Olympic National Park

Yesterday I had a nice, well-earned day off in which I spent golfing with my brother.  It was a beautiful day out and I feel well-rested.  With this considered, I am back at work today and continue to wish I was out somewhere in the world.  In continuation with my thoughts in moving to Seattle, Washington for a year to explore the local National Parks and state forests (Canada & US), today I will cover Olympic National Park.

Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula, directly west of Seattle, Washington.  The park has 4 regions:  The pacific coastline, the alpine areas, the western temperate rainforest, and the drier forests on the eastern side.  The park is 922,651 acres in size (95% is national park, 5% state park), has 73 miles of wilderness coastline, 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, 60 glaciers, and multiple mountain peaks.  Olympic National park has over 3 million yearly visitors, making it one of the most popular National Parks in the country.  There are 16 campgrounds, 64 trailheads and over 600 miles of trails.  This park is approximately a 2 hour drive to the South-East side of the park, and can take an extra 30-45 minutes to reach the North-Eastern areas of the park, from central Seattle.  Visitors can easily make a day trip or even a weekend trip out if they live in / nearby Seattle which is one of a few reasons why I want to move to Seattle for a year. 

Climate:  The climate in this region is diversified due to the sheer size and geography of the park… Therefor I am just going to cover the general specs.. Please check your local weather before heading into the park AND YES YOU MUST CHECK THE WEATHER!  The climate in the Seattle area is pretty consistent year round.  Due to its unique geographical location with the weather streams, extreme heat waves are rare as well as very cold temperatures.  During winter months, temperature averages from 36-45 degrees Fahrenheit, and during the summer month’s temperatures average from 56-76 degrees.  However, this weather can completely change once you head inside the National Park.  Once you begin gaining elevation in the National Park, temperatures begin to change.  The average during the summer months is in the range of 42-63 degrees Fahrenheit (6-17 Celsius) but can reach into the 90’s(F) at some points.  The average during the winter months ranges from around 20-34 degrees Fahrenheit (-5-1.5 Celsius) and can hit extreme lows into the teens (-15F for example).  

When to visit: Although the park is open year round, the Summer is the dry season.  Compared to the other location National Parks in the region (Mt. Rainier and Northern Cascades), this National Park can be hiked / traveled for more months out of the year due to its geographical location near the Pacific.  Making for less snowfall, the trails are much less dangerous and open.  Expect cool temperatures, rain and fog at any point throughout the year as this is considered a rain-forest. 

How to get there: Take US 101 west, which will pass by 3 different sides of the park.  The main visitor center and entrance are in Port Angeles.  The United States of America has almost all of its roads / and all of its highways mapped out through GPS.  It is extremely easy to plug in a location or address through GPS to find your best route based off of your current location. 

Wildlife:  There is a huge diversity in Olympic National Park due to its geographical location.  There are 20 reptile and amphibian species, 37 native fish species, 300+ bird species, and 56 different mammals, including 24 marine mammal species.  At least 16 of these species are considered endemic (only in one geographical location… I learned this word todayJ).  Animals that are common in this park are chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, 6 species of bats, weasels, coyotes, muskrats, river otters, beavers, red fox, mountain goats (accidentally introduced and being controlled), martens, bobcats, black bear, moles, shrews, whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals and sea otters.  Uncommonly spotted in the park are Canadian Lynxes, and cougars (mountain lions).  Bird species include wrens, gray jays, flycatchers, raptors, warblers, grouses, siskins, ravens, spotted owls, nuthatches, kinglets, red crossbills, thrushes, bald eagles, western tanagers, pygmy owls, Vaux swifts, pigeons, grosbeaks, and many many more. 

What to do here: Boating, fishing & hiking is what brings the majority of people to this park.  Other activities include tidepooling because of the vast length of shorelines and wildlife diversity, camping, backpacking, wildlife viewing tours (you have a good chance of seeing wildlife on your own if you research beforehand), ranger tours as well as night sky tours are also very popular.  If you are in the area during the winter, there is a pretty awesome ski slope that exists within the national park as a more natural ski slope.

