(DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

eyewitness travel




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eyewitness travel




pacific


Northwest





























































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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL






PACIFIC


NORTHWEST





Main Contributors Stephen Brewer,
Constance Brissenden, Anita Carmin




















































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Produced by International Book Productions Inc.,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Project Editor Barbara Hopkinson
Art Editors James David Ellis, Barbara Hopkinson
Editors Judy Phillips, Sheila Hall, Debbie Koenig, Tara Tovell
DTP Designers Dietmar Kokemohr, Nicola Lyon
Picture Research and Permissions Diana Bahr
Main Contributors
Stephen Brewer, Constance Brissenden, Anita Carmin
Photographers
Bruce Forster, Gunter Marx, Scott Pitts
Illustrator
William Band Sailboats on the waters of Burrard Inlet, BC
Production Controller
Shane Higgins Contents
Printed in China
How to Use this Guide 6
First American Edition, 2003
16 17 18 19 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Introducing the
Pacific Northwest
Published in the United States by Dorling Kindersley Limited,
345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
Discovering the Pacific
Reprinted with revisions 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017
Northwest 10
Copyright 2003, 2017 © Dorling Kindersley Limited, London
A Penguin Random House Company
Putting the Pacific
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part Northwest on the Map 16
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright A Portrait of the
owner and the above publisher of this book. Pacific Northwest 20
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
The Pacific Northwest
ISSN 1542-1554
Through the Year 34
ISBN 978-1-4654-5712-7
The History of the
Pacific Northwest 38



The information in this
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up to date as possible
at the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers,
opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information, are
liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences
arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third-party websites, and
cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source of
travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly.
Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley,
80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL, UK, or email: travelguides@dk.com.
Emmons Glacier, Mount Rainier National
Front cover main image: Mount Shuksan in North Cascades National Park, Washington Park, Washington
Lake McArthur in Yoho National Park, BC


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Washington 174 Survival Guide

Vancouver 198 Practical Information 316
British Columbia 246 Travel Information 324

General Index 328
Acknowledgments 343
Road Maps
Inside Back Cover





Freshly caught crab
The Pacific Travelers’ Needs
Northwest
Region by Region Where to Stay 282
Where to Eat
The Pacific Northwest
and Drink 292
at a Glance 48
Shopping in the
Portland 50 Pacific Northwest 306

Outdoor Activities 308 Sea kayaks at Snug Harbor, San Juan
Island, Washington


Guitar from the collection at the
EMP Museum, Seattle
Oregon 90

Seattle 120















Victorian home in Portland’s neighborhood Illustrated view of the Waterfront
of Nob Hill and Gastown, Vancouver




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6  HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This guide helps you to get the most area sections, as well as the three city
from your visit to the Pacific Northwest. sections, describe important sights, using
It provides detailed information and expert maps, photographs, and illustrations.
recommendations. Introducing the Pacific Restaurant and hotel listings can be found
Northwest maps the region and sets it in its in Travelers’ Needs. The Survival Guide offers
historical and cultural context. Features cover tips on everything from public transport
topics from wildlife to geology. The three to using the telephone system.


Portland, Seattle,
and Vancouver por tland  55 All pages about Portland have orange
OLD TOWN AND THE thumb tabs. Seattle’s are purple, and
The center of each of these PEARL DISTRICT moved inland in the late 19th century, when Vancouver’s are green.
portland grew up along the west bank of the
Willamette river. Following its establishment the arrival of the railroad reduced river trade.
cities is divided into several in 1843, it became a major port, and docks in declared a national Historic landmark in
1975, old town is now once again a popular
the riverfront quarter now known as old
part of the city. Many 19th-century buildings
town were often lined with schooners that
sightseeing areas, each with sailed across the pacific ocean to China and have been restored, and a Chinese-american
around Cape Horn to the east coast of the US. business community still operates here. the
old town was the city’s commercial center
pearl district, an early 20th-century industrial
its own chapter. A last chapter, and home to many asian immigrants who area west of old town, has also been A locator map shows where you are in
came to work at the port. the city center
transformed into a trendy neighborhood.
Farther Afield, describes sights Sights at a Glance Museums and Museum relation to other areas of the city center.
Gardens and Districts
1 Oregon Maritime Center
3 Lan Su Chinese Garden
4 Pearl District
beyond the central areas. Shops and Markets
2 Portland Saturday Market
0 meters 200 5 Powell’s City of Books See also Street Finder maps
1 and 2
All sights are numbered and 0 yards 200
plotted on the chapter’s area NW MARSHALL STREET Broadway Bridge
map. Information on each NW KEARNEY ST NW LOVEJOY STREET Willamette River Area map For easy reference,
Union Station N O R T H W E S T N A I T O PA R K W AY 1sights are numbered and
NW JOHNSON STREET
sight is presented in numerical NW IRVING ST NORTHWEST 11TH AVENUE NORTHWEST 10TH AVENUE NW 9TH AVE NW PARK AVE located on a map. City center
NORTHWEST BROADWAY
order, making it easy to locate NW GLISAN STREET NORTHWEST HOYT STREET Bus Terminal Union Station/ Steel Bridge sights are also marked on
NW 5th & Glisan
Union Station/
Greyhound
NW 6th & Hoyt St
within the chapter. NORTHWEST FLANDERS STREET NW 8TH AVENUE NW 6TH AVENUE NW 5TH AVENUE NW 4TH AVENUE Old Town/
NORTHWEST EVERETT STREET
NORTH Chinatown GOVERNOR Street Finders: Portland
PARK
BLOCKS TOM McCALL
NORTHWEST DAVIS STREET WATERFRONT
NW Davis NW 5th & SOUTHWEST NAITO PARK WAY PARK
Couch
NORTHWEST COUCH STREET CHINATOWN NW 1ST AVENUE (pp84–9); Seattle (pp168–73);
OLD TOWN
NW 13TH AVENUE
NW 12TH AVENUE
NW 14TH AVENUE
NW 2ND AVENUE
NW 3RD AVENUE
WEST BURNSIDE STREET (SKIDMORE)
Skidmore Burnside Bridge
Fountain
SOUTHWEST ANKENY STREET Vancouver (pp240–45).
SW OAK STREET
SW Pine SW ASH STREET
Sights at a Glance lists the chapter’s SW 5th & Oak SW PINE STREET
sights by category, such as Museums
and Galleries; Historic Buildings and One of the many bars in the trendy neighborhood of Old Town For keys to symbols see back flap s OUTH G R ANVIll E AN d y A l E TO w N  221
220  V ANC OUVER
Churches; Parks and Squares; Gardens 2 . emily carr university Waterfront, gastoWn
and Viewpoints; and Shops. Street-by-Street: Granville Island of art & design & chinatoWn DoWntoWn
Named in honor of one of BC’s
Granville Island had its beginnings in 1916, as an industrial
area situated on land dredged from False Creek. For decades, major artists (see p215), this south granville
respected school is located in
heavy industry belched out noxious fumes. By the 1950s, a former warehouse. & yaletoWn
the area was nearly abandoned. In 1972, the Canadian
government, backed by City Hall, took over the site, with a
plan to make it a people place, and, in 1979, a public market
opened. Today, stores – known for the originality of their locator Map
see street finder map 2
wares, galleries, and studios – and restaurants are housed
in brightly painted converted warehouses and tin sheds.
Granville Island, which is not an island at all Marina on False Creek, downtown buildings 4 new-Small and
but a peninsula, is also home to music, in the background Sterling Studio Glass
dance, and theater. Look through the
windows of this glass-
blowing studio and
Street-by-Street map marvel as molten glass
is transformed into
beautiful works of art.
2This gives a bird’s-eye view d u r a n l e a u S t
of the heart of each a n d e r S o n S t
sightseeing area. G r a n v I l l e b r I d G e ( a n d e r S o n S t ) j o h n S t o n S t r e e t
6 . Granville Island o l d b r I d G e S t r e e t 0 meters 0 yards 80 80
Public Market
Enjoy a wonderful c a r t w r I G h t S t r e e t
diversity of locally
A star indicates a sight that grown and imported
fruits and vegetables
in the colorful displays
no visitor should miss. that make this market
Vancouver’s most
popular attraction.
Key
Suggested route
132  Sea t tle PIONee R SQU a R e a N d d OWN t OWN  133
8 Fairmont The museum’s permanent 3 Kids Market 5 railspur alley
Olympic Hotel collection includes 25,000 The Kids Market is a child’s boutiques on Railspur Alley,
A sign from one of the
fantasyland, with more than 25
411 University St. Map 4 D1. objects ranging from ancient shopkeepers selling everything from a lively street lined with quirky
Egyptian relief sculpture and
Tel (206) 621-1700. @ 17, 19, 24, 26, wooden African statuary to One of the many outdoor cafés and restaurants at Granville Island games and toys to pint-sized clothing. local stores and businesses.
28. 7 0 = See Where to Stay Old Master paintings and For hotels and restaurants see p290 and pp302–3
p288. ∑ fairmont.com contemporary American art.
When it debuted in 1924, Traveling exhibits are featured
the Olympic Hotel was the on the fourth floor, as are the
place to see and be seen – permanent collections of African
not surprising since the and European art. Northwest
bondholders who funded the Coast Native American art figures A suggested route for a walk
$4 million construction were prominently on the third floor. Benaroya Hall, grand home of the Seattle Symphony
among the city’s most socially Highlights here include the
prominent citizens. Designed 14-ft- (4-m-) tall red-cedar superior acoustics. The multi- shady footpaths invite leisurely is shown in red.
by the New York firm of George The striking modern façade of the Seattle Native houseposts carved with level Grand Lobby, dramatic at strolling. Outdoor concerts are
B. Post and Sons, the Italian Art Museum bears and thunderbirds boasting night when lit, offers stunning held here in summer.
Renaissance-style building 11-ft (3.5-m) wing spans, from views of Puget Sound and the
features high, arched Palladian 9 Seattle the village of Gwa’yas-dams city skyline. w Central Library
floor also houses American
attending a symphony perform-
The tall Columbia Center, dwarfing the windows, gleaming oak- Art Museum in British Columbia. The third Even if time doesn’t permit 1000 Fourth Ave. Map 4 D2. Tel (206)
paneled walls, and terrazzo
Smith Tower floors laid by Italian workmen Tel (206) 654-3100. @ 174. art, ancient mediterranean ance, visitors can gain an 386-4636. @ many. Open 10am–8pm
1300 First Ave. Map 3 C2.
and Islamic art, and modern and appreciation of this magnificent
who were sent to Seattle for
7 Columbia Center the task. Open 10am–5pm Wed–Sun contemporary art, including facility by taking one of the Mon–Thu, 10am–6pm Fri & Sat, noon–
6pm Sun. Closed public hols. 8 7
(to 9pm Thu). Closed major hols.
More than $800,000 was works by contem porary Pacific excellent tours offered, learning - = ∑ spl.org
701 5th Ave. Map 4 D2. Tel (206) spent on furnishings, including ^ 7 8 9 - = Northwest artists. how this acoustical masterpiece
386-5564. @ 16, 358. Sky View hundreds of antique mirrors, ∑ seattleartmuseum.org Also in this museum family was created atop a transit tunnel. This striking glass and steel
Observatory: Open Mar–Aug: 9am–
10pm daily; Sep–Feb: 10am–8pm Italian and Spanish oil jars, and At the museum’s south entrance is the Asian Art Museum, in Visitors can also admire Benaroya structure, completed in 2004,
daily. Closed public hols. & 7 - bronze statuary. A glamorous is a giant Hammering Man. Volunteer Park (see p157), Hall’s impressive private art was designed by the award-
∑ skyviewobservatory.com venue for parties, weddings, A tribute to workers, Jonathan hous ing extensive Asian art collection, which includes Echo, winning Dutch architect Rem
and debutante balls, the Borofsky’s 48-ft (15-m) animated collec tions. The Seattle Art Robert Rauschenberg’s evocative Koolhaas as a replacement for
The tallest building in Seattle, Olympic reigned as the grande steel sculpture “hammers” Museum’s third venue is the 12-ft (3.5-m) mural, painted on the city’s 1960 Central Library. Detailed information The
Columbia Center is the tallest dame of Seattle hotels for half a silently and continuously Olympic Sculpture Park (see p148), metal, and Dale Chihuly’s pair The unusual shape of the
building – according to the century before losing her luster. from 7am to 10pm daily, an outdoor “museum” on the of chandelier sculptures – one building was once a source
number of stories – west of the In 1979, the hotel was listed resting only on Labor Day. north end of Seattle’s waterfront. silver-, one gold-colored – each of controversy, but the Central 3sights in the three main cities
Mississippi River. Rising 1,049 ft on the US National Register The museum building is no with some 1,200 pieces of blown Library is now regarded as one of
(320 m) above sea level, the of Historic Places. A year later, less impressive. Designed by glass wired to a steel armature. Seattle’s architectural highlights.
1.5-million-sq-ft (139,500-sq-m), the Four Seasons hotel chain the Philadelphia firm Venturi Within the hall’s outdoor The 11-floor library includes
76-story skyscraper was designed assumed management of the Scott Brown and Associates, space along 2nd Avenue is works of art worth a staggering are described individually.
by Chester Lindsey Architects building and gave the hotel the original bold limestone the Garden of Remembrance, $1 million and an innovative
and completed in 1985 at a cost a $62.5 million face-lift – the and sandstone building was which honors more than 8,000 “Books Spiral,” allowing visitors
of $285 million. In 1998 it was most costly hotel restoration in completed in 1991 at a cost Washington citizens who have maximum access to the
sold for $404 million, and again the US at that time – returning of $62 million. An acclaimed given their lives in the service collection. In its first year, some The address, telephone
in 2015 for $711 million, to a the landmark hotel to her expansion in 2007, designed of their country since 1941. 5,000 people visited the library
Hong Kong company. original grandeur. Fairmont by Brad Cloepfil, doubled every day to benefit from its
A prestigious business address Hotels and Resorts assumed the museum’s public and 2 million items. Other facilities
for more than 5,000 Seattle-area management in 2003. exhibition space. q Freeway Park include Internet access, 340 number, opening hours, and
workers, the shimmering black Seneca St & 6th Ave. Map 4 D1. @ 2, computers for public use, and
tower also attracts visitors to Dale Chihuly’s Benaroya Hall Silver 13. Open 6am–10pm daily. 7 separate centers for children,
its 73rd-floor observation deck, Chandelier, one of a pair ∑ seattle.gov/parks teenagers, and adult readers.
the Sky View Observatory, which information on admission
offers spectacular vistas of the 0 Benaroya Hall Tucked into the heart
Cascade and Olympic mountain 200 University St. Map 3 C1. Tel (206) of Seattle’s bustling
ranges, Mount Rainier, Lake 215-4800. @ many. 8 check commercial district, charge, tours, wheelchair
Washington, and Puget Sound, website for details. ^ 7 - = and adjoining the
as well as views of the city and ∑ seattlesymphony.org Washington State
its many suburbs. Convention and Trade
The four-level retail atrium Home of the Seattle Symphony Center, Freeway Park access, and public transport
houses shops, food vendors, and occupying an entire city straddles the I-5,
and, on the third floor, the City block, the $118.1 million Benaroya which runs through
Space art gallery, which features Hall contains two performing downtown. Inside
the works of artists who have halls, including the 2,500-seat the park, thundering are provided. The key to the
been commissioned for projects S. Mark Taper Foundation waterfalls drown out Seattle’s strikingly modern Central Library, designed
by the city. The opulent interior of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel Auditorium, acclaimed for its the traffic roar, and by Rem Koolhaas
Iron Pergola on Pioneer Square For hotels and restaurants see p288 and pp298–300 symbols is on the back flap.
US_PNW_006-007_How_to.indd 6 04/07/16 12:33 pm

HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE  7
oregon  91
OREGON
oregonians and their visitors alike run out of adjectives
to describe the scenic wonders contained within the Introduction The Pacific Northwest
97,000 sq miles (251,200 sq km) of the tenth largest US state.
Here, snowcapped mountains pierce the clouds, waves break
on rocky shores, rivers sprint through gorges, dense forests cling 1landscape, history, and Area by Area
to ravines, and desert vistas stretch beneath skies that, indeed,
are not cloudy all day. character of each state
A forest-cloaked headland, tidal estuary, desert country in the east. These In this book, the Pacific
or stretch of isolated beach appears landscapes provide more than memorable or province is outlined
around every bend of the 363-mile views. Hiking trails lace the forests, and
(584-km) Oregon coastline. In the north, rushing white-water rivers, such as the
the mighty Columbia River flows through Rogue and Deschutes, brim with trout, here, showing how the Northwest has been divided
a magnificent gorge where waterfalls salmon, and sturgeon, attracting white-
plummet from cliffs. Those traveling water rafters and anglers. Lakes sparkle
alongside the river follow in the footsteps with crystal-clear water; the most area has developed over into the two states and one
of explorers Lewis and Clark, who canoed awesome of them, Crater Lake, is the
the rushing waters in 1805. The Snake deepest in North America. And the slopes
River, a tributary of the Columbia River, of Mount Hood are covered with snow – the centuries and what province, each of which has its
tumbles through inhospitable desert and skiers – all year.
at the bottom of 8,000-ft (2,440-m) Oregon serves up cosmopolitan
Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in pleasures, too. Portlanders are quick it has to offer to the own chapter. Portland, Seattle,
North America. to claim their city as one of the most
Looking at such rugged landscapes, it is sophisticated and cultured anywhere.
easy to imagine the hardships hundreds But even out-of-the-way places, such visitor today. and Vancouver are dealt with
of thousands of pioneers encountered as as Ashland, of Shakespeare Festival fame,
they migrated west along the Oregon Trail. stage notable events.
Then, of course, there are the mountains – Wherever a traveler goes in Oregon, in separate chapters. Interesting
the Coast range taking shape above or whatever they do, the glimmer
coastal headlands, the Cascades, peaks of a distant mountain peak and the
soaring above the central valleys, the scent of pine in the air will add an extra sights to visit are numbered
Wallowas and Blues rising from high zest to the experience.
on a regional map.
92  p a cific nor thwest region b y region oregon  93
Exploring Oregon Getting Around
I-5, running north–south, and I-84, running
travelers in oregon will find that almost any drive inevitably east to Idaho and the Midwest, are
takes them through beautiful landscapes. from portland, day Oregon’s two major routes. Hwy 26 runs
trips can easily be made to the columbia river gorge and through lovely landscape from the coast
across Mount Hood into eastern Oregon.
Mount hood, to the north and central coasts, and to the wine Hwy 101 follows the coast; Hwy 97,
country and historic towns of the willamette Valley. from the another scenic north–south route, skirts
pacific beaches, breathtakingly scenic drives lead across the
Driving is the most convenient way to
Cowboys in the sagebrush-dotted ranching settlement of Jordan Valley Bybee-Howell House, a Sauvie Island the Cascade Mountains and Crater Lake.
coast range to bend and central oregon,
Imnaha River carving its way through Canyon, Hells Canyon Recreation Area, Oregon landmark, northwest of Portland travel in Oregon. Amtrak offers three train
and from there through pine forests and
routes: one east to Chicago, two along the
high desert country to such natural coast. Bus service is limited. Hood River, a small town on the Columbia River Gorge
wonders as crater Lake, steens
Mountain, and hells canyon. ASTORIA
Milton-
CANNON Freewater
Sights at a Glance BEACH Columbia Hermiston HELLS CANYON Regional map This shows
2 Astoria Nehalem COLUMBIA Hood River Columbia NATIONAL
C o a s t R a n ge s
3 Cannon Beach RIVER GORGE Arlington PENDLETON Grand Ronde RECREATION AREA
4 Tillamook TILLAMOOK Portland The Dalles Pilot B l u e M o u n t a i n s 2the road network and gives
5 Three Capes Scenic Route Mt Hood Rock La JOSEPH
6 Lincoln City THREE Newburg Oregon City 3424 m Heppner Grande WALLOWA LAKE
7 Newport CAPES McMINNVILLE NORTH Valley Tygh Condon Union Mountains Wallowa
8 Yachats WILLAMETTE VALLEY John Day Ukiah an illustrated overview of the
9 Cape Perpetua Scenic Area LINCOLN SILVERTON North Powder Oxbow
0 Florence Depoe Bay CITY SALEM Deschutes JOHN DAY Key
q Oregon Dunes National WARM SPRINGS FOSSIL BEDS Granite ELKHORN Baker City Highway
Recreation Area Albany Mt Jefferson NATIONAL DRIVE Snake region. Interesting places to
MONUMENT
w Bandon NEWPORT Corvallis Lebanon 3199 m MADRAS Mitchell Major road
r McMinnville John Day Huntington Minor road
t Silverton SMITH ROCK Mount Vernon Strawberry Mountain Scenic route visit are numbered, and there
y Salem YACHATS CAPE SISTERS 2755 m Brogan Main railroad
u Eugene PERPETUA Seneca Ontario Minor railroad
i Madras and Warm Springs FLORENCE EUGENE BEND Crooked State border
o Sisters CASCADE LAKES OREGON Summit are also useful tips on getting
p Smith Rock State Park OREGON C a s c a d e R a n g e HIGHWAY Malheur Harper
DUNES
a Bend Oakridge NEWBERRY Juntura
s Newberry National Lakeside NATIONAL Burns to, and around, the region by
VOLCANIC
Volcanic Monument North C o a s t R a n g e s Sutherlin Crescent MONUMENT Har ne y Crane Lake
g Oregon Caves National Bend Coos Bay Wagontire Basin Malheur Lake MALHEUR NATIONAL Owyhee
Monument
h Jacksonville BANDON Roseburg Mt Thielsen 2799 m Chemult Silver Lake Harney Lake WILDLIFE REFUGE car and public transport.
j Ashland JORDAN
VALLEY
l Jordan Valley Cape Riddle Union Creek CRATER LAKE STEENS
NATIONAL PARK
z Malheur National Blanco Port Frenchglen MOUNTAIN
Wildlife Refuge Orford Wolf Creek Paisley Burns Owyhee
x John Day Fossil Beds Chiloquin Lake Abert Alvord Junction
National Monument Rogue Mt McLoughlin Desert
c Pendleton Pistol Grants Pass 2894 m Upper Klamath Valley Falls Hart Mountain
Lake
2331 m
b Joseph River Medford Bly
n Wallowa Lake JACKSONVILLE ASHLAND Klamath Falls
Brookings Lakeview
Tours OREGON CAVES Merrill
1 Columbia River Gorge and NATIONAL MONUMENT
Mount Hood pp94–95
e Wine Country of the North
Willamette Valley pp102–3 k Steens Mountain p113
d Cascade Lakes Highway v Elkhorn Drive National Scenic
pp108–9 Byway pp116–17
f Crater Lake National Park m Hells Canyon National Recreation 0 kilometers 50
pp110–11 Area pp118–19 0 miles 40 Rocks rising from the sea near Tillamook, Oregon coast
For keys to symbols see back flap
For hotels and restaurants see pp286–8 and pp296–8 194  p a cific nor thwest region b y region w ashingt on  195
Cascades, the Winthrop area on I-82. Begin the wine tour the surrounding neighborhood,
offers a wealth of outdoor at Exit 40 (Treveri Cellars), then with its tree-shaded streets
recreation possibilities.
lined with historic homes.
continue on the Yakima Valley
Each area of the Pacific Northwest E Shafer Museum Highway. Columbia Crest and A popular destination for wine
connoisseurs, the Walla Walla
Preston Winery have some of
the best tours.
area offers more than 100
285 Castle Ave. Tel (509) 996-2712.
can be quickly identified by its Open May–Sep: 10am–5pm daily. & The outstanding weather and wineries (see pp196–7) – several
by donation. ∑ shafermuseum.com
beautiful landscape lend them-
in the heart of downtown Walla
selves to outdoor recreations.
Walla. Among the town’s other
color coding, shown on the inside Horseback riders enjoying the scenery along a Winthrop trail a Spokane View of the Spokane River, the town in The two mountain passes, claims to fame are its delicious
sweet onions and its annual Hot
White Pass and Chinook Pass,
the background
offer great hiking, mountain
Air Balloon Stampede, a rally of
Road map 1 C2. * 208,000.
front flap. o Winthrop home to the Winthrop Town k Spokane International Airport. Museum of Arts and Culture. biking, and skiing in the winter some 45 pilots, held in October.
Highlights of the stampede
Hall, is still standing, as is
months; streams encourage
Nearby Campbell House (1898)
n 808 W Main Ave, 1-888-SPOKANE.
Road map 1 B1. * 350.
is an interactive museum.
fishing; and boating is available
Waring’s pioneer log house,
include the Friday “Night Glow”
∑ visitspokane.com
n 202 Hwy 20, (509) 996-2125.
∑ winthropwashington.com which sits on the grounds of The smallest city ever to host on lakes. The area is also rich in with its illuminated balloons,
