Loving Washington State

Christmas in Leavenworth, WA

2012-12-16T22:23:00.000-08:00

Do you want to see plenty of Christmas lights? Go to the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, WA!

Gorge Creek Falls

2012-10-12T18:22:00.002-07:00

Gorge Creek Falls is one of the few developed waterfalls in the North Cascades National Park complex.

Sterling Munro Trail

2012-10-12T18:22:00.001-07:00

A fully accessible boardwalk trail (300 feet)from the back left of the North Cascade Visitor Center.

The Sterling Munro Trail is named for the longtime Chief of Staff to Senator Henry Jackson:

A spectacular view of the Picket Range from the end of the trail:

North Cascades National Park Visitor Center

2012-10-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

North Cascade Visitor Center

2012-10-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

Bellevue Botanical Garden

2012-10-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

Diablo Lake

2012-09-20T16:19:00.002-07:00

Diablo Lake is a reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA. Created by Diablo Dam, the lake is located between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake on the Skagit River at an elevation of 1,201 feet (366 m) above sea level.[1] Diablo Lake is part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project and managed by Seattle City Light. (Wikipedia)

Ross Lake

2012-09-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Ross Lake is a large reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA, and southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The lake runs approximately north-south, is 23 miles (37 km) long, up to 1.5 miles (2.5 km) wide, and the full reservoir elevation is 1,604 feet above sea level (489 m). (Wikipedia)

Newhalem, WA

2012-09-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Newhalem is Seattle City Light's company town. Populated entirely by employees of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. The town is surrounded by the Ross Lake National Recreation Area and North Cascades National Park.

Purple Haze Lavender Farm

2012-09-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

Purple Haze Lavender Farm is a 12 acre CERTIFIED ORGANIC LAVENDER FARM located in the Dungeness Valley of Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

Upper Skagit River Hydroelectric Project

2012-09-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities. The dams provide approximately 25 percent of the electric power for Seattle. (Found on en.wikipedia.org)

History of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project on www.historylink.org.

There are three major dams in the Skagit River Project: Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam, and Ross Dam.

1. Gorge Dam on the Skagit River:

Gorge Powerhouse:

2. Diablo Dam on the Skagit River:

Diablo Dam Powerhouse:

A replica of the first powerhouse on the Skagit, built in 1900 by Glee Davis:

3. Ross Dam on the Skagit River:

Poo Poo Point Trail

2012-09-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

Traditionally, the Poo Poo Point Trail begins at the Issaquah High School and is about 7.5 mi. We hiked the Poo Poo Point via Chirico Trail (4 mi), located a few miles down the road from the high school at the paraglider landing field.

Beginning of the trail:

Nice walk through the forest:

This is the south facing launch on Tiger Mountain:

Wild raspberries on the trail:

Wildflowers on the trail:

The north launch area: looking toward Lake Sammamish and the town of Issaquah :

Celebrating the Native American Flute

2012-08-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

Flute Quest is the largest Native American flute festival in the Northwest and features internationally known flutists and accomplished local musicians.

Murals in Centralia, WA

2012-07-23T15:07:00.002-07:00

Murals are found throughout historic downtown Centralia.

The New Tacoma Narrows Bridge was dedicated on July 15, 2007

2012-07-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Five years ago today, the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge was dedicated. On July 15, 2007, nearly 50,000 - 60,000 people came to celebrate new bridge.

The new bridge was built parallel to and south of the older bridge, which in turn replaced the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the famous "Galloping Gertie" built in 1940 and collapsed in a windstorm a few months later. (HistoryLink.org)

Bear Grass Flower (Xerophyllum tenax)

2012-07-13T15:32:00.001-07:00

Mount Si – North Bend, Washington

2012-07-12T22:46:00.000-07:00

Mount Si is located in North Bend, Washington (USA). The climb is 4,167 feet (1,270 meters) and 4 miles from the parking lot to the summit plateau. Vertical elevation change is about 3700 feet and starts at about 700 feet.

Mount Si Hiking Trail is the most heavily used trail in Washington State.

Let's Start from the beginning.

The Climb: 4,167 feet (1,270 meters); Distance: 4 miles from the parking lot to the summit plateau.

Stay on the trail!

One more step and...

...here we are!

The Haystack

Relax and Enjoy!

Former Auburn Carnegie Library

2012-06-23T14:08:00.001-07:00

The Library was build in 1914. The Library Board obtained a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in the amount of $9,000 to erect a Carnegie Library building in Auburn, WA. Arthur Ballard, son of one of the founders of Auburn and a member of the Library Board, donated a piece of property at 3rd and Auburn Avenue for the new library. ( KCLS)

It is now used as a school of dance.

Greenlake Mural, Seattle, WA

2012-06-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

A Greenlake Mural decorates an underpass near the intersection of 63rd N and Whitman Pl N, underneath the Aurora Blvd, a couple blocks west of Green Lake Park in Seattle.

Murals in Snoqualmie, WA

2012-06-20T13:01:00.001-07:00

Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park

2012-06-19T14:09:00.003-07:00

Hurricane Ridge is the most easily accessed mountain area within Olympic National Park. It is a great place with outstanding views.

Kachess Lake, WA

2012-06-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

Kachess Lake is part of the Columbia River basin, and the lake is used as a storage reservoir for the Yakima Project, an irrigation project run by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The name Kachess comes from an Indian term meaning «more fish». (Wikipedia)

Kachess Lake, Washington, USA.

Spirit Lake, Mount St. Helens, WA

2012-06-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

Spirit Lake is a lake north of Mount St. Helens in Washington State. The lake was a popular tourist destination for many years until the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. With the eruption and resulting megatsunami, thousands of trees were torn from the surrounding hillside after lake water was displaced 800 feet up the hillside. (Wikipedia)

Mowich Lake in Mount Rainier National Park

2012-06-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Mowich Lake is the largest and deepest lake in Mount Rainier National Park.

Granger is Where Dinosaurs Roam

2012-06-14T12:50:00.002-07:00

Granger is a small town in Washington with easy access from Interstate 82, exit 58. Granger, "Where Dinosaurs Roam", is the place where people can view life-size dinosaurs throughout the town. «Yet a green velociraptor, a yellow stegosaurus, a brown triceratops — nearly 30 cement dinos in all — fill the town park and spill northward into downtown»

Welcome!