Climbling Mount Olympus: It is highly recommended that only skilled mountain climbers attempt this challenge.  Due to Mount Olympics rocks being composed of shale, sandstone, and basalt, the mountain is extremely fragmented, choosy and loose.  Unlike the solid granite in the Cascades and Mount Rainier, Mount Olympus guarantees that at some point you will have a few showers of loose rock falling towards your head (helmet is required).  Climbers on this challenge often find unstable snow, fractured rocks, hurricane-force winds, and rapidly changing weather.  Cell phone coverage is rare and help is far away.  Make sure you do your research ahead of time and plan plan plan.  This may save your life before the climb even begins.

My recommendation:   As mentioned before, the park has 4 regions:  The pacific coastline, the alpine areas, the western temperate rainforest, and the drier forests on the eastern side.    I would recommend spending 1 day in each region to gain the most out of this National Park.  Spend the trip camping out in the night stars to get the most definitive experience (after all you are visiting a National Park). I would recommend backpacking in North Cascades National Park instead of here due to the extreme weather and geographical location.  Backpacking here could get a little wet, and for the same reason I would only stay at one of the 16 campsites or within a camper.  Make sure to bring campfire snacks / food and plenty of beer for the cold nights.

If anyone has ever been to Seattle or lives(d) in Seattle, please leave any tips or information!

Thank you for reading.  Please like, share and subscribe for more daily places in the world that I am currently dreaming of being at rather than work.

Please Note: I do not advertise for any of the mentioned companies or locations in which I advertise for.  I do this 100% for fun and for other want-to-be travelers who want to read.

 

North Cascades National Park

Today I wish I was hiking or on a backpacking adventure in North Cascades National Park.  North Cascades National Park is located in Washington State, about 2 hours 30 minutes driving from central Seattle.  North Cascades is just over 500,000 acres of reserved land, doubling the size of Mount Rainier National Park.  The park is separated into two main regions: The Northern district and the Southern district.  The Northern district goes up all the way to the Canadian border.  North Cascades National park is apart of the Cascades Mountain region and is the largest park in the area.  There are over 500 lakes / ponds and over 300 glaciers, which is the most in the entire United States mainland 48 states.  This park consists of many extreme peaks that top off at over 8,000 Ft.  Out of the entire Cascade mountain region, North Cascade has the steepest mountains.  There are over 400 miles of hiking trails throughout this park as this was one of the main traveling routes for Native Americans and for Western Settlers back in the day.  Last night I was stuck working until 8pm, followed by a 2 hour commute home.. when I began my day at 6am… only being paid for 8 hours… I am definitely counting the days before I begin traveling the world..

Climate:  The climate in this region is diversified due to the shier size and geography of the park… Therefor I am just going to cover the general specs.. please check your local weather before heading into the park AND YES YOU MUST CHECK THE WEATHER!  The climate in the Seattle area is pretty consistent year round.  Due to its unique geographical location with the weather streams, extreme heat waves are rare as well as very cold temperatures.  During winter months, temperature averages from 36-45 degrees Fahrenheit, and during the summer month’s temperatures average from 56-76 degrees.  However, this weather can completely change once you head inside the National Park.  Once you begin gaining elevation in the National Park, temperatures begin to change.  The average during the summer months is in the range of 42-63 degrees Fahrenheit (6-17 Celsius) but can reach into the 90’s(F) at some points.  The average during the winter months ranges from around 20-34 degrees Fahrenheit (-5-1.5 Celsius) and can hit extreme lows into the teens (-15F for example).

When to Visit:  Low elevation trails are most visited between April and October, with the driest weather from mid-June to September. Visitation to the highcountry (above 5,000 feet/ 1524 m) is greatest after the snows melt, generally from July through early October. The best snow mountaineering conditions are often June and July. The park is open year round, but heavy winter precipitation limits road access and increases backcountry hazards between November and March. 

