Moving to PacNW!

[Kier Selinsky]

Hi Everyone –
I've been pretty quiet here for the last almost year or so. I decided that instead of saving money for trips to the pacific NW, a region I want to explore a lot, I would just work my @ss off to get my job relocated there. Well, it's paying off, and in a week me and the family will be moving to the Seattle area!

So, those of you in the area, can you recommend a few good introductory hikes? Something to get my palate set? I'll be on Bainbridge Island (found a reasonable place amazingly), so the Olympic NP seems to be calling loudest.

Thanks!

[Dale Wambaugh]

Welcome to the land of gray skies, moss and killer slugs!

wta.org and nwhikers.net will fill your eyes with trail reports and photos. I like the Day Hiking series of books published by the Mountaineers. You will learn to pronounce place names like Dosiwallup and Humptulips :)

You will find that the Cascades are probably as close as the Olympics from Bainbridge Island– the ferry drops you off at the start of I-90. From Bainbridge to the Olympics, you would go north to the Hood Canal bridge, then out to Port Angeles for the north Olympics or farther west, or south on Highway 101 for the east side of the park– probably the fastest way to wilderness from your area. Being on Bainbridge does give you the jump start on missing the ferry lines going west, which can be long on summer weekends.

I was here Wednesday afternoon on a day hike. The view is looking north across Highway 2 from the Lake Serene/Bridal Veil Falls trail.

[Kier Selinsky]

Excellent! Thanks Dale!

[Chris Moore]

Congratulations on making the move you so desired! Dale has already given you reference to the two best hiking/backpacking sites for the NW. They heavily favour the Cascades and places in Eastern WA but a significant minority of regulars post about the Olympics. From BI you are ~ a 2 hour drive to many trailheads on the eastern and northeastern corner of ONP/ONF. There is still snow in the highcountry but it is now melting fast. We were just at Marmot Pass (TR here: http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7992919) which is one of the quintessential ONP/ONF day hikes with a walk through the riparian rainforest and then up into the alpine country with panoramic views of the Olympic mountains to the west. A great introduction to much of what the Olympics have to offer.

Feel free to PM me about the skinny of living on BI, we have been here 11 years.

Chris

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

There is at least a couple of people I know who live on BI or work there and live nearby. So get involved on NWHikers and you may have some potential partners!

[Kier Selinsky]

Excellent info – and great trail report! Thanks guys! Will definitely get on the NWHikers site once I get settled in

[Tommy Franzen]

The Olympics are incredible. Truly a backpackers paradise! Enchanted Valley, Royal Basin, High Divide, 1000 Acre Meadow, Lost Pass, Martins Park, on and on and on…

[Author]

Posts