Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Stonehenge replica at Maryhill
The Columbia River Basin is home to an ancient monster-several thousand, in fact. The white sturgeon is the country's largest
freshwater game fish, and it just happens to love the depths below any of the Columbia's dams. Measuring up to 18 feet in length
and weighing up to 1,500 pounds, these prehistoric behemoths are often chased by both commercial and recreational fishermen.
Check current regulations before wetting a line, and before preheating the oven, bear in mind that these bottom-feeders have plenty
of time to soak up toxins over their 100-plus-year lifespan.
The Pacific Crest Trail, or PCT for those in the know, is really hundreds of trails that link together and run from Mexico all the
way up the map to Canada, passing through forests and wilderness far away from civilization. The most dramatic and beautiful
part of the trail is the part running through the mountains, rivers, and primordial woods in the state of Washington.
On horseback or on foot, you'd be hard-pressed to find a path that shows off more of Washington than the PCT. Crossing from
Oregon, the traveler first comes across The Bridge of the Gods, an awe-inspiring passage across the Columbia River, before be-
ginning a long climb out of the river valley. Then, a long trek through dry lands and ancient lakes leads past the mammoth round
top of Mount Adams and across the severe and jagged Goat Rocks Wilderness. Your reward is the unique chance to hike over the
Packwood Glacier; small, but a glacier nonetheless.
The trail misses few of the state's highlights, so of course a section skirting Mount Rainier is mandatory. A long stretch through
the mysterious North Cascades full of old-growth trees and deep, clear lakes follows, leading the hiker deeper and deeper until he
or she arrives at remote Lake Chelan. From there, things only get wilder approaching the border. The hiker or equestrian passes
through the rugged, mountainous Pasayten Wilderness toward the ultimate payoff: views of hundreds of glaciers and year-round
snowfields. A little farther leads to Monument 78, the Canadian border, and a deep sense of peace and a well-deserved sense of
accomplishment. And hopefully a good rest before taking the long way back home.
Because the Columbia is the only major break in the Cascade Range, it acts as an 80-mile-long wind tunnel. The wind blowing
through the Columbia Gorge provides some of the best windsurfing and kiteboarding conditions in the nation. In 1991, a wind-
surfer set the national speed record, 47.4 miles per hour, here. This place isn't for beginners: gusty winds, large waves, a strong
current, and frigid water make the Gorge challenging for even experienced sailors, and the constant parade of tugs and barges adds
more hazards. Winds average 16 mph between March and mid-October, but most surfers and boarders prefer to come in July and
August when the water is warmer and the current is slower.