Wildlife:  Wilderness of the North Cascades hosts wildlife less common in the more populated areas of Washington State. 75 mammal species in 21 families can be found in the North Cascades. Three species (gray wolf, grizzly bear, and Canada lynx) are listed as “threatened” or “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act. Other species include black bear, wolverine, river otter, cougar, lynx, and bobcat, mule deer, marmots, pikas, and occasionally elk, moose and mountain goats.  There are over 500 species of birds for bird watching fanatics.  Some popular birds that can be found here are bald eagle, osprey, Harlequin duck, golden eagles, and more.  In addition, 21 species of reptiles reside here, at least 28 species of fish, and over 500 types of land insects, including butterflies, dragonflies, stoneflies, and mayflies (the most of any National Park).

What to do here:  North Cascades National Park is an extremely popular destination for backpackers.  With over 400 Miles of hiking trails, one can easily get lost in the beauty and challenges that this park has to offer.  There are hundreds of trails for people who want to come for either a day hike and head out, or for individuals who just want to spend a few days visiting the park and want to hit different day trails in different sections of the park.  The majority of the day hiking trails are located off of the Northern Cascades Scenic Highway, where there are easy access trail starts.  Also check out Cascade River Road, Baker Lake Road and Mount Baker Highway areas, which also have many great day hikes.  One of the more famous trails is the Hidden Lake Trail which offers more scenic views per trail compared to all other trails within the park.   If you’re looking into backpacking, check out the Stehekin region.  Stehekin is translated into “The way through” by local Native Americans.  This is the region and trail set that settlers and Native Americans used to travel by and would be pretty neat to experience some history while backpacking.  This region is also where McGregor Mountain (and trail) are located.  This is the most popular Mountain trail in the park and is over 15miles round trip with an elevation gain of 6,400 Ft (1920M).

Couple with backpacks hiking on Sahale Arm Trail, Cascade Pass, North Cascades National Park, Washington.

My recommendation: If I was in the area for a short period of time, and was planning on visiting all 3 local National Parks, I would utilize this park as a backpacking opportunity.  I would hike through the Stehikin region for approximately 3-4 days while setting up my own campsite or staying in my van.  If you are coming with family and backpacking is not something you are interested in, I would recommend visiting this park for at least 4 days due to its shier size.  2 days in the Northern region and 2 days in the Southern Region.  Although the Southern region is more popular, I always find that the less explored sections of the park have the most to offer.  Take advantage of the day hiking trails and remember to camp out under the stars and enjoy some beer and campfire activities (your kids will thank you when they’re older).  Personally when I am in this area, if I am living in Seattle for a year as I am thinking of doing, I am going to take multiple 3 day weekends to attempt some of the backpacking opportunities as well as some of the day hikes.  If I am passing through this park with my van, I am planning on spending 1 full week in the Southern region, and one full week in the Northern region while backpacking for 4 days in each and spending the other 3 doing day hikes.

If anyone has ever been to Seattle or lives(d) in Seattle, please leave any tips or information!  

Thank you for reading.  Please like, share and subscribe for more daily places in the world that I am currently dreaming of being at rather than work.

Please Note: I do not advertise for any of the mentioned companies or locations in which I advertise for.  I do this 100% for fun and for other want-to-be travelers who want to read

 

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Today I wish I hiking Mount Rainier insteas of being stuck 45 floors up in the finacial district of NYC.

Mount Rainier National park is located about 50 miles South-East of Seattle, Washington.  It is located on the most North-Western corner of the United States on the Pacific Ocean, excluding Alaska.  Mount Rainier is the 5^th oldest National Park in the United States of America.  The park is over 225,000 acres large and includes the monstrous 14,411 foot (4,392M) active Mount Rainier Volcano, in which the park is named after.  Within the National park there are valleys, waterfalls, meadows, old-growth forests, and more than 25 glaciers (including the largest in the United States outside of Alaska).  As I went over yesterday, I am debating with myself on moving to Seattle for a year before I start my world-travel business.  While I am in Seattle, I will definitely be exploring Mount Rainier National Park on multiple occasions.  

