Weekly Volcano

Summer Guide 2011: Awesome Adventures

Pacific Northwest

By Volcano Staff on May 9, 2011

MOUNT ST. HELENS, WASH.

Ape Caves

If you aren't scared of the dark, or the possibility of running into Sasquatch (as this is his rumored stomping grounds, and this is not a beef jerky commercial nor is John Lithgow your dad), grab your hiking gear and flashlights and visit the Ape Caves, located at Mount St. Helens National Park.

Boasting the longest lava tube in the United States, with over two miles of underground hiking made possible by scorching hot magma that traveled through thousands of years ago, the Ape Caves are less scenic and more adventurous.

The first part of the cave hike is a cinch - a bit chilly but pretty much a nice, dark walk through the lava-created cave, complete with slimy walls. It's a neat, roughly hour-long experience. The second cave, however, is not for the faint of heart. Think: boulder piles, an eight-foot lava fall and two and a half hours of pitch black, athletic activity. There's a reason three light sources are recommended along with extra batteries, lest you intend on trapping yourself in a horror flick starring creatures of the deep.

After your adventure you can take in some sunshine and the local scenery that involves trees. - Jackie Fender

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WASH.

Bloedel Reserve

Beauty abounds at the Bloedel Reserve, an internationally renowned public garden on Bainbridge Island. The reserve is 150 acres of splendor both natural - a bird refuge, a beautiful view of Puget Sound - and human-created - a Japanese garden, a reflecting pool and the French country-style home that is now the visitors center. The reserve aims to nurture the relationship between plants and people. Coastal Living magazine named it one of the Top 10 public gardens in the country. Until last year the relationship was by reservation only, making dropping by impossible for devil-may-care day trippers. The garden is now open for spontaneous visits; summer hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday- Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. - Molly Gilmore

MUKILTEO, WASH.

Tour the Boeing Plant

If you're like me and the idea of a three-bedroom house seems mind-blowingly spacious, get this - the world's largest building by volume is located in Washington state. The Boeing plant, located in Mukilteo, is fricken huge at 472,000,000 cubic feet. And it's probably the only place you will ever go in your entire life where you can see an airplane assembly line. For real.

Properly called the Future of Flight Aviation Center, this place is about 60 miles north of Tacoma, so plan a dinner in Seattle to follow your tour. The tour will take you over and under the in-progress planes, both along walkways looking down at the work being done and through passageways underneath the building. The Boeing tour is a cool way to look at the amazing innovations of the past century.

The Boeing tour is available seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. There is a small museum and you can check out the requisite educational film, but let's not kid ourselves - we're all here to see the big-ass building. Tours last about 90 minutes and require you to walk for about a third of a mile. Kids under four feet tall aren't allowed and you aren't allowed to take photos either ... so if you are a terrorist trying to build a 777, too bad for you! - Kristin Kendle

NORTH BEND, WASH.

Hiking Mount Si

In terms of sheer numbers of people, this is the most popular hike in the state. If you don't believe me, construct a Kool-Aid stand at the trailhead on a sunny August weekend and then retire (if the park rangers don't nab you first).  Even though it can get crowded, it's a beautiful hike with scenic views, old-growth Douglas firs and snags left from past fires. 

It's a workout. Expect a strenuous eight-mile roundtrip run with an elevation gain of more than 3,100 feet. It's common to see weighted backpacks on people training for skiing or preparing for a Mount Rainier summit attempt.

The last mile of trail switchbacks leads to the Haystack Basin, which offers plenty of rocks for stretching out, picnicking and enjoying the views of North Bend below and Seattle, Puget Sound and the Olympics, and an almost 360-degree view of the entire Cascade Range. - Ron Swarner

GOLDENDALE, WASH.

Stonehenge Memorial

There's nothing like Stonehenge, the prehistoric stone circle in Wiltshire, England. Well, there's nothing exactly like it. Washington actually has its own full-scale Stonehenge replica, created out of concrete by road builder Sam Hill. The memorial is in Goldendale, three miles east of the museum, and can be seen from U.S. Highway 97. It's an impressive landmark with a rather foolish origin. Hill, a pacifist and the man who spearheaded fundraising for the Peace Arch, was told that the original Stonehenge had been a place of human sacrifice. He commissioned the replica, dedicated in 1918, as a memorial to the soldiers from Klickitat County who died in World War I and as a reminder that "human beings are still being sacrificed to the god of war." The museum, housed in Hill's mansion near the memorial, is also the home to a sculpture garden. - Molly Gilmore

ISSAQUAH, WASH.

