FROM MILD TO WILD - Snohomish County Tourism Bureau

FROM MILD ... TO WILD
in Snohomish County, Washington
Story Ideas and Travel Tips from Snohomish County Tourism Bureau
Mild Action:
1. Beach walks & tide-pools
2. Historic lighthouse
3. Skate, saddle & stroll
4. Easy forest & lake hikes
5. Mushroom hunting
6. Salmon fishing
7. Rock hounding
8. Minor League baseball!
Wild Action:
9. Radical rapids
10. Shipwreck dives
11. Airborne Fun
12. Cascade Climbing
13. Trail running
14. Mountain Biking at midnight
15. Firewatching
In our corner of the
Northwest you can explore a
tidepool, hike to a mountain
lake, and reel in a prized
salmon all in a day. But
nobody’s keeping score, so
spend the whole day strolling
under an ancient forest
canopy hunting for exotic
chanterelle mushrooms.
If you prefer “in your face” action, try staying upright in a kayak on
the class IV+ rapids on the upper Skykomish River. Or you could don a
wetsuit and explore an underwater park loaded with shipwrecks. Of
course there’s rock climbing, mountain biking, glider rides and
skydiving. And as long as you’re keeping that kind of pace, why not
end the day by hiking up to camp out at a remote fire lookout. For a
complete rundown of all the action in Snohomish County, visit
www.snohomish.org.
First, the tamer pursuits:
Free Hiking Guides
available by calling the
Snohomish County Tourism
Bureau at (888) 338-0976
or visiting our website at
www.snohomish.org.
1. Beach Walking
From rocky shores teaming
with tidepools, to sandy beaches perfect for sunset strolls, it’s all in
Snohomish County.
Every summer thousands of people take guided shoreline walks with
Everett Parks and Edmonds Beach rangers. They take the mystery out of
things like tides, why starfish are called fish, why beach creatures can be
hard to find and how they survive out of water. For details on the walks
call us toll-free at 888-338-0976.
You could spend an entire evening watching the sun set over the
Olympic Mountains It goes down as late as 10 p.m. at Brackett’s
Landing, just north of the Edmonds ferry terminal. The waterfront park
has picnic tables, and a paved trail around a jetty. You could spend an
entire evening watching the sun set over the Olympic Mountains. It goes
down as late as 10 p.m. at Brackett’s Landing, just north of the Edmonds
ferry terminal. The waterfront park has picnic tables, and a paved trail
around a jetty. Edmonds Visitor Center (425) 776-6711
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau • 1133 164th St. SW, Suite 204 • Lynnwood, WA 98087
(425) 348-5802 • Fax (425) 348-5701 • 1-888-338-0976 • www.snohomish.org
2. Visit an Historic
Lighthouse
On summer weekends you can
tour the Mukilteo Lighthouse. The
building and its French-made lens
are more than 100 years old, and
although they’re now fully
automated, the lighthouse still
sends its signal out to guide ships
through Possession Sound. The
U.S. Coast Guard recently turned
stewardship over to the Mukilteo
Historical Society, which has
restored the building.
It’s only open weekends from
12p.m-5p.m., and groups of four
or more can even climb the
circular staircase up into the top
of the lighthouse. (425) 5139602
3. Skate, Saddle or Stroll
Four designated trail systems
in Snohomish County offer miles
of scenic cycling, rollerblading,
walking or horseback riding.
Stroll or cycle along 10.5 miles of
the paved Interurban trail
between Lynnwood and Everett, or
take your horses (they stick to a
grassy trail beside the paved
path), blades or bike and meander
along the 30-mile Centennial trail
between the town of Snohomish
and northern Snohomish-Skagit
County border. Or explore the
Lowell Riverfront and Langus
Riverfront trails in Everett, which
offer history, wildlife viewing and
peaceful walks. Catch your
breath at picnic tables and
benches that dot the trails. You’ll
even find a watering hole for
horses on Centennial trail in
Machias. Snohomish County
trails are convenient and fun for
everyone. Ample trailhead
parking and restrooms; handicap
accessible. Snohomish County
Parks Dept (425) 388-6600
4. Easy Forest Forays
Nothing will humble you
quicker than wandering through
an ancient forest. In an oldgrowth forest, the trees are at
least 200 years old - and growing.
Some may be 800 years old,
reaching 9-feet in diameter. In
the forest primeval, it’s the
journey that counts, not the
destination. Notice the spongy
“give” of the carpet of needles
below you, taste the salal berry, a
favorite of Native Americans. Or
sink your fingers into the deep
grooves in the bark of one of these
giants, and when the wind is just
right, hear the tree perform a
creaking solo.
the area. For license info, call
(360)902-2200.