The climate in the Seattle area is pretty consistent year round.  Due to its unique geographical location with the weather streams, extreme heat waves are rare as well as very cold temperatures.  During winter months, temperature averages from 36-45 degrees Fahrenheit, and during the summer month’s temperatures average from 56-76 degrees.  However, this weather can completely change once you head inside the National Park.  Once you begin gaining elevation in the National Park, temperatures begin to change.  The average during the summer months is in the range of 42-63 degrees Fahrenheit (6-17 Celsius) but can reach into the 90’s(F) at some points.  The average during the winter months ranges from around 20-34 degrees Fahrenheit (-5-1.5 Celsius) and can hit extreme lows into the teens (-15F for example).  

How to get there:  Depending on which part of the park you want to explore that day, your entrance and your route will change.  The two main roads that get you to the park from Seattle are route 165 (North-west entrance) and route 7 (turns into 706) coming into the South-west entrance.  They take about the same time to get to.  There are roads that travel through the central parts of the park, however do realize that it is still a national park, and you must park then hike to get to most sections worth exploring.  Please use GPS to navigate based off of your preference.. The United States has almost all roads in the country mapped out at this point.. Use it to your advantage.

Wildlife: Mammals that inhabit this national park are especially the cougar (mountain lion), black bear, raccoon, coyote, bobcat, snowshoe hare, weasel, mole, beaver, red fox, porcupine, skunk, marmot, deer, marten, shrew, pica, elk, and mountain goat. The mountain goat is one of the iconic animals in this park and are only commonly found when you travel above 2,000 Ft. in elevation and is most commonly found above 5,000Ft. in elevation. Refer to here for more information on where to see mountain goats in Mount Rainier. The common birds of this park including raptors are the thrush, chickadee, kinglet, northern goshawk, willow flycatcher, spotted owl, steller’s jay, Clark’s nutcracker, bald eagle, ptarmigan, harlequin duck, grouse, peregrine falcon, gray jay, golden eagle, grosbeak and finch.  Bird watching for large birds-of-prey can be very rich and rewarding if you plan your trip for the Spring – early Summer months.

What to do while here:  What brings the majority of people to this park every year is mainly hiking, site seeing, photography, snow skiing in the winter, bird watching, and climbing the Mount Rainier Volcano itself.  There are hundreds of hiking trails all throughout the park.  Paradise is the most popular destination in the park.  There is a historic Inn located in this region of the park as well as dozens of famous hiking trails including the Skyline trail.  Paradise is known as the snowiest place on Earth, reaching over 1,000 inches annually.  Longmire is another popular destination in the park due to having 178 total campsites throughout the area as well as having its own visitor center.  This is the main starting points for many people as well as the famous Wonderland hiking trail.  For more hiking try heading over to the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park.  From here you hike the Mount Fremont, Burroughs Mountain and Sourdough Ridge trails, as well as visit some iconic meadows in the Springtime, and get to view the Emmons Glacier.  For snow skiing in this area, the Mount Baker Ski Area is where I was told everybody goes near Mount Rainier National Park due to its insane annual snowfall of over 1,000 inches.  (closest ski resort to Mount Rainier).

Hiking the Mount Rainier Volcano:  Over 10,000 attempts are made to hike / climb to the top of Mount Rainier every year.  There is only a 50% success rate of actually reaching the peak who individuals who attempt the climb.   Most of the lack of success is due to weather patterns as well as lack of physical condition for underestimating the climb.  The hike will take approximately 2-3 days to reach the peak depending on how fast you can climb.  There are campgrounds located throughout the climb and if you pass the high camps, they require you to purchase a climbing pass and register (mainly to keep track of individuals who may not make it back).  FYI Climbing teams require experience in glacier travel, self-rescue, and wilderness travel so DO NOT under-estimate this climb.  

Recommendations: For all smaller sized National Parks (Under 250,000 acres) I recommend 4 days and 3 nights while staying within the park at either a local campground or on your own via tent or camper if allowed by the park.  1 night in this park must 100% be spent climbing to Camp Muir.  This is the highest non-technical point (10,080FT) in the state of Washington and most of the United States.  This hike is over 8 miles round trip, and includes 4,660ft. of elevation and has the most rewarding of views.  The next two days I would spend exploring Paradise as well as the Sunrise regions of the park.  My recommendation is to stay within Longmire region and maybe start with a warm-up hike every morning as this is one of the easier hiking areas.  Spend the nights enjoying the night-skies and having campfires while drinking beer; after all isn’t this why you came here?!  Spend the 4^th day filling your time with anything you and your accompanied persons want to do.