TreeHouse Point

Ten minutes from Snoqualmie Falls, TreeHouse Point is a dream come true for kids at heart. Imagine your own tree fort - secured in a 160-foot Sitka spruce 35 feet above a rushing river. Each rentable tree fort comes with comfortable handmade quilts, leather reading chairs, built-in cedar beds, iPod docks and Mr. Bluebird chirping outside your window. The cream of the tree fort crop is The Temple of the Blue Moon,  closest to the river and accessed by a suspension bridge that shakes the house when someone walks the planks. For those who prefer to keep their feet planted firmly on the ground, there is a lodge as well - but what fun is that? BONUS: walking trails, hammocks hung 18-feet high and a dance floor in the dirt are part of the grounds. - Ron Swarner

MAUPIN, ORE.

The high desert

After months of rain, I feel a little damp around the edges even after the sun comes out for summer. One place to get really, really dry is, ironically, along the lower Deschutes River in Oregon. Chilly and fast, the river is known for its great rafting, kayaking and fly fishing. The high desert landscape in Maupin is a great place to see bald eagles, elk, sagebrush and snakes - and did I mention the sun? Because it's flat and has little traffic most of the year, it's also a great spot for cyclists. For the not-so-outdoorsy (read: me) visiting Maupin with avid fishermen (read: my boyfriend), a stay at the Imperial River Company (on the aptly named Bake Oven Road) is a highlight. The hotel-restaurant (which also runs rafting and hunting trips) has romantic river-view rooms and great steak. (But don't be fooled, it's all about the fishing: during steelhead season, breakfast is available beginning at 4 a.m.). - Molly Gilmore

OLYMPIC PENINSULA, WASH.

Sol Duc Hot Springs

One might reasonably suggest the Sol Duc Hotsprings are more like a swimming pool facility than a relaxing communal dip in nature. In fact, there's a lot more concrete than mossy rock (make that mossy sidewalk) at this popular sub-section of the grander Olympic National Park. Still, I love the springs - the heat in the water is bona fide geothermal action, and the walls and ceiling are all Mother Nature. Sure, the three dipping pools are encased in man-made materials, and on summer weekends you boil in the pots with hundreds of other visitors, but after a day of hiking and camping, the whole experience refreshes the soul and helps one sleep in a tent with the rest of the snoring family. - Ken Swarner

SANDPOINT, IDAHO

Handball with Jake Plummer

OK, OK - a couple things. First off, Sandpoint, Idaho is probably NOT best known for offering the chance to play handball with former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer. In fact, though Plummer (originally from Boise and a very serious handball player these days) does call Sandpoint home, he has no knowledge of me writing this blurb. In fact, he probably wouldn't approve.

That's because, like most, Plummer probably ended up in Sandpoint because of his own affinity for open spaces, not to mention Sandpoint's quiet, natural beauty and a lack of hustle and bustle - all hallmarks of the northern Idaho destination for outdoor activity and relaxation. He no doubt moved to Sandpoint to get away from the crowds. Minutes from Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort and on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, Sandpoint is a little known haven for outdoorsy good times and serene environmental views. If you have never experienced northern Idaho, or think it's all white supremacists and compound living, you're in for quite a surprise. It's literally breathtaking, and Sandpoint is smack dab in the middle of the Mother Nature majesty.

Plus, Plummer sometimes plays handball at the Sandpoint West Athletic Club. Just sayin'. - Matt Driscoll

SEATTLE, WASH.

Fremont Fair

Let me tell you, the Fremont Arts Council can throw a memorable shindig. Doubt me? On June 18, beginning at noon, attend the Fremont Fair and you will be a believer.

The streets of Fremont fill with art vendors galore, beer gardens, a variety of delicious food vendors and musical acts (whether you want to rock out or shake your groove thang) ... all giving you an ultimate sense of local culture and community.

If that isn't enough to motivate you, there's always the Solstice Parade. This is not your mother's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Oh, no. Expect to see magnificent floats paying tribute to the season of summer, performance artists of all types and naked bicyclists ... yes you heard me. A slew of naked people, adorned and painted like living art, bicycling through the streets. Welcome Summer!

