1) Mary Rohlman's brief listing of easy backpacks ( .doc ). You can go backpacking in the Pacific Northwest all months of the year, but it can be cold and very wet from November through March. The Mountaineers offers snow camping trips, but they aren't described here. There are several destinations that are at low elevations that you can go to from March to October and have a great time. The best, long-season backpacking locations are Cape Alava / Sandpoint (Olympic National Park) and Shi-Shi Beach at the Washington Coast and the Elwha Valley of Olympic National Park. March The Elwha Valley on the northern side of Olympic National Park provides a beautiful valley camping experience. The is an enormous meadow near Humes Ranch that can accommodate many campers. Water is available from the river. April The annual beach cleanup is held every April on the Pacific coast of Olympic National Park. Great destinations are Cape Alava/Sandpoint or Shi Shi Beach. There is usually at least one Mountaineers backpacking trip that participates in this activity, and more information about the cleanup is available at Washington Coastsavers. June
July Berkeley Park (Mt. Rainier National Park) is a fabulous place to see wildflowers, and there is also a beautiful stream. An easy hike can be made to Grand Park which provides a stunning view of The Mountain. The timing of the peak wildflowers varies from year to year. The campsite is buggy (all wildflower sites are buggy). August Berkeley Park (see July). Todd Mitchell ( toddbackpack@gmail.com ) April 2011 |