the Shafer Museum, along Washington’s largest inland city, a world’s fair (Expo ’74), Spokane’s wildlife, including bald eagles. and a kids’ day that offers
The Wild West lives on in with other relics from the past. Spokane is the commerce and fair site is now Riverfront Park, tethered balloon rides.
Winthrop. In the spring or fall, By the 1960s, Winthrop culture center for the Inland a large expanse in the heart of For a historical perspective on
more than one astonished resembled any other small, Northwest. Founded in 1873 the city that offers views of the area, visit Fort Walla Walla
traveler has witnessed a non-descript town in the by real estate developer James dramatic Spokane Falls. Other Museum, a pioneer village
consisting of 17 original and
genuine cattle drive – right
Nettle Glover, the city suffered
American West before its
attractions are an IMAX theater
Detailed information down the main street. merchants, eager to revive the a disastrous fire in 1889. It and a 1909 carousel carved by replica buildings, including
responded by rebuilding in brick
The town was founded in 1891 local economy, “renovated”
Charles Looff, of Coney Island
a schoolhouse, jail, and train
and terracotta. Many handsome
the town to give it an Old West
fame. The 37-mile (59-km)
station, as well as the Whitman
by Guy Waring, a Boston-bred
3Noteworthy towns, cities, businessman whose Winthrop ambience. A popular overnight reminders of the building boom Centennial Trail starts at Luscious grapes on the vine in the Mission National Historic Site.
Here, visitors can discover the
Riverside State Park and extends
and vacation destination for
remain. Regional history is
enterprises included the Duck
tourists exploring the North
story of pioneer missionaries
to the Washington-Idaho border.
Brand Saloon. The saloon, now
show cased at the Northwest
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman
and other places to visit are p Grand Coulee Dam VISITORS’ CHeCklIST E Northwest Museum of Arts wine-growing area of Yakima Valley and their subsequent massacre
and Culture
by the Cayuse Indians. On week-
d Walla Walla
2316 W 1st Ave. Tel (509) 456-3931.
ends, the Living History Company
Considered one of the modern engineering wonders of the world, Practical Information Open 10am–5pm Wed–Sun. Road map 1 C3. * 30,000. honors the area’s history
described individually. They Grand Coulee Dam is the world’s second-largest concrete dam, the 9265. Open daily. Jun & Jul: ∑ northwestmuseum.org n 26 E Main, (877) 998-4748. through music and dance.
Closed major hols. & 7 - =
Road map 1 C2. Tel (509) 633-
largest hydroelectric dam in North America, and the sixth-largest
∑ wallawalla.org
8:30am–11pm; Aug: 8:30am–
producer of electricity in the world. Spanning the mighty Columbia
E Fort Walla Walla Museum
Located in the southeast corner
10:30pm; Sep: 8:30am–9:30pm;
755 Myra Rd. Tel (509) 525-7703.
River – the seventh-largest river in the US – it generates more
Environs
are listed in order, following power than a million locomotives, supplying electricity Irrigation Canal Oct–May: 9am–5pm. 8 Twelve irrigation Just 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the state, Walla Walla is a Open Mar–Oct: 10am–5pm daily,
Nov–Feb 10am–4pm daily.
of Spokane, Riverside State
to 11 western states. Construction of the dam began
charming and pretty town –
Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Dec 25.
and a green oasis in the midst
in 1933 and took over nine years. The dam
Park offers plenty of fresh water
was built primarily to supply irrigation pipes at the canal shoreline. The Bowl and Pitcher, of an arid landscape. The town & 7 (call ahead). 8 by appt.
the numbering on the regional water to eastern Washington, where headworks pump with its suspension bridge and features a large number of ∑ fwwm.org
water to lakes
inadequate rainfall threatened the
National Register buildings, lovely
volcanic formations, is stunning.
P Whitman Mission National
and reservoirs.
parks, and a wealth of public art.
livelihood of the region’s farmers.
Historic Site
map. Within each sight there Inside The power plants The dam, nearly 1 mile Y Riverside State Park Whitman College, one of the Hwy 12. Tel (509) 522-6360.
nation’s top-rated liberal arts
Open 8am–6pm daily (Oct–May: to
9711 W Charles St, Nine Mile Falls.
(1.5 km) long, towers
4:30pm). Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving,
Tel (509) 465-5064. Open dawn–dusk.
colleges, is just three blocks
almost 550 ft (152 m)
Dec 25. & 7 (except Monument
above bedrock.
from downtown. The attractive
house the generators
is detailed information on the Dam and turbines. The spillway doubles s Yakima Valley campus is a delight to stroll, as is Hill). ∑ nps.gov/whmi
as a screen in summer
Road map 1 B2. n 10 N 8th St, Yakima,
for spectacular nightly
interesting buildings and Trash- racks prevent Columbia River (800) 221-0751. ∑ visityakima.com
laser shows.
Boasting rich volcanic soil,
debris
an abundance of irrigation
from Four gantry cranes water, and 300 days of sunshine
other attractions. entering to move heavy equipment. The concrete poured per year, the Yakima Valley
the generators.
are located on the dam
is the 12th-largest producer
to build the dam
amounts to almost
12 million cubic yards of fruits and vegetables in the
US, and home to more than
(9 million cubic m) –
Lake Roosevelt enough to build a 80 regional wineries.
For a taste of the valley’s
4-ft- (1-m-) wide
A third power plant features three of the sidewalk twice award-winning wines, drive
largest hydro generators in the world. around the equator. 10 minutes south of Yakima Balloons over Walla Walla during the annual Hot Air Balloon Stampede
For hotels and restaurants see pp288–90 and pp300–2
182  p a cific nor thwest region b y region w ashingt on  183
3 San Juan Islands . Deer Harbor
Sea kayakers flock VISItORS’ CHECKLISt
to Deer Harbor and
scattered between the washington mainland and the other waters Practical Information
Vancouver island, the san Juan archipelago consists of surrounding the Road map 1 A1.
n (888) 468-3701.
over 450 islands, 172 of them named. ferries sail from islands of Orcas, ∑ visitsanjuans.com A visitors’ checklist provides all
Lopez, and San Juan.
anacortes to the four largest islands: Lopez, shaw, orcas, ∑ wsdot.wa.gov/ferries
and san Juan. Lopez is affectionately called “slopez” Transport
because of its laid-back nature. gently rolling roads, g Washington State Ferries the practical information needed
numerous stopping points, and friendly drivers make it a from Anacortes or Sidney, BC,
popular destination for cycling. horseshoe-shaped orcas, Waldron to the San Juan Islands. tel (206)
the hilliest island in the chain, offers breathtaking views Sailboats in the Channel Island Eastsound 464-6400. ∑ takeaferry.com to plan your visit.
(book in advance).
from atop 2,409-ft (734-m) Mount constitution. the best Sailors love the many harbors Waldron
destination for walk-on passengers, san Juan island is home and good winds in the San
to friday harbor, the largest town in the archipelago. Juan Channel. Mount
the nationally renowned whale Museum is located here. Constitution
the island is also one of the best locations in the world J
for shoreside whale-watching and sea kayaking. primarily Rosario
residential, shaw island has limited visitor facilities.
Orcas
Island
Victoria Olga
Bellingham
Deer Harbor
Orcas
•
. Lopez
San Juan Channel
J
hills, Lopez is the flattest
Shaw Blakely Despite its gently rolling Top sights These are
Island Island of the San Juan Islands,
making it a popular
J
destination for 4given two or more pages.
San Juan Spencer Spit recreational cyclists.
Lime Kiln Point Island Friday Harbor State Park
State Park
. Roche Harbor The most interesting town
A charming seaside village, Roche Harbor features a marina,
Victorian gardens, a chapel, and the historic Hotel de Haro,
built in 1886. There is also a spa, an outdoor swimming pool,
and tennis and bocce ball courts. or city centers are shown
Lopez Island Rosario Strait
with sights picked out and
Seattle
South
Beach Richardson described; parks have
maps showing facilities,
major exhibits, and the
0 kilometers 2 Key . Friday Harbor
The largest town in the San Juans, Friday
Major road
Lime Kiln Point State Park 0 mile 1 Harbor offers a number of restaurants, inns, main roads and trails.
This state park, with its picturesque lighthouse, completed in 1919, Minor road galleries, and shops – all within easy
is the only park in the US dedicated to whale-watching. Ferry route walking distance of the ferry dock.
For hotels and restaurants see pp288–90 and pp300–2 For keys to symbols see back flap
US_PNW_006-007_How_to.indd 7 04/07/16 12:33 pm