Here are some of the easiest
lowland trails through old-growth
forests:
· West Cady Creek-one of the best
·
·
·
Trail Tips:
1. Preplan the trip.
2. Don’t go alone.
3. Leave details on the trip with someone.
4. Always carry food, water, clothing, a firstaid kit, whistle, compass, and a good
map.
5. Check the weather, but know that it can
change quickly!
Source: Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
The Stillaguamish and
Skykomish rivers have some of the
healthiest summer and winter
runs of hatchery Steelhead in the
state, and a not-to-be-missed
spring run of prized Wild
Steelhead. You would be wise to
hire a guide though. These fish
can weigh in at well over 20
pounds, and they fight. Catching
one on a fly is akin to a religious
experience.
There's also good saltwater
fishing from the Edmonds Fishing
Pier. It's open 24-hours a day and
is wheelchair accessible.
And the bass fishing is also
very good on some of our larger
lakes such as Goodwin and
Stevens. Contact us for a
complete listing of charter
operations and fishing guides in
·
examples in Western Washington of an
undisturbed (and unprotected) old
growth forest on US Hwy 2 near
Index. Skykomish Ranger District
(360)677-2414
North Fork Sauk River Trail-Giant trees
line the first mile, including red
cedars 9-feet in diameter on the
Mountain Loop.
Boulder River-Thick old-growth in a
lowland river valley between Arlington
and Darrington.
Youth on Age-This easy trail is less
than a mile long and wheelchair
accessible. You’ll see trees 500 years
old with interpretive signs alongside.
Stop in at the Verlot Ranger station on
the Mountain Loop for a guidebook.
Lake 22 and Heather Lake Trails-Two
short trails outside Granite Falls, each
with distinctive cathedral cedar and fir
forests. Lake 22 trail also has a series
of lovely waterfalls. Heather Lake trail
starts out in dense second-growth
forest and tops a ridge into a fairy tale
forest primeval. Both trailheads are
well marked off the Mountain Loop.
For a list of 25 popular day and
overnight hikes, contact Snohomish
County Tourism Bureau office. Verlot
Ranger District. (360) 691-7791
5. Hunting Forest Fungi
As you hike our forests (if you
know where to look) you can find
the same kinds of wild
mushrooms you’ve probably eaten
in fine restaurants. Morels, golden
and white chanterelles and
American matsutake sprout up
quickly in the dark, damp reaches
of most Northwest forests,
especially around Darrington and
along the Mountain Loop
Highway.
Seasoned pickers guard their
favorite spots the way fishers
protect their secret fishing holes.
It’s no wonder, since mushroom
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau • 1133 164th St. SW, Suite 204 • Lynnwood, WA 98087
(425) 348-5802 • Fax (425) 348-5701 • 1-888-338-0976 • www.snohomish.org
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buyers pay as much as $14 a
pound for some varieties like
matsutakes. Washington is the first
state to regulate commercial
harvesting of edible mushrooms.
Picking Points:
1. No mushroom is poisonous to
touch.
2. If in doubt on a mushroom’s
identity, don’t eat it.
3. Only eat healthy mushrooms, and
ALWAYS cook them beforehand.
Recreational picking is allowed
without restriction on public lands.
But, before you forage away,
remember that in mushroom
hunting, accuracy is a matter of life
and death. So, it’s smart to hunt
with a guidebook or better still, hire
a guide. For help with identifying
wild mushrooms call the Puget
Sound Mycological Society at
(206) 523-2892.
6. Go Cast a Fishing Line
Salmon have always been a
cultural icon in the Northwest.
There’s nothing quite like the
feeling of reeling in a 10-pound
King or Silver Salmon. The fishing
action’s good year-round in Puget
Sound. Kings, Silvers and Humpies
run through the summer, and by
October, the Winter Blackmouth
start running.
Charter operations out of
Everett and Edmonds can take you
out on Puget Sound year-round. Or
hire a guide to join you on one of
our fine local rivers.
You may not know about the
hybrid salmon/trout species known
as the Steelhead. It’s a sea-run
trout that grows fat on the sea life
in the Sound before returning to
spawn in our rivers. For more info
call All Star Fishing Charters
(425)252-4188
The Stillaguamish and
Skykomish rivers have some of the
healthiest summer and winter
runs of hatchery Steelhead in the
state, and a not-to-be-missed
spring run of prized Wild
Steelhead. You would be wise to
hire a guide though. These fish
can weigh in at well over 20
pounds, and they fight. Catching
one on a fly is akin to a religious
experience.
There's also good saltwater
fishing from the Edmonds Fishing
Pier. It's open 24-hours a day and
is wheelchair accessible.