Only in Fremont, folks. - Kristin Kendle

SHELTON, WASH.

Skyline Drive-In

Like those now-scarce restaurants where roller-skating servers deliver food to your car, drive-in movies had their heyday in the '50s. These days, most movies watched in the car are on computer or smart-phone screens. But while drive-ins.com lists only six open drive-ins in the state, you don't have to travel back in time to enjoy the summer-night experience of watching (or, better yet, not watching) a big-screen film in the privacy of your own car. Skyline Drive-In, which opened in 1962, is still showing movies on weekends from March through October. You listen to the movie on an FM radio. The Skyline bans outside food and drink (there's a snack bar), alcohol and drugs. - Molly Gilmore

GEORGE, WASH.

Concert adventure at The Gorge

Western Washington's Gorge at George is world-renowned for its beautiful landscape and natural amphitheater. The outdoor concert season peaks in the summer, making the Gorge - right here in the Pacific Northwest - one of the best destinations for music and camping in the known universe. 

What some concertgoers might not know, however, is where to camp. Closest to the venue is Wild Horse Campground, which is usually full and a little rowdy. For an experience closer to nature, Vantage Road is the best. It's less known, so campsites are usually aplenty. Breathtaking views and an easy, yet excellent hiking trail through canyon walls that look like feathers jutting from the Earth are a bonus. The trail leads to a lush waterfall and a graveyard of abandoned cars, which creates charm and mystique. Fires are permitted at Vantage and there's a pair of Porta-Potties ... just make sure to bring your own T.P.!  - Nikki Talotta

MOUNT HOOD, ORE.

Summer snowboarding

Travelers who have varied adventure appetites might try this summer menu. Let's start with strictly snow-skiing fare in the morning. Then add real food mid-day - the kind you can really sink your teeth into - ski lodge sun deck barbecue will do. Pair it with an ice cold lemonade or local micro brew. Forget the hot chocolate ... the temperature is 80 degrees.

Store the skis until the following morning, but keep on your shorts, the Hawaiian shirt and SPF 45 sunscreen. It's time for dessert. Let's see, what will it be? Mountain biking, golfing, white water rafting, fishing, horseback riding, car touring, sipping ice-cold tea or margaritas deckside?

While most of the country's ski resorts have closed down their winter and spring bills of fare in preparation for strictly summer activities, Timberline in Oregon continues skiing.  I can't think of a finer recreation situation than to be able to ski your heart out in the morning, relax at mid-day, then jump-start yourself in the afternoon with a wild windsurf ride across the Columbia River Gorge. A less rigorous afternoon undertaking could include a quiet forest hike, a round of golf or coaxing trout to a fly on a stream or lake. - Ron Swarner

NORTH OF BURLINGTON, WASH.

Chuckanut Drive

It's so beautiful that this small slice of Washington highway has its own website dedicated to experiencing the splendor. The highlight of Chuckanut Drive, just south of Bellingham, centers on sweeping views of gnarled rock being pounded by the waves of the Puget Sound waters, coupled with high, hairpin turns and deep, thick forest. Going north, take Exit 231 off Interstate 5 just north of Burlington. From there, State Route 11 takes drivers on a slow ramble to Bellingham by hugging the coast through tall trees and past amazing marine vistas. There are a few turnouts along the way, plus some restaurants and bars for those that want to prolong the experience, including the famed Oyster Creek Inn, a 75-year mainstay on the route. - Ken Swarner

CANNON BEACH, ORE.

Haystack at sunrise

Moving to Washington from Oklahoma was an ordeal. We hit a blizzard in California, of all places, that snowed us in for a week. We found Cannon Beach on a fluke, and the only room available was at the pricey Ocean Lodge, which, it turns out, is probably my favorite hotel in the world. If you have the scratch, treat yourself to this place where ocean breezes waft through your room, gently waking you for a sunrise walk on a white sand beach. If the tide is out, you can stroll to the Haystack monolith, where rock-bound mollusks click and chatter. Starfish, sea slugs and sea anemones fill the tide pools. It's a spiritual paradise of absolute replenishment. The restaurants are dazzling, too. Try Newmans at 988. Delicious. - Christian Carvajal

POULSBO, WASH.