US_PNW_008_009_IntroPNW.indd 8 04/07/2014 17:28
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Section openers template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.1)
Date 15th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm

INTRODUCING

THE PACIFIC


NORTHWEST





Discovering the
Pacific Northwest 10–15
Putting the Pacific Northwest
on the Map 16–19
A Portrait of the
Pacific Northwest 20–33
The Pacific Northwest
Through the Year 34–37

The History of the
Pacific Northwest 38–45







































US_PNW_008_009_IntroPNW.indd 9 04/07/2014 17:28

10  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST

DISCOVERING
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

These tours have been designed to take for visitors. Next are two 7-day tours
in as many of the region’s highlights as covering the southern region of British
possible, while keeping long-distance Columbia and the western regions of
travel to a minimum. Three 2-day tours Washington and Oregon. Both are filled
cover the Pacific Northwest’s most notable with activities and attractions, including
cities: Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. some of North America’s most decorated
With abundant natural beauty and thriving wine regions. These two routes can be
cultural scenes, all three consistently rank combined to make a superb 2-week tour
among North America’s most popular cities of the whole region.


1 Week in Western Washington Kamloops
and Western Oregon
Whistler
• Shop, dine, and feel the • Marvel at stunning
energy of lively Seattle. scenery on a drive Okanagan Kelowna
Lake
• Admire the magisterial along the rim of one
beauty of the imposing of the world’s deepest CANADA
Mt. Rainier National lakes at Crater Lake Vancouver BRITISH
Park and Mt. St. Helens National Park. COLUMBIA
Volcanic Monument. • Tour the Wine Gulf Islands
• Enjoy the historic Country of the North Vancouver
atmosphere of Oregon Willamette Valley Island San Juan
coast towns such as and indulge in some Cape Butchart Gardens Islands
Astoria and Newport. of the best wines in Flattery Victoria W ASHINGTON
• Dip your toes into the the US. Whidbey
surf at Cannon Beach, • In fun, funky Portland Island
then gawk at the mighty immerse yourself Bainbridge Columbia River
Island
mounds of the Oregon in current cultural Seattle
Dunes Nat ional trends in the
Recreation Area. Pearl District.
Grays Harbor
Mount Rainier
Willapa Bay National Park UNITED
STATES
Mount St. Helens
Volcanic Monument
Astoria
Cannon
Beach
Tillamook Colu mbia River
Bay
Tillamook Portland
Oregon City
Three Capes
Scenic Route Wine Country
McMinnville of the North
Lincoln City Willamette Valley
Salem
Newport
Cape OREGON
Perpetua
Oregon Dunes Eugene
National
Recreation Area
Seattle
The city skyline forms a dramatic backdrop to Pier 66,
a lively area home to a pleasure boat marina and Crater Lake Crater
various restaurants. National Park Lake
A print by Paolo Fumagalli from a painting of the George III Archipelago near Vancouver


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DISC OVERING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  11


1 Week in Southern
British Columbia
• Visit the main sights of
charming Victoria, British
Columbia’s capital: the
scenic Inner Harbour,
handsome Parliament
Buildings, and informative
Royal BC Museum.
• Explore Vancouver Island’s
Whistler natural beauty with a visit to
Famous for its reliable snow and fantastic ski runs, Whistler the Butchart Gardens or
offers a varierty of winter activities. one of the Gulf Islands, such
as Saltspring Island.
• Discover Vancouver’s
historic neighborhood of
Kamloops
Gastown and go shopping
in Yaletown.
Whistler
• Hit the slopes at Whistler,
Okanagan where you can also shop
Lake Kelowna and dine the day away in
CANADA inviting Whistler Village.
In warmer weather, enjoy
Vancouver BRITISH the scenery at Alta Lake.
COLUMBIA
• Use Kelowna as your
Gulf Islands base from which to explore
Vancouver
Island the Okanagan Valley.
San Juan
Butchart Gardens Islands Before leaving the city,
Cape be sure to visit the Father
Flattery Victoria
W ASHINGTON Pandosy Mission for a
Whidbey peek into the region’s past.
Island Lose track of time at one,
Bainbridge Stanley Park
Island Columbia River Totem poles are just one of the or two, of the region’s
Seattle many things to see at Vancouver’s acclaimed wineries.
top attraction.
Grays Harbor
Mount Rainier
Willapa Bay National Park UNITED 2 Days Each in Portland, Seattle,
STATES and Vancouver
Mount St. Helens
Volcanic Monument
Astoria Portland • Visit the Seattle Center,

Key • Explore inviting shops
Cannon home to the EMP
Beach Western Washington and cafés in the hip Museum and the
Tillamook Colu mbia River and Western Oregon Pearl District. beloved Space Needle.
Bay Southern British
Tillamook Portland Columbia • Stroll through historic Vancouver
Oregon City • Enjoy the trendy shops
Three Capes Old Town, stopping
Scenic Route Wine Country and cafés housed in
McMinnville of the North at the Lan Su Chinese
Lincoln City Willamette Valley Garden or the Oregon the restored 19th-
Salem
Maritime Center century buildings
Newport 0 kilometers 100 and Museum. of Gastown.

0 miles 100 Seattle • Lose track of time in
Cape OREGON • Indulge in a tasty treat at Stanley Park, home
Perpetua the original Starbucks® to colorful totem poles
Oregon Dunes Eugene and the famous Pike and a stunning seawall.
National Place Market.
Recreation Area • Hop on the Granville
• Take a ride on one of Island Market Ferries
the Washington State to reach Granville
Ferries to appreciate Island and its acclaimed
the city’s watery setting. Public Market.
Crater Lake Crater
National Park Lake
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12  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


2 Days in Portland the Portland Art Museum (p66).
Before darkness falls, head over
to Pioneer Courthouse Square
Rugged Portland offers a (p64) and watch the city’s worker
mix of trendy city life and bees cross paths with trendy
stunning natural beauty, youths during the after-work
and sits at the forefront of rush hour. Grab a happy hour
numerous cultural trends. drink at one of the area’s award-
winning micro breweries, then
• Arriving Portland Inter-
national Airport is located have a bite to eat at one of the
9 miles (15 km) northeast of city’s numerous nationally
downtown. The MAX light renowned eateries.
rail red line takes roughly The sign for Pike Place Market, high above
30 minutes to reach down- Day 2 the market’s rooftop.
town; taxis are quicker but Morning Start your day by
more expensive. taking the MAX red or blue 2 Days in Seattle
line to reach the sprawling
Washington Park (pp74–7),
where you can spend a full day Ringed by breathtaking
Day 1 exploring attractions such as natural beauty and scenic
Morning Start the day with the popular Oregon Zoo (p77), bodies of water, the Emerald
a coffee and pastry in one the calming Japanese Garden City itself is a blur of urban
of Pearl District’s (pp58–9) (p76), and the astounding Inter­ activity, with young
numerous coffee shops. Explore national Rose Test Garden (p76). residents packing legendary
the inviting stores that populate coffee shops, microbreweries,
the area, stopping to note the Afternoon Head back to the city and music clubs.
architectural details revealing center, stopping for a late lunch • Arriving Seattle-Tacoma
the neighborhood’s industrial or early dinner before diving into International Airport is
past. Continue on foot through the world’s largest independent located 13 miles (21 km)
the city’s original namesake bookstore, Powell’s City of Books south of the city. The public
port, known as Old Town (p59), which has more than a light rail service connects
(pp56–7). The neighborhood’s million volumes on hand. Grab the airport directly to
diverse history can be a free city events calendar at the downtown in about 35
appreciated by visiting one of store and plan the rest of your minutes. Shuttle buses and
its two most popular sights: the evening around Portland’s thriv- taxis are available as well.
breathtaking Lan Su Chinese ing performing arts community.
Garden (p58) or the informative
Oregon Maritime Center and To extend your trip…
Museum (p58). If visiting the Visit one of the city’s outer Day 1
area on a weekend, be sure neighbor hoods, such as the Morning Start your day
to check out the Portland Hawthorne District (p78), with a coffee at the original
Saturday Market (p58), one of which has many boutique Starbucks® (p139), then grab
the oldest of its kind in the US. clothes stores, and the breakfast at the city’s most
Sellwood District, which popular attraction, Pike Place
Afternoon After grabbing lunch is good for antiques (p78). Market (pp136–9). Watch chefs
in one of the hip cafés that dot Indulge in excellent food on peruse the day’s catch at the
the area, hop aboard one of the Southeast Division Street market’s famous fish vendors,
streetcars (p67) that link Old (p78), home to Portland’s and finish up your visit before
Town to Downtown (pp61–9), hottest dining scene. the lunchtime crowds arrive.
then idle the afternoon away at A short walk away is the Seattle
Aquarium (pp142–3), which
offers up-close views of the
region’s aquatic species.
Afternoon Take a Washington
State Ferry (p141) for an
inexpensive leisure cruise to
Bainbridge Island (p185), where
you can disembark to enjoy
lunch in a quaint café. Back in
the city, end the afternoon
either in the Central Library
(p133), browsing through the
The tranquility of Lan Su Chinese Garden many books and admiring
For practical information on traveling around the Pacific Northwest see pp324–7



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DISC OVERING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  13


the art collection, or the popular
Seattle Art Museum (pp132–3).
Finish your day with an evening
stroll around lively Capitol Hill
(p157), home to numerous
eclectic shops, bars, and eateries.
Day 2
Morning Give yourself an
impromptu history lesson by
strolling around Pioneer Square
(pp126–7), carefully navigating
the cobblestone streets while
stopping to peruse the square’s
numerous historic markers.
City skyline of Vancouver, with the North Shore Mountains in the background
Afternoon Grab lunch in one
of the area’s inviting restaurants, 2 Days take your pick from attractions
then hop on the Monorail in Vancouver such as the stunning seawall,
(p149) and cross the city to colorful totem poles, rose
the Seattle Center (pp146–7), Vancouver consistently gardens, and the Vancouver
home to the EMP Museum tops annual rankings of the Aquarium (p231). As darkness
(pp150–51). A must for music world’s most livable cities. It approaches, venture back
fans, the EMP is one of the is full of intriguing neighbor ­ to the city center to finish
world’s leading museums of hoods, colorful diversity, your day with an authentic
popular contemporary music. and natural beauty. dinner in the city’s historic
Nearby is the world-famous • Arriving Located 9 miles Chinatown (p208).
Space Needle (pp148–9), where, (14 km) south of Downtown,
if you time your visit correctly, Vancouver International Day 2
you’ll be rewarded with breath- Airport is linked by the Morning Hop on one of the
taking sunset views of the city, efficient SkyTrain Canada Granville Island Market Ferries
Mount Rainier (p188), and Line, which takes 25 minutes (p223) to idyllic Granville Island
beyond. Sports fans should catch to reach the city center. Taxis (pp220–23), a must for any
an evening baseball game at the are also available. foodie thanks to its acclaimed
impressive Safeco Field (p156), Public Market (p223). Enjoy
while trend-seekers can explore tastes of local produce, fresh
the funky Ballard and Fremont seafood, and artisan products,
neighborhoods (p162). Day 1 then burn off the calories by
Morning One of Vancouver’s strolling through the island’s
To extend your trip… oldest neighborhoods, historic artist studios or the acclaimed
Explore the Woodland Gastown (pp204–5) provides Emily Carr University of Art &
Park Zoo (pp160–61), enjoy an atmospheric welcome to Design (p222).
a hike along the Burke- the city. Explore the area’s
Gilman Trail, take a stroll in cobblestone streets and restored Afternoon Shopaholics
Gas Works Park, or canoe 19th-century storefronts, should make the short jaunt to
on Green Lake (all p159). stopping for a bite in a funky Yaletown (pp224–5), home to
café along the way. Continue dozens of inviting shops; nature
along the attractive harborfront lovers can head in the opposite
and take in the attractive direction to lovely Vanier
architecture of Canada Place Park (pp224–5), home of the
(p206). Next, turn away from Museum of Vancouver (p225).
the water to stroll through the No visit is complete without
city’s Downtown (pp211–17) sampling the city’s nightlife,
key attractions including Christ from street performers to live
Church Cathedral (p214). jazz to raucous dance clubs.
Afternoon After you’ve To extend your trip…
had your fill of the bustling Venture to the city’s western
cityscape, use the efficient bus coast to visit the Museum
system to travel to Vancouver’s of Anthropology (pp234–5).
most popular attraction, the Thrill-seekers should head
gorgeous Stanley Park (pp230– north to the Capilano
Seattle’s Space Needle, with rotating views 31). One could easily spend an Suspension Bridge (p228).
at 500 ft (152 m) in SkyCity restaurant entire day exploring the park, so




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14  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