And the bass fishing is also
very good on some of our larger
lakes such as Goodwin and
Stevens. Contact us for a
complete listing of charter
operations and fishing guides in
the area. For license info, call
(360)902-2200.
7. Rock Hounding
Western Washington’s varied
geology and geography make it a
haven for rock hounds. They scour
the beaches of Puget Sound and
Cascade Mountains for everything
from agates to petrified wood.
TRASH LASTS!
Orange peel-1 mo.
Paper cup-5 mo.
Sock-up to 5 yrs.
Milk carton-5 yrs.
Plastic bag-20 yrs.
Nylon-up to 40 yrs.
Plastic bottle-up to 80 yrs.
Pop can-up to 100 yrs.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Quartz crystals and fossils are
some of the more popular finds,
and both are plentiful near Sultan
and Monroe on US Hwy 2 in
Snohomish County. Around the
Cedar Ponds Stubbs Hill area
you’ll also find jasper and leaf
fossils. In the High Rock, Tower
Hill area rock hounds are excited
about a new find of gold moss
and plume in blue agate.
They say all you need to be a
rock hound is a bucket, watchful
eyes, and an idea of where to go.
You can dig at will on public
lands. On private land, be sure
you have any permits that may be
required. You’re limited to
packing out 25 pounds of
petrified wood though, because it
is the Washington State gem. And
leave nature the way you found
it... undisturbed. Marysville Rock
& Gem Club (425) 334-6282
8. Hot Sox!
What better way to spend a
summer night than watching the
oh-so-hot Everett AquaSox , the
Class-A affiliate of the Seattle
Mariners. You get a chance to see
tomorrow’s stars shine today. This
is where Ken Griffey, Jr. belted
out his first homer as a
professional (he was playing for
the Bellingham “baby M’s”).
Randy Johnson even pitched here
summer of 1996 after his back
surgery. And the M’s first-round
draft pick in 1995, Jose Cruz, Jr.,
got his professional start here in
Everett.
This is good old-fashioned
baseball too. The AquaSox play on
real grass, under starry skies: And
after an AquaSox game, you can
count on the players sticking
around to sign autographs. The
regular season runs mid June
through Labor Day.
For ticket information, call
(800)GO-FROGS.
www.aquasox.com
9. Dive Shipwrecks
Come face-to-face with a gator
-sized lingcod, or a 20-pound
octopus, or just poke around a few
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau • 1133 164th St. SW, Suite 204 • Lynnwood, WA 98087
(425) 348-5802 • Fax (425) 348-5701 • 1-888-338-0976 • www.snohomish.org
3
shipwrecks covered with sea life.
It's no wonder why the 27-acre
Edmonds Underwater Park, just
north of the ferry pier, is the most
popular dive spot in Washington.
But there is no shortage of other
spots for the state's 75,000
certified divers to explore. The
nutrient-rich waters of Puget
Sound, plus the tidal interplay of
salt and freshwater, mean there’s
plenty of interesting aquatic life
here. Slack current between every
high and low tide is a perfect time
to dive because the water is still.
Experienced divers can try
drift diving too. That means being
pulled along four feet off the
bottom; slowly in the wider
sections, and then whooshing
through the narrower rocky spots.
Or dive from a boat at the
Edmonds oil dock, one half mile
to the south of the underwater
park. The pilings are home to
white plumose anemones, spider
crabs, red rock crabs and
Dungeness crabs. Divers say it’s
like climbing into an aquarium.
For more information on local
dives, call (425) 771-0230
paddlers. This section of rapids is
definitely not for beginners, and is
only open during peak spring
runoff. The "Sky" was the state's
first federally-designated "Wild &
Scenic" river, protecting it from
dams and other restrictions to its
natural flow. Most of its nerverattling rapids are Class IV and
even Class V, the toughest of all.
Or head to the Sauk River
near Darrington to experience the
Cascade Mountains’ "outback".
This federally protected Wild &
Scenic River runs through a
pristine valley teaming with
wildlife. As you navigate Class III
to Class IV rapids known as
"Jaws", and "Alligator Drop", you'll
be surrounded by hanging glaciers
and Cascade Mountain peaks.
Even experienced rafters and
paddlers would be wise to hire a
local guide. For a complete list
call (888) 338-0976
11. Airborne Fun
Ballooning- A slightly milder
alternative for seeing the scenery
in the Snohomish Valley. Contact
Airial Balloon Company in
Snohomish for information on
sunrise and sunset flights. (360)
568-3025
10. Radical Rapids
There's a mind-boggling mix
of steep drops, narrow chutes and
non-stop whitewater on the Upper
North Fork of the Skykomish
River. "Boulder Drop", the most
famous rapid in the state, tests
even the most experienced
activates automatically, and then
you glide gently to earth after
about five minutes. Or you can
tandem-jump harnessed to an
instructor, and actually freefall for
30 seconds. The chute opens at
about 4,000 feet, and your duo
deftly drops to target in 5
minutes. Skydive Snohomish
offers both options at Harvey Field
in the town of Snohomish.