Get your inner Viking on

You might see Poulsbo and think it's time to buy an RV, but you're in luck because there's more to the story. Poulsbo is a quaint seaside town on Liberty Bay just a bit northwest of Bainbridge Island, but, best of all, this is the place to get your inner Viking on.

Calling itself Little Norway, the small downtown area has an old-world feel and many shops, antique stores, restaurants and galleries to explore - you can buy everything from a unique engagement ring to cheesy Got Lutefisk? shirts. Don't miss ducking into one of the bakeries on the main drag of Front Street to grab a traditional Norwegian pastry or some lefse.

Within a few blocks is also the town waterfront where you can sit or stroll whilst watching boats come into and out of the marina. There's even some nightlife in this cute area - Tizley's Europub is worth checking out and is filled with Scandinavian treats to delight your drunken senses. Poulsbo is about an hour drive from Tacoma, making it a great half- or whole-day trip, but there are also plenty of hotels if you want to explore the idea of Weiner Schnitzel for breakfast. - Kristin Kendle

VANCOUVER, B.C.

Celebration of Light

Forget all you know about fireworks, be it the Piccolo Petes in the back yard or the big displays over the ballpark  - up in Canada-land, the show is out of this world ... or at least, "we are the world."

The Celebration of Light, July 30-Aug. 6, in Vancouver, B.C., celebrates fireworks through international participation - bringing the best of the best to show their creations in the sky. And it's not about more, or overwhelming cannon fire - instead much of the show centers on pictures in the sky. You'll see happy faces, hearts, boxes, kites - real explosions of images and art.  How they do it is beyond me, but catching at least one night of the show is worth the three-hour drive north. 

Participating countries this year are Canada, Spain and China. For a show schedule, or to reserve bleacher seats (in order to hear the synchronized music) visit vancouverfireworks.ca. Those looking for a free viewing may find plenty of space in nearby parks. - Ken Swarner

WILLAMETTE VALLEY, ORE.

Napa north

My fiancée and I are fortunate enough to have friends in Willamette Valley, and we're downright blessed that one of those friends works for a vineyard near McMinnville. It's like a winning lottery ticket made of alcohol. Not only does Domaine Serene make excellent Pinot Noirs, it also occupies a landscape so beautiful you'd swear you were in Tuscany. Even the sunlight diffuses in the vines like the light in a Renaissance painting. If we thought our friends and relatives would go for it, we'd have our wedding there. The restaurants throughout the valley are fine, if not Napa-level spectacular, but oh, my sweet Bacchus, the wines. Start with the Duck Pond Pinot Noir and then indulge yourself in a 2007 Amalie Robert Estate. Or, for that matter, try one of Domaine Serene's Yamhill Cuvées. Willamette Valley is Oregonian Heaven for oenophiles. - Christian Carvajal

VANCOUVER ISLAND, B.C.

Campbell River

The most amazing wildlife experience I've had was north of here on Vancouver Island, right off the coast of the wind-swept city of Campbell River. It's there you board a Zodiac for a long run further up the coast until reaching an inlet where bears, fresh out of hibernation, stand chewing on oyster shells to slice and dice the worms in their stomachs after a long winter's nap. Next, it's a run west to a place where the water rushes under the surface, knocking the local lake fish silly and causing them to explode their bladders with air and helplessly rise to the surface where hundreds and hundreds of bald eagles swoop down for the easy pickings. Then, it's time to head back into Campbell River for a visit to one of the many great clam chowder restaurants. - Ken Swarner

ASHLAND, ORE.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival

World-class theater, and, more specifically, stellar works of Shakespeare are a seven-hour drive to the southern border of Oregon in the sleepy-yet-bustling (during play season) town of Ashland, Ore.  The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (a non-profit theater company) ranks high in most polls - presenting shows from late February to late October in two indoor and one outdoor space to high critical praise. This year's season has already opened with great fanfare, showing excellent productions of To Kill A Mockingbird, Measure for Measure and The Imaginary Invalid.  One of the highlights of PNW living is a warm summer evening at OSF's Elizabethan Stage, modeled after Shakespeare's Globe Theatre of the late 16th Century. Sitting under the stars and seeing some of the best theater in the nation is rarely equaled. And with a summer season centered around Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part Two and Love‘s Labor's Lost, plus the Pirates of Penzance, it's going to be the place to be. - Ken Swarner

PACKWOOD, WASH.