1 Week in Western the Astoria Column (p96) for
Washington and scenic views of the region, then
Western Oregon head south toward Cannon
Beach (p97). Take in the natural
• Airports Arrive at Portland beauty at Ecola State Park
International Airport and (p97), and visit the beach
depart from Seattle-Tacoma around sunset for gorgeous
International Airport. photo opportunities while
• Transport Hiring a car is dipping your feet in the chilly
essential for this itinerary. Pacific waters. Enjoy dinner in
Travelers may opt to use one of the town’s inviting bistros.
bus and rail connections
for longer journeys Day 4: Cannon Beach to Aptly named Paradise Meadows in autumn
where available. Newport colors, Mount Rainier National Park
Continue your journey south,
stopping in Tillamook (p97) to Park (pp110–11). Do the 33-mile
Day 1: Seattle visit its famous Creamery (p97), (53-km) Rim Drive (p111) to
Pick a day from the Seattle where you can sample award- take in the lake in all its glory,
itinerary on pp12–13. winning cheeses and other then unwind with a well-
dairy products. Next, take a deserved quiet evening at
Day 2: Seattle to Astoria detour along the stunning the Crater Lake Lodge (p110).
Head south from Seattle, Three Capes Scenic Route
stopping to visit two of the (p97). Keep heading south until Day 6: Crater Lake to
Pacific Northwest’s most famous you reach Lincoln City (p98), McMinnville
sights. Mount Rainier National where you can visit the steep Begin your day communing
Park (pp188–9) offers several cliffs and misty rainforests of with nature, then break up the
days’ worth of attractions; Cascade Head Preserve (p98). lengthy drive to Oregon’s famous
depending on the season, you Finish your day in Newport wine region by stopping for a
can choose from the likes of (pp98–9), an atmospheric fishing meal in Eugene (p105) or the
Nisqually Glacier (p188) and town full of convivial bars and state capital, Salem (pp104–5).
Narada Falls (p188). Alternatively, seafood restaurants. If time Soon you will approach the
simply admire the majestic allows, visit either the Oregon heart of the Wine Country of
mountain from the roadside. Coast Aquarium (p99) or the North Willamette Valley
Continue on your way to Mount the Hatfield Marine Science (pp102–3), where you can tour
St. Helens National Volcanic Center (p99). the wineries and enjoy tasting
Monument (pp196–7), which some excellent wines. Finish
has been a popular attraction Day 5: Newport to your day in the charming town
since it erupted in 1980. Once Crater Lake of McMinnville (p104).
darkness approaches, make the Rise early and begin your day by
short drive to Astoria (pp96–7) driving south to the incredible Day 7: McMinnville to
for dinner and a good night’s rest. Oregon Dunes National Portland
Recreation Area (p100). Take it Visit any wineries left on your
Day 3: Astoria to Cannon all in from the scenic overlook to-do list, then make the short
Beach point or, if you have time, see drive north to Portland. On the
Astoria, the oldest American the tallest dunes by visiting the way, consider a stop in historic
settlement west of the Rocky Umpqua Scenic Dunes Trail. Oregon City (p79), where you
Mountains, offers numerous Next, drive 3 hours inland until can visit the End of the Oregon
historic attractions. Climb atop you reach Crater Lake National Trail Interpretive Center (p79)
or the Museum of the Oregon
Territory (p79). Arriving in
Portland, depending on the
time you have, pick and choose
sights and activities from the
Portland itinerary on p12.
To extend your trip…
Wine lovers can self-drive
the 14-mile (22.5-km) Walla
Walla Valley Wine Tour
(pp196–7), located in south-
eastern Washington, about
a 4-hour drive from Portland
or Seattle.
Stunning Cannon Beach, on the rugged and uncrowded Oregon coast
For practical information on traveling around the Pacific Northwest see pp324–7



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DISC OVERING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  15


1 Week in Southern
British Columbia
• Airports Arrive at Victoria
International Airport,
located north of the city,
and depart from Kelowna
International Airport.
• Transport Although hiring
a car will make for an easier
journey, various bus and
boat services connect
major British Columbia
cities and towns. Travelers
may opt to use bus and
boat connections for
longer journeys, then British Columbia’s Parliament Buildings, located in Victoria
hire rental cars within
particular destinations. for history lovers. As nightfall Day 6: Whistler to Kamloops
approaches, retreat to Victoria Make the drive to Kamloops
to enjoy a dinner of bountiful (p262), located at the
Day 1: Victoria local produce and seafood confluence of the North and
Explore British Columbia’s at one of the city’s award- South Thompson Rivers. The
capital, Victoria (p250–55). winning restaurants. attractive city holds a pair of
Begin your visit on the scenic must-sees: the Secwepemc
Inner Harbour (p250), snapping Days 3 and 4: Vancouver Museum and Heritage Park
pictures of the attractive See the Vancouver itinerary on p13. (p262), which provides a peek
waterfront, and continue to the into the region’s history, and the
imposing Parliament Buildings Day 5: Whistler British Columbia Wildlife Park
(p254). One can easily lose North of Vancouver, the year- (p262), perfect for animal lovers.
oneself in the buildings, some round resort town of Whistler
of which date back to 1897. (pp260–61) lures visitors drawn Day 7: Okanagan Valley/
Enjoy lunch or afternoon tea at to its world-class skiing and Kelowna
one of British Columbia’s most inviting summertime activities. Continue east, then south,
famous hotels, the Fairmont The neighboring Whistler and and you’ll arrive in Kelowna
Empress (see p253). Finish the Blackcomb Mountains house (p262). The city, which lies on
day with a visit to the Royal BC some of North America’s most the eastern shore of Okanagan
Museum (pp256–7), which challenging ski runs. In warmer Lake, provides an ideal base for
tells the story of the province weather, visitors can enjoy a exploring the Okanagan Valley
through its natural history, bevy of activities on Alta Lake (p263). Learn about the area’s
geology, and peoples. (p261). The shops, cafés, and history with a visit to the Father
bars of Whistler Village (p261) Pandosy Mission (p262), then
Day 2: Vancouver Island are constantly packed. Splurge end the afternoon with a visit to
Take your pick from numerous on an overnight stay (or one of the acclaimed wineries
outdoorsy activities and afternoon tea) at the Fairmont that make up Canada’s second-
destinations on Vancouver Chateau Whistler (p260). largest wine region.
Island, all of which are
accessible from Victoria. To extend your trip…
Amateur horticulturists should Further immerse yourself in
make a beeline to Butchart the Okanagan Valley by visit-
Gardens (p258). In the summer, ing two of its charming small
the gardens often host special towns. Summerland (p262)
programs such as live classical is filled with 19th-century
music and fireworks. To best buildings, and visitors can
appreciate the area’s rugged take in breath taking views
landscape and breathtaking by scaling Giant’s Head
natural beauty, spend the Mountain. Nearby, tiny
afternoon visiting one or two Penticton (p263) lures wine
of the Gulf Islands (p259). lovers with several wineries.
Depending on one’s interests, Take a stroll along the
there’s something for everyone: town’s Okanagan Beach,
Saltspring has inviting shops where the adventur ous
and cafés; Galiano is ideal Verdant vineyards in the Okanagan Valley can enjoy water sports.
for hikers, and Mayne is best wine region




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16  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST
Kelowna
BRITISH
Putting Oregon and Squamish COLUMBIA Okanagan CANAD A
Lake
Washington on the Map North Vancouver Penticton
Vancouver
Nestling in the northwest corner of the United Richmond Chilliwack
States and containing pristine expanses of forest, Abbotsford
mountains, and desert, Oregon and Washington
are two of the country’s most beautiful states. Bellingham
Oregon’s population of 3.9 million, Pend Oreille
and Washington’s of over 7 million, Anacortes Franklin D.
are concentrated in and around Victoria Mount Vernon Roosevelt Lake R iver
the major cities. The region’s Oak Harbor
economic base is as diverse as its Port See map Lake W ASHINGTON
landscape, with manufacturing, Angeles Everett above right Chelan
retail and services, tourism, Edmonds Columbia River Banks S po k a ne River
Lake
agriculture, and forestry Redmond Spokane Coeur
particularly strong industries. Bremerton Seattle d'Alene
Kent Wenatchee
Auburn Columbia
Tacoma Basin
Aberdeen Lacey Moses
Olympia Lake
Ellensburg Potholes
Reservoir
Centralia Pullman Moscow
North America Yakima Snake River Dworshak
Reservoir
GREENLAND
Sunnyside Lewiston
Richland Pasco

Kelso
USA Kennewick Walla Walla
CANADA e
See map IDAHO
below right Columbia River
g Hermiston s
Forest Vancouver e Pendleton i n Grand Ronde River
Grove
USA n g The a
P acif ic Hillsboro Portland Dalles t Snake River Salmon River
Ocean a Newberg Oregon City n John Day River n La Grande
MEXICO Woodburn u
R Keizer a o
Salem M
R

Albany e Cascade
u Reservoir
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OCEAN t Eugene e
Bend
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0 kilometers 100 OREGON
a a
0 miles 50
Burns
c
o Lake
s Malheur Owyhee
Coos Bay Harney Lake
Key C
Roseburg a Basin
Freeway
Major highway C Crater
Lake Summer
Major road Lake
Railway Lake Owyhee River
Upper Abert
State border Grants Pass Klamath
Lake
International border Medford
Altamont
Urban area Ashland Klamath Falls Goose
Lake
For keys to symbols see back flap
US_PNW_016-017_Orient_1.indd 16 04/07/16 12:38 pm

PUT TING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST ON THE M AP  17
Kelowna
BRITISH
Squamish COLUMBIA Okanagan
Lake Everett
CANAD A Greater Seattle
North Vancouver Penticton
Vancouver Edmonds
Richmond Chilliwack
Abbotsford
Bremerton Redmond
Bellingham
Seattle Bellevue
Anacortes Pend Oreille Port Orchard
Victoria Mount Vernon Franklin D.
Roosevelt Lake
R iver
Oak Harbor Kent
Port See map Lake W ASHINGTON Tacoma Auburn
Angeles Everett above right Chelan Shelton
Edmonds Columbia River Banks S po k a ne River Puyallup
Lake
Redmond Spokane Coeur Lacey 0 km 20
Bremerton d'Alene Olympia 0 miles 10
Seattle
Kent Wenatchee
Auburn Columbia
Tacoma Basin
Aberdeen Lacey Moses
Olympia Lake
Ellensburg Potholes
Reservoir
Centralia Pullman Moscow
Snake River Reservoir
Yakima Dworshak
Sunnyside Lewiston
Richland Pasco

Kelso
Kennewick
e Walla Walla
See map IDAHO
below right Columbia River
g Hermiston s
Forest Vancouver e Pendleton n Grand Ronde River
n Grove The a i
Hillsboro Portland g
Dalles t Snake River Salmon River
a Newberg Oregon City n John Day River n La Grande
u
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R

Albany e Cascade
u Reservoir
Lebanon
P ACIFIC Corvallis l B
OCEAN t Eugene e Greater Portland
Bend St. Helens
s Springfield d Malheur River Ontario WASHINGTON
a a OREGON Columbia River
Burns
c Vancouver
o Lake Forest
s Malheur Owyhee Grove
Coos Bay Harney Lake
C
Roseburg a Basin Hillsboro Portland
Beaverton
C Crater OREGON Gresham
Lake
Summer
Lake Oregon
Newberg City
Lake Owyhee River
Upper Abert
Grants Pass Klamath
Lake McMinnville 0 km 20
Medford
Altamont Woodburn 0 miles 10
Ashland
Klamath Falls Goose
Lake
US_PNW_016-017_Orient_1.indd 17 04/07/16 12:38 pm

18  INTRODUCING TH e PA C I f IC NOR THwes T

Putting British Columbia P e l l y M o u n t a i n s Fort Simpson
on the Map Nahanni Fort
Butte Providence
British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province, and Y UKON
the country’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, is
home to over 4.6 million people. Traditionally strong R NOR THWEST
industries such as forestry, mining, and fishing remain Liard TERRITORIES
vital to the province’s economy, though recent years
have seen a boom in the high-tech, film, and eco- o
tourism areas. Hydroelectricity and natural gas Bistcho
are other important resources. The beauty of Atlin c Kechika Lake
Lake
the British Columbian wilderness – from the C Liard
a Fort Nelson
rugged coastline to the commanding s Hay
mountain ranges – is preserved in the Juneau k Peace Lake Claire
province’s 830 parks and protected areas.
Fontas Athabasca
Stikine y A LBERTA

C
BRITISH
s i a r M o u n t a i n s
COLUMBIA C A N A D A
o
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OCEAN Terrace Lake n s
Prince Rupert a Stuart Fort
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0 kilometers 150 St. Albert
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0 miles 100 Ootsa Lake Prince Edmonton
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g
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(Queen l u
Greater Vancouver 0 km 15 Charlotte m n Red Deer
Islands)
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0 miles 10 Lake
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Burnaby Port Moody P l a t e a u M Airdrie
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White Vancouver n
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Abbotsford River River s Nelson
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Lynden Courtenay Penticton
Railway Vancouver
WASHINGTON Port Alberni Richmond
State border Chilliwack
See map left Abbotsford
International border
Urban area Victoria U.S.A.
Esquimalt WASHINGTON
For keys to symbols see back flap IDAHO MONTANA
US_PNW_018-019_Orient_1.indd 18 16/07/2014 17:35
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Orientations template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.3)
Date 6th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm

Put ting the P a cific nor thwest on the m a P  19


Fort Simpson North America
GREENLAND
Fort
P e l l y M o u n t a i n s
Nahanni Providence
Butte
Y UKON USA CANADA
NOR THWEST
R
TERRITORIES
Liard
USA
P acif ic
o
Ocean
MEXICO
Bistcho
Atlin Lake
Lake c Kechika
Liard
C
a Fort Nelson
s
Juneau k Hay Peace Lake Claire
Fontas Athabasca
Stikine y A LBERTA

C
BRITISH
s i a r M o u n t a i n s
COLUMBIA C A N A D A
o
a
Fort
M
St. John
ALASKA s Peace P G Utikuma
Lake
(USA) o r
t Williston l Lesser Slave
Lake Dawson e Lake
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u Prairie
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i
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OCEAN Terrace Lake n s
Prince Rupert a Stuart Fort
Skeena Lake Stuart t Saskatchewan
Kitimat n St. Albert
Ootsa Lake Edmonton
Prince a
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C i
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Vernon i
Vancouver Okanagan n
Island Campbell Powell Whistler Kelowna Lake
River River s Nelson
Squamish Cranbrook
Courtenay Penticton
Vancouver
Port Alberni Richmond
Chilliwack
See map left Abbotsford
U.S.A.
Victoria
Esquimalt WASHINGTON
IDAHO MONTANA
US_PNW_018-019_Orient_1.indd 19 16/07/2014 17:35

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INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  21

A PORTRAIT OF THE

PACIFIC NORTHWEST


Some of North America’s most rugged and spectacular terrain unfolds across
the Pacific Northwest. Settled by Europeans barely 150 years ago, the region
has cradled Native cultures for thousands. The region is now also home to three
of the continent’s most sophisticated cities – Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver –
all of them surrounded by soaring mountains, dense forests, and sparkling water.
The Pacific Northwest, comprising Oregon, coastal rainforests – remains intact to
Washington, and British Columbia, is richly offer a welcome escape from the stresses
varied – with its desert, mountain, and of the 21st century.
seashore landscapes, its mild and extreme Another characteristic of the Pacific
climates, and a cosmopolitan mix of Northwest is its infamous weather. It can
cultures and ethnicities. The region indeed rain for days on end here, but the
straddles two nations – the US and weather varies as much as the topography
Canada – and comprises 526,000 sq miles does. Whereas west of the mountains the
(1,362,240 sq km), making it larger than north Pacific Ocean currents ensure wet
France, Germany, and Italy combined. and mild winters and pleasant summers,
The one quality that characterizes all of the an entirely different climate prevails east
Pacific Northwest is its natural beauty, the of the mountains. On the eastern plateaus
result of eons of geological activity that has and steppes, temperatures dip to well
left the region with lofty mountains, deep below freezing in the winter, often
gorges, rocky shorelines, and mighty rivers. accompanied by heavy snow, and soar
in the summer. In the central mountain
Natural Wonders region, inland deserts experience harsh
The call of the wild is the draw for winters – resulting in frequent road
many travelers to the Pacific Northwest. closures – and dry hot summers.
Although highways, suburban sprawl,
large-scale ranching, logging, dams, Outdoor Activities
and other encroachments have all had a Pacific Northwesterners claim to enjoy
negative impact on this great wilderness, their cloudy skies and drizzly days. In
enough of its many natural wonders – defiance of the elements, many residents
such as 800-year-old Sitka spruce in the adopt a rugged look (hiking boots and


















Sailboats in a regatta held on the waters of Burrard Inlet, British Columbia
The gorgeous Crater Lake on a summer day, Oregon



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22  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST

incorporated striking new architecture
into a landscape dominated by
mountains and inlets.
Of course, the residents of each city
tend to claim that theirs is the most
beautiful and livable in the Pacific
Northwest, if not in all of North America.
Each has its own unique virtues. Portland
takes first place for careful urban planning,
for containing urban sprawl, and for
preserving a charming small-town
atmosphere. Seattle, with its imposing
skyline, is the largest of the three cities.
Well-known for its high-tech industries,
it also offers a vibrant music and the ater
Local hikers on a trail near Bellingham, Washington scene. Cosmopolitan Vancouver, nestled
between the Strait of Georgia and the
heavy socks, khaki shorts, and flannel shirt) Coast Mountains, arguably enjoys the
year-round and enthusiastically embrace best setting.
the outdoors. The region offers some
of the world’s best white-water rafting, Art and Culture
kayaking, hiking, skiing, fishing, scuba Long gone are the days when the Pacific
diving, windsurfing, and rock climbing. Northwest was considered a poor country
For those who prefer more placid pursuits, cousin in terms of the arts. Highly regarded
such as sitting beside a still mountain and wide-ranging collections of art now
lake or a rushing stream, or strolling hang in many museums throughout the
along a remote surf-pounded beach, the region, and excellent concert halls and
opportunities here are seemingly endless. other venues play host to world-renowned
orchestras and performing artists, and to
City Life stellar home-grown talent. Unforgettable
All this natural beauty experiences such as a
provides a backdrop for classical concert beneath
the urban sophistication a canopy of ponderosa
of the Pacific Northwest’s pines at the annual Britt
three major cities, Portland, Festivals in Jacksonville,
Seattle, and Vancouver. Oregon; an evening of
Here residents have worked jazz with a sunset back-
together to preserve the drop of Seattle’s Elliott
scenic virtues and old Bay; or a Shakespeare
quarters of their cities play at a waterfront
while accommodating park in Vancouver, bring
new growth. Portland has artistic flair to some of the
converted much of its most spectacular settings
downtown riverfront into in the world.
parkland and laid the tracks Portlanders relaxing at a local café
of an efficient rapid transit and wine bar Economy and Industry
system. Due to the efforts While the economies
of residents, Seattle has restored its of the major cities are healthy, the
historic Pike Place Market, the colorful and interior regions are suffering from high
quirky heart of the city, and Vancouver has unemployment as traditional industries




US_PNW_020-023_Intro2.indd 22 04/07/16 12:33 pm

A POR TR AIT OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  23

thrived. Increasing numbers of tourists
come to enjoy what locals have long
considered their greatest resource: the
Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty.

People and Politics
Some 15 million people call the Pacific
Northwest home. Portland, Seattle, and
Vancouver are among the fastest-growing
Tourists at the top of Seattle’s Space Needle cities in North America. After a US-wide
spike in growth in the 1990s, the Hispanic
such as mining and logging decline and population is today Oregon’s largest
the economy shifts to one based largely ethnic group, representing nearly 12
on services and technology. In coastal percent of that state’s population. And
areas, the fishing industry too has seen Hispanics now represent 11 percent of
increasingly hard times. Fruit cultivation Washington’s population. Vancouver has
remains a major Pacific Northwest swelled in size and prosperity since the
industry, its orchards yielding some 1980s with the arrival of Asian immigrants,
of the most prized fruit in the world. particularly from mainland China, Hong
The emergence of high-tech companies Kong, India, Philippines, and South Korea.
in the region (some 3,000 software and The First Nations and bands of the Pacific
e-commerce businesses are in the Seattle Northwest, many continuing to live in
area alone) began with the rise in the 1980s traditional communities, are recovering
of Microsoft, which now employs 40,000 from a decline in population that occurred
Washingtonians. In 1995, entrepreneur after European settlement.
Jeff Bezos opened the doors to the online Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver tend
shopping business, founding Amazon.com to be liberal in their politics; other areas
in his Seattle home. Aerospace giant of the region, conservative. Even so,
Boeing operates several plants in western a unique political climate emerges in
Washington. Manufacturing facilities for the Pacific Northwest. Oregonians are
computer industry giants Intel, Epson, and the first in the US to have approved
Hewlett-Packard are located in Oregon’s assisted suicide for the terminally ill;
Willamette Valley; sportswear chain Nike Washingtonians elected the US’s first
is also based in Oregon. Asian-American governor; and British
Vancouver has benefited from Columbians have bounced between
its incarnation as Hollywood North: right- and left-leaning parties, often
movie companies inject bucking the national trend.
$3 billion annually into
the local economy.
The increase in white-
collar jobs has led to an
influx of professionals into
the three cities, not only
expanding the urban areas
but also raising the standard
(and the cost) of living
within them.
Amid this economic
transformation, the tourist
industry has consistently Pioneer Courthouse houses the US Court of Appeals, Portland




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24  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


Geology of the Pacific Northwest

No small amount of geological activity has shaped the
present-day Pacific Northwest. One hundred and fifty
million years ago, much of the western part of the
region was at the bottom of the sea. Over the eons, the
North American continental landmass crept westward
and collided with the landmass moving eastward across
the Pacific Ocean, forcing the Earth’s crust upward and
creating the coastline of the Pacific Northwest as we
know it today. Meanwhile, the eruption of volcanoes
thrusted up mountain peaks, and glaciers and ice
sheets advanced and retreated, carving out deep
gorges and canyons. As recent volcanic eruptions and
earthquakes in the area attest, the Pacific Northwest is
still a geologically active region, and its topography will Washington’s Mount Rainier – the most
continue to change as a result.
active volcano of the Cascades













Fossil records are found throughout the
Pacific Northwest, with its sedimentary rock
bearing traces of plant, marine, and animal
life from as long ago as 136 million years.
The world-renowned John Day Fossil Beds
National Monument in Kimberly, Oregon,
and the fossil beds at Burgess Shale near
Field, British Columbia, are both extensive
repositories of this ancient past.


Sedimentary Rock
As the Pacific plate periodically lurched eastward,
sedimentary rock from older coastal mountains was
uplifted to form the peaks of the Rocky and Cascade
mountain ranges. Layers of the sedimentary rock,
such as sandstone and shale, that were formed
about 15 to 20 million years ago can be seen when
visiting the ranges.
Volcanoes such as Mount St. Helens are formed when a plate
descends (subducts) beneath another plate and it begins to melt.
The molten rock rises to the surface to form a volcano. In the Pacific
Northwest, volcanoes began erupting about 55 million years ago.
The Cascade Mountains in Oregon and Washington, the Blue
Mountains in Oregon, and the Olympic Mountains in Washington
are in the Ring of Fire, a zone of volcanic activity that partially
encircles the Pacific Ocean.





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A POR TR AIT OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  25


Glaciers are masses of
ice that advance and Plate Tectonics
retreat, scooping out
deep gorges and Three main forces are responsible
for the formation of mountain
sculpting jagged ranges such as the Rockies or the
mountain peaks.
Continent-sized glaciers Cascades. First, large areas of the
Earth’s crust (known as tectonic
are known as ice sheets. plates), constantly moving
About 15,000 years ago,
the Cordilleran ice sheet together and apart, created
uplift. Second, the North
covered much of American plate, subducted by
Washington and British the Pacific plate, caused a chain
Columbia; it was 4,000 ft of volcanoes to form from the
(1,219 m) thick in places. molten rock of the oceanic crust.
When it melted, Third, erosion caused by ice ages
the raised water levels deposited sedimentary rocks on
of the Pacific Ocean the North American plate, which
filled two of the deepest was then folded by more plate
gouges, creating Puget movement between 50 and
Sound and the Strait of 25 million years ago.
Juan de Fuca.
Volcanoes North America plate
Pacific plate

Some 150 million years
1ago, the Pacific plate
moved east, adding to the
molten rock from great
depths of the North
American plate. This then
rose up to form the Western
Cordillera Mountains.
Pacific Sediments
plate



The Cordilleras were eroded
2over millions of years and
during various ice ages.
This led to sediments being
deposited in the sagging,
wedge-shaped crust east
of the mountain range.
Cordillera Rockies
Mountains
Gorges were formed at
the end of the last ice age,
when massive floods were
triggered periodically by
melting glaciers. These
floods etched out deep Around 50 million years ago,
narrow chasms such as 3the Pacific plate continued
the one shown here, or to push east, forcing the
much wider ones such Cordillera range eastward,
as the Columbia River compressing sedimentary
Gorge, which forms rocks, folding and uplifting
the boundary between them to form the Rockies.
Washington and Oregon.