(360) 568-7703
12. Cascade Climbing
If you like risks enough to rock
climb, having the Cascades in
your backyard has its advantages.
There are climbs just about
everywhere, but here are two of
the bigger challenges. One of the
Northwest's hottest technical
climbs is the Index Town Wall, a
500-foot vertical climb that
towers above the community of
Index on US Hwy 2.
Another is three miles south
of the town of Darrington on the
Mountain Loop Highway.
Exfoliation Dome's east flank has
a 1,100-foot face known as Witch
Doctor Wall, with a 75-degree
angle. The west flank of the dome
has a slabby area called Blueberry
Hill. For more information on
these and other climbs in
Snohomish County, call (888)
338-0976.
And if you aren't quite ready
for the real thing, practice your
technique at the climbing wall at
the Vertical World in Everett.
(425) 258-3431
13. Trail Running
Skydiving For thrill-seeking,
jumping from a plane ranks pretty
high. After instruction, even a
beginner can make a static line
jump at 3,000 feet. Your chute
Folks at REI, the Seattle
mecca for extreme sporting
goods, say they’ve seen an
explosion of interest in trail
running over the past year (it’s
also called outdoor cross
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau • 1133 164th St. SW, Suite 204 • Lynnwood, WA 98087
(425) 348-5802 • Fax (425) 348-5701 • 1-888-338-0976 • www.snohomish.org
4
training). They credit two things:
people enjoy working out in a
beautiful natural setting, and
improvements in footwear. Lightweight trail running shoes
combine the sturdiness of a day
hiking boot with the featherweight of a stout running shoe.
We can give you hot tips on the
best trails to run.
14. Mountain Biking …at
midnight
Technology is also shifting the
sport of mountain biking into ultra
-high gear. With sophisticated
new lighting systems that you can
mount on your helmet or handlebars, it’s possible to ride around
the clock. Here are a couple of
great night rides:
· Old Sauk Trail A three-mile ride is flat but it’ll
sharpen your technical skills. Off
the Mountain Loop Highway four
miles south of Darrington.
· Schweitzer Creek Loop-An
11-mile forest ride with a hefty
climb and a winding, rapid
descent. Midway along the
Mountain Loop between Verlot
and Silverton east of Granite
Falls.
· North Mountain Lookout
This 13-mile round trip takes you
up a good dirt road to an old fire
lookout (see next item on renting
fire lookouts), followed by a steep
descent. It starts off of Highway
530 north of Darrington. Cross
tracks, then take Forest Service
road 28. After 3 miles take a right
at the Y on Road 2810. Mount
Baker Snoqualmie Forest office
(425) 775-9702
15. Firewatching
As long as you’re keeping this
kind of pace, why not ride or hike
up the mountain to spend the
night in a remote fire lookout?
You won’t actually have to watch
for wildfires. Helicopters now
handle fire surveillance.
At one time 466 lookouts
were staffed in Washington’s
forests. Once a firewatcher tried
to build a piano in his lookout,
but stopped when he couldn’t
come up with a plan for hauling it
downhill. Another firewatcher
would run six miles downhill to
Darrington every Friday night to
take his girlfriend to the town
dance. Then he’d run back up to
the lookout a few hours later so he
could make his shift early
Saturday morning.
Most lookouts have either
fallen into disrepair, or prey to
vandals. However, an army of
volunteers have lovingly restored
some lookouts. One of those is
Evergreen Mountain Lookout,
which is now available for rent.
And take heart, since they began
staffing lookouts back in the
1930s, there’s no record of any
firewatcher being hurt by
lightning at a lookout. We can tell
you who to call for reservations
and more information. For a
complete list of lookouts call
(888) 338-0976
Photo by US Forest Service
“No Trace”
Camping Tips:
1. In a remote area, find a site
that’s never been used, and
stay away from trails, lakes
and streams.
2. Don’t build camp structures.
3. Wash dishes and yourself
away from streams and lakes.
4. In an established campsite,
use the well-worn areas first.
5. Keep noise levels down.
6. Control pets, but it’s even
better to leave them at home.
7. Pack it ALL out!
For additional story ideas, please
contact Julie Gangler, Media
Relations at j.gangler@q.com
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau • 1133 164th St. SW, Suite 204 • Lynnwood, WA 98087
(425) 348-5802 • Fax (425) 348-5701 • 1-888-338-0976 • www.snohomish.org
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