If anyone has ever been to Seattle or lives(d) in Seattle, please leave any tips or information!  

Thank you for reading.  Please like, share and subscribe for more daily places in the world that I am currently dreaming of being at rather than work.

Please Note: I do not advertise for any of the mentioned companies or locations in which I advertise for.  I do this 100% for fun and for other want-to-be travelers who want to read.

Why I am considering moving to Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington is located on the most North-Western corner of the United States on the Pacific Ocean, excluding Alaska.  Right now I wish I was working here as opposed to the concrete jungle that is NYC.  Seattle is a beautiful city surrounded by water, mountains, evergreen forests, contains thousands of acres of parkland, within an hour drive of three national parks, and over 10 national parks (Canada and U.S.) within a day’s drive.  

The climate in Seattle is pretty consistent year round.  Due to its unique geographical location with the weather streams, extreme heat waves are rare as well as very cold temperatures.  During winter months, temperature averages from 36-45 degrees Fahrenheit, and during the summer month’s temperatures average from 56-76 degrees.  This weather makes the living temperature very comfortable year round and definitely makes hiking less sweaty.  Seattle is known for being the cloudiest city in the United States as well as receiving the most rain.  Seattle does not actually receive the most rain per year (in inches), however it does have the most “rainy days” in the country.  Rainy days are more infrequent drizzles and mist compared to actual pouring rain. 

One reason why this city is sounding more and more attractive for me every time I read up on it is the amount of outdoor attractions this city has.  It is located within 2 hours (from center city) from Olympic National Park as well as within 2 hours from Mount Rainer National Park AS WELL AS a 2 hour 30 minute drive to the infamous North Cascades National Park.  These National parks offer countless weekends of outdoor adventure.  Seattle is also located within a 4 hour drive from a half a dozen State forests and National forests as well as multiple parks in Canada.  Seattle is a 2 hour 30 minute drive to Vancouver which offers a lot of good food and attractions for a nice day trip.  There is also a half-dozen ski resorts within a 3 hour drive here which is a huge attraction for myself.  You can even ski in Mount Olympic National Park if you apply for a pass in advance!

Right in the Seattle bay area, you can easily find yourself out on the water fishing, boating, sailing, island hopping and general exploring.  There are over 12 famous waterfall hikes right outside of Seattle in the local State forests that are less than 4 miles of total hiking at a novice level.  No wonder why Seattle’s population is in the top 5 growth in the United States at 2.1% a year.  

Attractions inside Seattle: Within Seattle there is always something to do.  With a population base of around 600,000 people and growing annually, there is something for everyone.  There are hundreds of restaurants, sporting events, museums, exhibit centers, tours, boating, fishing, and more.  The nightlife in Seattle is also a fun time, with over 200 bars and clubs; one will never not have anything to look forward to on the weekend!

While living here I would spend my time exploring the 3 U.S. National parks nearby on the weekends.  I would take multiple 3 day weekends to explore the Other U.S. National parks that are within a day’s drive such as Redwood forest in California (9 hour drive) and Glacier National park in Montana (8hour drive) As well as all of the state forests in the area.  I would also heavily explore the Oregon coastline and inland State forests as these are on my bucket list.  I would use this time and nearby nature resources to begin planning the final stages of my travel business that I plan on launching 4 and ½ years from today.  Potentially considering moving here 1 year before that plan is going to launch.  

If anyone has ever been to Seattle or lives(d) in Seattle, please leave any tips or information!  

My next 4 blog posts will be focused on the nearby National Parks here because I am now very interested…. I will focus on the wildlife in the Seattle Area as well as the hiking / outdoor activities during those blog posts as much of the outdoor activities involve the National Parks / State parks.  

Thank you for reading.  Please like, share and subscribe for more daily places in the world that I am currently dreaming of being at rather than work.

Please Note: I do not advertise for any of the mentioned companies or locations in which I advertise for.  I do this 100% for fun and for other want-to-be travelers who want to read.