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26  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest

The landscapes of the Pacific Northwest are
the most varied in North America. The cold
waters of the Pacific Ocean fill sheltered bays
and wash onto great lengths of sandy beach,
dense old-growth forests carpet the Coast
and Cascade Mountains, and arid plateaus and
high deserts spread across the eastern parts
of the region. Over the past 150 years, settlers Sea lions make their homes on rocky
have created new landscapes, including the outcroppings along the Pacific shore.
fertile farmland of Oregon’s Willamette
Valley and the expanses of orchards and
wheatfields in eastern Washington and
British Columbia. These landscapes – lush
river valleys and harsh deserts alike – provide
rich habitats for a great diversity of wildlife,
and viewing these animals is a rewarding
part of a visit to the Pacific Northwest.












Pacific salmon migrate from cold ocean
waters, where they feed until maturity, into
the inland streams, rivers, and lakes of their
birth where they spawn, then die. Once they
have reached fresh water, they stop feeding
and live on their stored body fats. The fish
often make journeys of more than 1,000 miles
(1,600 km), swimming up rapids and Elk
bypassing dams. Each of the five species of
Pacific salmon – sockeye, pink, chum, coho, Elk reside in the subalpine forests of the Rockies and
and chinook – has a distinct appearance and eastern Oregon mountains. During the mating
life cycle. The pinks, for example, live up to season in the fall, males become aggressive and
two years and weigh little more than 5 lb fight for herd domination. The nasal, whining
(2.3 kg), while the chinook can reach 120 lb sound they emit, known as “bugling,” should be
(54 kg) in weight and live up to seven years. taken by humans as a warning. Approaching a
mother elk and her calf is dangerous.



Sea otters were rendered almost extinct in the 19th
century by trappers who obtained enormous prices for
their pelts, but they are now making a comeback along the
Pacific Northwest coast. These creatures eat the equivalent
of a third of their weight a day, providing quite a show as
they feed. A sea otter lies on its back and, using its paws,
smashes crabs, mussels, and other shellfish against a rock it
has placed on its chest. Otters can be easily spotted, lolling
on rocks or floating asleep on the water, their bodies
entwined in kelp to keep them from drifting.





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A POR TR AIT OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  27


Whales belonging to over
20 species pass Vancouver Island,
the Olympic Peninsula, and
the Oregon coast as they travel
between the Arctic and their
breeding grounds off southern
California and Mexico. It is estimated
that 20,000 gray whales and 2,000
orcas make the 5,500-mile (8,850-km)
trip each year. The whales migrate
south from December to early
February and return north from
March through May.

Bald eagles, once common
thoughout North America, are
now mainly found in the Pacific
Northwest, in coastal areas or
near large inland lakes. The bald
eagle is regarded as a symbol of
strength and independence, and
was designated as the national
bird of the US in 1782. Contrary
to what its name implies, this
eagle is not actually bald; the
term comes from the Old English
word balde, meaning “white.”










Beavers are very industrious, using their sharp
upper teeth to fell small trees, which they then float
to a chosen dam site. The lodges they build within
the dam can be as wide as 16 ft (5 m).

Moose, distinguishable by
their magnificient spreading
antlers, are often spotted
grazing by streams, ponds,
and other marshy areas.





Grizzly bears, weighing up
to 800 lb (350 kg) and
standing as tall as 8.8 ft
(2.68 m), roam remote parts
of the northern Cascades
and the Rockies. Far more
common is the black bear,
smaller than the grizzly but
imposing nonetheless.





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28  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


Flora of the Pacific Northwest

Deep forests, wildflower-filled alpine meadows, and grass-
covered steppes are all typical of the Pacific Northwest.
Although vastly different, these landscapes are often found
in close proximity to one another. The moist, temperate
climate of the region’s coastal areas fosters an abundance of
plant life, including the towering trees, mosses, and shrubs
that thrive in centuries-old forests, such as the rainforest
in British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
In Washington’s Skagit Valley, tulips covering thousands
of acres bloom each spring. In the Cascade and Rocky
Mountains, and in the deserts and steppes east of the
mountains, the terrain is less hospitable and only the
hardiest plants survive. But even here, alpine meadows and
stands of juniper that scent the high desert attest to the rich
diversity of the region’s flora.

Wildflowers
The moist climate of
the coastal forests and
high-country meadows
provide perfect grow ing
conditions for colorful
wildflowers, such as
wood lilies, asters, Jacob’s
ladder, and purple
mountain saxifrage.

Lichens
Hardy lichens –
along with mosses,
liverworts, ferns,
skunk cabbage, and
orchids – flourish in
the dampness of
rainforests that
grow along the
coast of the
Pacific Ocean.





Mountain Forests
Many of the trees in the
rugged mountain forests are
several centuries old. Douglas
firs can live as long as 1,200
years and grow to be 260 ft
(79 m) tall. Fallen logs that
Sagebrush foster young trees are known
The arid environment of the Columbia River basin and the high as “nurse logs,” which, if they
plateaus of Oregon and Washington support only vegetation that survive 200 years, will earn
can survive with little moisture, such as sagebrush. “old-growth” status.





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A POR TR AIT OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  29


Deciduous Forests
Deciduous trees grow in
river valleys in the Pacific
Northwest. In the fall,
these trees provide a
brilliant show of color, all
the more dramatic
because the multihued
leaves are usually set
against a backdrop of
evergreen trees.










Ferns
Lady’s fern, maidenhair fern, and deer fern are among
the many species that grow in the region. In the Hoh
Rainforest, ferns grow taller than the hikers.


Pines and
Junipers
Ponderosa pines,
lodgepole pines,
and junipers have
long roots that
tap subterranean
water tables. With
flat needles that
retain moisture,
junipers can
survive on just
8 inches (20.5 cm)
of precipitation
a year.










Rainforests
Rainforests carpet much of the Pacific
Northwest, on British Columbia’s
Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii
archipelago, and along the Pacific
coast. These lush green forests of Sitka
spruce, Douglas fir, red cedar, Pacific
silver fir, western hemlock, and yew
can receive more than 150 inches
(381 cm) of rain per year.





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30  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


First Nations Peoples of
the Pacific Northwest

For the First Nations peoples of the Pacific Northwest,
15,000 years of a bountiful life and rich cultural tradition were
abruptly upset when European traders and settlers began
arriving in the late 18th century. Diseases introduced by these
newcomers all but obliterated many First Nations. Those who
survived were forced to surrender their lands and ways of life,
and move to government-designated reservations. Today,
although indigenous people continue to fight against
racism and for their self-determination, Native A stone inukshuk, sign of friendship
traditions are increasingly recognized as
a vital part of the region’s rich heritage.
Native cultures and history can be
explored in such places as the Royal
BC Museum, in Victoria (see pp256–7);
Whatcom Museum, in Bellingham,
Washington (see p184); and Oregon’s
Museum at Warm Springs (see p106).













Artisans and Builders
The trunks of cedar trees were used by Pacific
Totem poles are among the best-known
artifacts created by the First Nations peoples Northwest First Nations peoples to make masks,
of the Pacific Northwest. Each pole depicts cooking utensils, wooden chests, elaborate
a legend; magical birds and beasts mix with dwellings up to 500 ft (150 m) long and aptly
semi-human figures to tell a story in carved called longhouses, and magnificent dugout
panels arranged in sequence up the pole. canoes, used for transportation, hunting,
Other elaborate carvings, such as those on and fishing.
masks, ornaments, and utensils, often also
represent real and supernatural beings.
Respect for the land underpins
the spirituality and way of life
of First Nations peoples of the
Pacific Northwest. Nature provides
all, so long as nature’s balance is
not disturbed. Chief Seattle once
said: “We are part of the Earth and
it is part of us. The perfumed
flowers are our sisters; the deer,
the horse, the great eagle, these
are our brothers. The rocky crests,
the juices in the meadows, the
body heat of the pony, and man –
all belong to the same family.”





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A POR TR AIT OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  31


Canoes made of birch bark or
dug out of massive cedar logs
provided an essential mode of
transportation on the many rivers
that formed a network of trade
routes throughout the Pacific
Northwest. Canoes ranged in size
from small vessels for personal
use to large and elaborately
decorated ceremonial canoes.




















Wigwams were built as dwellings by tribes living in
the interior, such as the Nez Perce, Yakama, Cayuse,
Shoshone, and Modoc. More permanent longhouses
were preferred by many of the tribes that settled
along the Pacific Northwest coast from southern
Alaska down to Oregon. They include the Tlingit,
the Tsimshian, the Haida, the Kwagiutl, the Makah,
and the Coast Salish.


Noteworthy Chiefs










Chief Seattle (1786–1866), Chief Joseph (1840–1904) Chief Joe Capilano (1850–
leader of the Duwamish and was the renowned leader of 1910) was born on what
Squamish tribes, was just six the Nez Perce tribe. In 1877, is now Vancouver’s North
years old when he witnessed his tribe was forced out of Shore. An esteemed Squamish
the arrival of Captain Vancouver its beloved Wallowa Valley in chief, he and his wife Mary,
in Puget Sound. He frequently Oregon. The tribe fled, fighting, known as the “Indian Princess
petitioned American and British and Chief Joseph showed great of Peace,” visited King Edward
authorities for Indian rights and skill leading his warriors in bat- VII in Great Britain in 1906
urged peaceful coexistence tle against the American troops to present a petition for
with settlers. until his defeat the same year. Indian rights.







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32  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


Landscapes of the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is blessed with
an abundance of dramatically different
landscapes. Seashores give way to
coastal mountains, which drop into
the Fraser Plateau in British Columbia,
into Puget Sound in Washington, and
into the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
The peaks of the Cascade Mountains
bisect both Oregon and Washington,
and the majestic Rockies rise in
eastern British Columbia. Other
distinct landscapes are the Columbia Sea Stacks
Plateau’s layers of ancient lava that Portions of wave-eroded headlands that remain as
spread across eastern Oregon and offshore mounds rise majestically from the surf of the
Pacific Ocean. The stacks are most numerous along
Washington, and the high deserts the southern Oregon coast near Cape Blanco and
of central and southern Oregon. off Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
















Coasts
In Oregon and southern Washington, sandy
beaches and rocky headlands extend for
more than 450 miles (725 km) along the coast.
The Strait of Juan de Fuca etches Washington’s
northern coastline with a succession of
bays and inlets, while in British Columbia,
10,340 miles (16,640 km) of shoreline wrap
around inlets, fjords, and islands. Mountain Ranges
The Coast and Cascade ranges form
a spine of mountains that rises almost
continuously from southern Oregon to
northern British Columbia. Much of the
lower slopes of the mountains are
carpeted with forests that give way
to alpine meadows, then to glaciers.




The Canadian Rockies
With their dominating peaks and vast ice fields,
the Rocky Mountains cover a large part of British
Columbia. Thirty mountains of this immense
range are more than 10,000 ft (3,048 m) high.





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A POR TR AIT OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  33


















Gorges
Mountain Areas Gorges reveal the dramatic geological history of
The mountains in the Pacific Northwest the region. Over the course of thousands of years,
form a barrier that traps great amounts of rushing rivers have carved away rock and earth,
moisture, which in winter can cause heavy leaving behind huge gorges as well as long and
snowfall on peaks such as Oregon’s narrow chasms, such as Oregon’s Oneonta Gorge
Diamond Peak. in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.



