Dive bar heaven

Pizza, beer and jukebox tunes at Cruiser's Pizza are a must when passing through or vacationing in Packwood, Wash. The more beer flowing at Cruiser's, the better the music. Many home movies have been made whilst DeRosa cousins display only the hottest dance moves atop Cruiser's tables. No worry needed, never a limb has been broken doing the robot.

After the warm-up to impending inebriation has commenced at Cruiser's, the typical Packwood visitor will naturally head across the street to Washington's ultimate dive bar: Blue Spruce. Nothing beats drunken karaoke in a town where nobody knows you. Act the fool all you want upon the grand Blue Spruce stage; the locals will never be the wiser as to who you really are. 

Unless, of course, you run into someone you know from home. Then you're screwed.

Top the evening off with one last nightcap inside Peters Inn. With Peters Inn's wonderful decor, confusion will eventually take over as you wonder what year you're in, 1970 or 2011? Just ask the server, she's used to date Ben Franklin; she knows everything. - Steph DeRosa

SEQUIM, WASH.

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is located in Sequim, about a three-hour drive from Tacoma or a ferry ride from Seattle. But it's worth it if you enjoy unique hikes, camping, whale watching or general Northwesty goodness.

Within the refuge is the Dungeness Spit - the longest natural sand spit in the world. It is a 4.5-mile-long sandbar that juts out into the sea and has a lighthouse at the end. If you check out photos of it online, you may be a little surprised humans are allowed to walk on this sand pathway, but it only gets swamped by tides sometimes. For the most part, hikers rarely have to swim back to shore. ...

Walking the spit is the highlight of visiting this park. While the spit is still passable at high tide, you will be walking on rocks instead of sand. After a few miles of this, you will be wishing you had checked a tide chart. Also, be sure to go to the bathroom before you hike the spit. There are no bathrooms out there and, depending on your walking speed, you may take anywhere from two to six hours to get to the end and back. Wildlife refuges generally frown on visitors wizzing into the water.

Hiking in the park, you can sometimes see whales from the high cliffs, as well as large cargo ships passing by. There is a campground here if you want to stay the night, but be sure to note what time the campground locks the gate as they will lock you in or out. Another cooler option for staying is signing up to be the caretaker of the lighthouse for a week.

The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is located at the end of Voice of America Road and is accessed through the Dungeness Recreation Area. From Highway 101, take Kitchen-Dick Road (no joke) north until it doglegs and becomes Lotzgesell Road. The entrance to the Refuge will be on your left. -- Kristin Kendle

CARNATION, WASH.

Bors Hede Inne

Just finished with your three-day fantasy movie binge featuring the likes of Lady Hawke, Willow, Red Sonja and Dragon Slayer? Just can't bring yourself to end the reminiscing?

Try visiting the Bors Hede Inne, a medieval culinary dining experience. Be forewarned, though, you must leave your cell phones, cameras and debit cards (cash and check only) at the doors. Such luxuries were not even a twinkle in 14th century England.

Songs and stories are accompanied by the lute, and you may just learn a little something as your cook has the fire on for your meal and answers any inquiries.

You can anticipate a genuine medieval meal and entertainment unlike anything you'd catch on The Cable Guy. There is no jousting, sword fighting or dragons breathing fire, but there will be a cast of dedicated participants providing a true, LIVE, historical day-cation.  - Jackie Fender

Northwest skatepark tour

Skateboarding? In the rainy Pacific Northwest? Isn't that an activity better suited for, like, sunny California?

No, bro. Wrong. Washington State alone has more than 150 different skateboard parks. In fact, Washington and Oregon are so widely known for their bodacious concrete, professional teams from all over the world travel to the area in droves. But you don't have to skate like a professional to enjoy all the parks. From simple day trips to weeklong skate-a-thons, all you need is a car, a map and your shred sled.  

Those looking for well-known parks can drive I-5, stopping at iconic DIY spots like Burnside and Marginal Way. The more adventurous can hit up the coast, sleeping in tents on the beach and skating mammoth parks like Lincoln City and Newport. Metropolitan areas like Portland and Seattle offer enough options to keep even the hungriest skate tourist full for a day or two. Remember: no matter what route you decide, be sure to check the weather before you head off. This is the Pacific Northwest after all. - Brett Cihon

BADGES EARNED: Knee Scab, McTwist, Concrete Fun