdoor enthusiasts, Winthrop is an major cross-country skiing location, with over 120 miles of groomed trails ( second longest trail system in U.S).

Though, I didn't have a chance to ski on the famous Rendezvous Ski Trails ( 44 km that provide a semi backcountry experience and offer a comfortable overnight stay at one of their 5 huts), I had a great experience skiing on the beautiful Sun Mountain ski trails.

Sun Mountain Lodge features access to a trail system of over 200 kilometers, with ski tracks right outside your door.






Even if you are "not so much into cross country skiing" , sometimes the location dictates you what to do ( you don't go to Whistler and not ski, right ? Or do you ?). 

Just grab a pair of cross country skis and go for a quick run to the View Ridge point !

The trailhead is right in front of the lodge, 1.5 mile long, relatively easy (a couple little hills won't kill you), and you'll be rewarded with spectacular scenery of the North Cascades and the Methow Valley from trailside overlooks.

For more information on cross country skiing in the The Methow Valley, visit their web site - The Methow Valley Sport Trails Association. 

Not into cross country skiing ? Prefer going downhill at high speed ?

Just 23.3 miles away you can get your shred on at Loop Loop Ski Area !

OR...

Try fat biking !

... or snowmobiling !

Did you know that Winthrop is home to the very popular annual Winthrop Balloon Roundup ?

This three-day festival is a photographer's dream !

It's an incredible visual display as the balloons fly over the old western town of Winthrop and with the snow-capped mountains of the North Cascades as a backdrop.

All in all, Winthrop deserves a visit at least once ( and maybe just once... )

Winter activities in Chelan.

The Lake Chelan Valley ( that encompasses the resort towns of Chelan, Manson and Stehekin ) in central Washington State, is famous for its summer water recreation - fishing, boating, jet skiing, parasailing, kayaking, and ( surprisingly to me) even snorkling and scuba diving !

The whole North Central Washington ( which includes The Lake Chelan Valley ) has a very intriguing and appealing claim of " 300 days of sunshine " , which for outdoor enthusiasts means more time to do their favorite seasonal activities in more pleasant ( comparing to Seattle ) weather.

Though, the “Lake County ” is mainly associated with summer water recreation and resort activities, hoping to catch one of those " 300 days of sunshine", this February , I set out on my ( only !) second trip to Lake Chelan.

According to numerous " travel resources" :

...the area is becoming well known for a variety of winter sports , like downhill and cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing...

Just seven miles from downtown Chelan, they have a great, little known snow playground - Echo Valley Ski area ( for skiing, boarding and tubing). This year, the winter has been horrible for every ski area, and during my visit, the Echo Valley Ski ski area was closed due to lack of snow.

But 2 miles past downhill ski area, and high in the hills above Lake Chelan, ( I discovered for myself ) Echo Ridge Nordic Ski Area, the scenic ridge-top location that provides breath taking views of Lake Chelan's fjord like valley and the Stewart Range. Echo Ridge has 40 kilometers of trails that follow the contours of the terrain creating interesting and exciting skiing for all ability levels. The Echo Ridge Nordic Trail system also includes trails designated just for snowshoers, but I've never been a fan of snowshoeing in an area mainly designed for xc skiing ( just not that fun for me ! ).


Pressed on time I took a quick trip to the Ridge View point. The weather that day just didn't want to cooperate , and after taking a ( very disappointing ) picture ( been there, done that ), I went back to downtown.



Whenever I travel, my first stop is always at a local visitor center. Often, here you can find information that you can't find even on the Internet.

Unfortunately, this time , even here I couldn't find any info on snowmobile guided tours, so if you know about a local outfitter, please share with us.

At the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Center, I picked up several brochures to plan my summer retreat here. Among activities that I am super stoked to do are : a trip to Stehekin ( backpacking, horseback riding), wakeboarding/windserfing/jet skiing on the lake, paragliding/hand gliding off Chelan Butte, taking a trike flight over the lake, diving ( ?), and though I am not a big fan of fishing, I am willing to give it a try.

Here are a few images from Google, to consider Chelan ( and Echo Ridge in particular ) to be your next winter destination:

Check out more outdoor adventures related to Lake Chelan area :

- Things To Do At Lake Chelan In Winter : Polar Bear Plunge

- Tips On Jet Ski Rentals at Lake Chelan, WA

- Slidewaters Water Park & Water Slides in Chelan, WA

- Lake Chelan Camping ( FREE secret spot )

- Chelan Parasailing in Lake Chelan, WA

New Year night celebration at Crystal Mountain

How did you meet 2010 ?
Was it the night to remember or "just another night " ? Aren't you tired of the same old routine ( watching the ball drop at The Times Square on TV ; celebrating at home with your relatives and friends ; watching fireworks shoot off of the Seattle Space Needle ) ?

For years, it's been a tradition for my family to celebrate New Year at the Bavarian village of Leavenworth. Besides holiday atmosphere, the town offers many adventures and outdoor activities : moonlight snowmobiling tours, romantic sleigh dinner rides, cross country skiing, local hatchery snowshoeing walks, ice fishing on Lake Wenatchee.

But this years we changed our plans, and spent our New Year night at Crystal ski area. The celebration kicked off with beautiful fireworks, followed by booze and dancing at the Bullwheel with DJ Super Dave.









Another reason to be outside that night was ... blue moon ! ( if you missed it , the next blue moon will be Aug. 31st 2012. However, there won't be another blue moon on NYE until 2028 ). You can read here about 2010 Rare New Year's Eve Occurrence.

Washington Travel : How well do you know your state ?

Do you travel a lot around our state ? How well do you know the history, geography, architecture of our state ? Historic landmarks, natural wanders, famous attractions ? Do you like to learn when you travel or you just "relax and have fun" ?

A recent article in the Olympian suggests a little test of your travel IQ about places, things and people in Washington.

While I don't consider myself to be a history buff, I was able to answer majority of questions in the test. It made me feel great that I had a chance to visit many of those places personally.

Places like :

Aplets and Cotlets factory in Cashmere ( while rafting and biking in Wenatchee).

Hat ‘n’ Boots gas station (biking through the Georgetown neighborhood in Seattle).


Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic National Forest ( hiking and kayaking around the lake).

The artwork “Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies” by David Govedare near Vantage ( climbing).


Waiting for the Interurban ( while biking along the Burke-Gilman Trail).

But it was also interesting to learn that:

Discovery Trail will one day run from Port Townsend to La Push stretching for more than 100 miles from Port Townsend to the Pacific coast near Forks (can't wait to bike that trail !), or that Paul Bunyan-esque Radio Flyer Wagon in Spokane is listed as the World’s Largest Wagon by Wikipedia ( it is 12 feet high and 27 feet long ).

I knew that Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River runs laser light shows during summer, but never had a chance to make it there ( would love to see live !).
Still haven't had a chance to make it to Sun Juan Islands - camping, biking, kayaking, learning about American history ( "The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between American and British authorities over the boundary between the United States and British North America").

If you want to make your travel more meaningful, learn the history of the place you are going to beforehand. Travel is not just about going from A to C via B. Travel is about learning and personal experiences, it is one of the finest methods of self-education.

Four Washington's "best" adventure towns.

This time , it's not up to me to pick. These four towns were chosen by National Geographic Adventure magazine as "the best adventure towns " in Washington sate: Leavenworth, Wenatcheee, Bellingham, Eastsound (Orcas Island).

From a magazine like NG Adventure, I actually expected more than: first of all- repeating itself ( they've mentioned Leavenworth before), and second- suggesting "the best adventure town" based on an advertising brochure ( even the picture was taken from there; very original!).

But it's true, Leavenworth is the BEST ! All year round. Honestly, I can't think about a single outdoor activity , that you can't do in that area. Can you ? What was new to me, was the fact that you could actually jump (!) off that ski jump. This summer, when I was there, the ski tower didn't look too good ( I was afraid even to walk on it, as it was missing parts). So, I would need more info on that.

They named Wenatchee, "the gateway to Washington’s best rock routes", with the Peshastin Pinnacles State Park, as the best spot to "hone your climbing skills". The park is, actually, between Leavenworth and Wenatchee, and calling it "Wenatchee's" is a bit too much. Wenatchee ( in my opinion) is more famous for it's mountain biking in the summer-Devil's Gulch, Boundary Butte, Mission Ridge trails, the famous Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. In winter -skiing and snowboarding at Mission Ridge.

I, also, wouldn't agree Bellingham to be a " paddling town first". Bellingham ( and surrounding area) is another perfect example ( kind of like Leavenworth are, plus ocean/bay) of "outdoor diversity"- 50/50. Where 50% -water sports (ocean kayaking in the Bellingham Bay; whitewater on the Nooksack river), and another 50% - land ( hiking, biking, skiing, mountaineering).

And finally, Eastsound ( why can't you just call it Orcas Island ? Cause ,that's what it is). While it's a good island to explore, it's not the one we have in mind, when we talk about the Sun Juan Islands, and especially whale watching. Yes, Orcas island has Mt Constitution (yes, amazing views, challenging biking to the top ) and Turtleback Mountain Preserve ( honestly, didn't see anything special), but that's pretty much it.

So, NG Adventure -two good picks and two...not so good. Get your facts straight next time, and please, pretty please, start being original.