Waterfalls
The spectacular Lower Kentucky Falls in
Oregon’s Siuslaw National Forest is one
of thousands of waterfalls in the Pacific
Northwest. The Kentucky Creek runs
through old-growth forest before spilling
over a cliff, plummeting 75 ft (23 m), then
an additional 25 ft (8 m), to the rocky
slopes below.

Dry Lands and Desert Country
East of the mountains, the terrain tends
to be flat, and precipitation can average
as little as 12 inches (30.5 cm) a year.
As a result, the landscape here is vastly
different from that found in the mountain
and coastal regions. In eastern Oregon,
steppes and deserts are covered
with juniper and sagebrush. Rocky
outcroppings, usually composed
of volcanic basalt, are also common
here, and vegetation is often sparse.





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34  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
THROUGH THE YEAR


The image of the Pacific Northwest’s weather where cold and heat reach extreme levels,
as consistently wet is rooted as much in myth winter snowfall can be heavy but summers can
as in fact. Rain is a distinctive presence in only be bone dry. In spite of the variable weather
half of the Pacific Northwest – the part west throughout the Pacific Northwest, the unique
of the mountains that divide the region. rewards of living and traveling in the region
The weather in this western, coastal section are many. Even in the damp and most heavily
remains mild throughout the year, and snow populated western sections, rain doesn’t
is rare in all but the higher elevations. In the prevent residents and visitors alike from
mountains, winter snowfall is heavy, much heading outdoors to enjoy a large variety
to the delight of skiers. East of the mountains, of entertaining festivals and events.


Victorian Heritage Festival
Spring (late Mar), Port Townsend, WA
March and April bring the (pp180–81). All things Victorian
signs of spring to the lower are cele brated in this fine
elevations of the Pacific historic seaport.
Northwest. A number of
festivities celebrate the region’s April
lush gardens as they come Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
into bloom in an array of (Apr), Skagit Valley, WA. A A perfect rose on show at the Portland
glorious colors. month-long festival of arts and Rose Festival in June
crafts fairs, barbecues, and
March walking tours amid thousands Brookings-Harbor Azalea
Vancouver International Wine of tulips. Festival (Memorial Day week-
Festival (Feb or Mar), Vancouver, Hood River Valley Blossom end), Brookings, OR. Blossoms
BC. A week of wine tastings held Festival (third weekend), Hood and food in a coastal town
at the Vancouver Convention River Valley, OR. Arts and crafts famous for its azaleas.
Centre (p206) and other locales. fairs and tours of orchards and Seagull Calling Festival (late
Oregon Cheese Festival (mid- wineries in towns along the May), Port Orchard, WA. This
Mar), Central Point, OR. Artisan Hood River. waterfront festival is centered
cheesemakers from Oregon Washington State Apple on a seagull-calling contest.
and Northern California dairies Blossom Festival (late Apr– Blessing of the Fleet (late May),
show their wares, along with early May), Wenatchee, WA. Westport, WA. A parade and a
local wines. Parades, a carnival, and blessing of the town’s famous
Othello Sandhill Crane Festival concerts to usher in spring. fishing fleet.
(late Mar), Othello, WA. Witness Vancouver International
the sounds and rituals of 25,000 May Children’s Festival (late May),
migrating cranes. Bloomsday Run (first Sun), Granville Island, Vancouver, BC.
Spokane, WA. Every year, this Local, national, and international
7.5-mile (12-km) race through performing artists present
downtown attracts more than theater and music for children.
50,000 runners.
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta (early May),
Portland, OR. Three days of Summer
Mexican food, art, music, and Summer in much of the Pacific
dance on the Portland waterfront. Northwest is not assuredly
Annual Rhododendron sunny. But locals do not hesitate
Festival (third weekend), to venture outdoors for a variety
Florence, OR. A parade and of activities and events, including
carnival to celebrate the wine festivals, rodeos and plays.
rhododendron blossoms.
Northwest Folklife Festival June
(Memorial Day weekend), Seattle, Portland Rose Festival (Jun),
WA. Enjoy dance, exhibits, and Portland, OR. Parades, concerts,
Blossoming fruit trees in April, the Hood workshops at one of the largest races, and a carnival in honor
River Valley, Oregon free events in the US. of the rose.




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THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST THROUGH THE Y EAR  35


Bard on the Beach
Shakespeare Festival (Jun–Sep),
Vancouver, BC. Lively plays at
Vanier Park (pp224–5).
Sisters Rodeo (mid-Jun), Sisters,
OR (p106). Rodeo held every
year since 1940.
Britt Festivals (mid-Jun–early
Sep), Jacksonville, OR (p112).
Music concerts from classical
to pop under the ponderosa
pines and stars.
First Peoples Festival (late Jun),
Victoria, BC. Three days of art,
food, and performances by
First Nations peoples.
TD Victoria International Costumed dancer, Caribbean Days Festival, North Vancouver, July
JazzFest (late Jun), Victoria, BC.
Jazz and blues concerts at Canada Day (Jul 1), across Caribbean Days Festival
venues all over town. British Columbia. Parades, live (late Jul), North Vancouver, BC.
Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days (late music, and evening fireworks A cele bration of all things
Jun), Warm Springs, OR (p106). are held. Caribbean.
A powwow, parade, and rodeo Williams Lake Stampede (Jul 1 International Pinot Noir
mark the treaty that formed weekend), Williams Lake, BC. Celebration (late Jul),
the Confederated Tribes of Rodeo fun at one of North McMinn ville, OR (p104). Pinot
Warm Springs. America’s largest stampedes. noirs paired with food from
Oregon Bach Festival (late Jun– Waterfront Blues noted local chefs.
mid-Jul), Eugene, OR (p105). Festival (early Jul), Celebration of Light
A series of concerts honoring Portland, OR. (late Jul–early Aug),
J. S. Bach. Four days of Vancouver, BC. Fire-
Summer Nights at South Lake blues from local works compet ition
Union (late Jun–Aug), Seattle, and nationally at English Bay.
WA. Concert series at South Lake acclaimed artists.
Union Park with beautiful views. Independence Day August
Hoopfest (last weekend), (Jul 4), Seattle, WA. Penticton Peach
Spokane, WA. The largest three- A spectacular fireworks Festival (early Aug),
on-three basketball tournament display takes place over Ripe peaches in the Penticton, BC.
in the US. Gas Works Park (p159). Okanagan Valley, BC A charming festival
Seafair (Jun–Jul), Seattle, WA. Bite of Seattle celebrating the local
This month-long festival, with (mid-Jul), Seattle, WA. peach harvest.
a torchlight parade, hydroplane A popular two-day food Mt. Hood Jazz Festival (early
races, and an air show, takes festival, with edibles and Aug), Gresham, OR. Two days
place in several spectacular delectables from more than of jazz, food, and local wines.
venues around the city. 60 participating restaurants. ExtravaGAYza! Parade and
Oregon Coast Music Festival Festival (early Aug), Vancouver,
July (mid–late Jul), Charleston, Coos BC. Fun and fanciful events for
Vancouver Folk Music Festival Bay, and North Bend, OR. Gay Pride Week.
(Jul), Vancouver, BC. Annual folk Classical music and jazz Omak Stampede and World
festival, in Jericho Beach Park. performed next to the ocean. Famous Suicide Race (mid-Aug),
Omak, WA. A rodeo, stampede,
and daredevil horse race.
Pacific National Exhibition
(mid-Aug–early Sep), Vancouver,
BC. Entertainment, rides, pavil-
ions, and agricultural exhibits.
Oregon State Fair (late Aug–
early Sep), Salem, OR (p104).
Twelve days of Oregon produce
and livestock, rides, concerts,
and food.
Evergreen State Fair (late
Aug–early Sep), Monroe, WA.
Arts and crafts, rides, races,
Steer roping at the Sisters Rodeo, held mid-June in Sisters, Oregon and rodeo events.




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36  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


Victoria Classic Boat Festival
(late Aug–early Sep), Victoria, BC.
Racing of classic sailboats,
steam boats, and powerboats
in the Inner Harbour.
Washington State Fair (early
Sep), Puyallup, WA. A 17­day
state fair with rides, exhibits,
a rodeo, and live music.
Oktoberfest (mid-Sep), Mount
Angel, OR. Bavarian food and
plenty of beer.
Pendleton Round-Up
(mid-Sep), Pendleton, OR (p115).
A rodeo featuring calf­roping,
bull­riding, and a town full
of real cowboys.
Autumn Leaf Festival (last
weekend), Leavenworth, WA.
People admiring the boats at the Victoria Classic Boat Festival, Victoria, BC One of the state’s oldest festivals,
which celebrates the arrival of
September autumn with a Grand Parade,
Fall Great Canadian Beer Festival contests, and live music.
Fall foliage can be quite spec­ (Sep), Victoria, BC. Forty craft
tacular in the Pacific Northwest, breweries from Canada and the October
as brilliant reds and yellows stand Pacific Northwest take part and Okanagan Wine Festival
out against evergreens. Colorful offer beer samples. (early Oct), Okanagan Valley, BC.
landscapes are the backdrop for Bumbershoot (Labor Day Vineyard tours and wine
events celebrating the harvest weekend), Seattle, WA. A mix tastings, as well as gourmet
of cranberries, oysters, and other of music and film at the Seattle food, at grape harvest time.
regional specialties. Center (pp146–7). OysterFest (early Oct), Shelton,
WA. A weekend of oyster
shucking, wine tastings,
Average daily Climate
COASTAL maximum Climate varies widely and cooking contests.
temperature across the Pacific Annual Cranberrian Fair
24/75 Northwest. Coastal areas, (mid-Oct), Ilwaco, WA.
15/59 Cranberry tastings, music,
°C/°F 14/57 such as Portland, Seattle,
12/54 Average daily and Vancouver, are mild and dancing to celebrate
5/41 7/45 7/45 minimum and wet, while inland the local harvest.
1/34 temperature Vancouver Writers Fest
0 deserts, such as the areas
Average daily around Spokane and (third week), Granville Island,
10 hours Kamloops, have seasonal Vancouver, BC. Readings
7 hrs 5 hrs 2 hrs extremes. Climates of by Canadian and
hrs of sunshine
mountain ranges in the international writers.
59 19 82 137
mm mm mm mm Average Pacific Northwest, Earshot Jazz Festival (mid-Oct–
monthly represented here by the
month Apr Jul Oct Jan early Nov), Seattle, WA. This
rainfall Cascade Mountains, have celebrated jazz festival draws
divergent microclimates. big names at various venues
around the city.
CASCADE
MOUNTAINS INLAND DESERT November
25/77 30/86 Cornucopia (mid-Nov),
Whistler, BC (pp260–61).
°C/°F 17/63 16/61
14/57 °C/°F A festival featuring fine dining,
12/54 13/55 14/57 wine tastings, and seminars.
4/39 Christkindlmarkt (Thanksgiving
1/34 0/32 3/37 3/37
0 0/32 weekend), Leaven worth, WA
-5/23 0 -7/19 (p190). An open­air market
selling German treats, such
10 10
7 hrs 5 hrs 3 hrs 7 hrs 5 hrs 3 hrs
hrs hrs as bratwurst.
Seattle Marathon (Sun after
20 15 15 45 15 28 14 26
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm Thanksgiving), Seattle, WA.
month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan More than 10,000 participants
run off Thanksgiving excesses.
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THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST THROUGH THE Y EAR  37





















In December, a cheering Christmas Lighting Festival in Bavarian-themed Leavenworth
the lush plantings in this Various events celebrate the
Winter
botanical garden. commercial fishing industry
When snow covers the region’s Christmas Lighting Festival and its people through stories,
mountains, many Pacific (first three weekends), Leaven- poetry, and song.
Northwesterners take to downhill worth, WA. Visitors enjoy roasted
ski slopes or cross-country trails. chestnuts, bratwurst, strolling Public Holidays
In mild coastal areas, where carolers, and twinkling lights
winter days are short and rainy, against the snowcapped United States
unique Christmas celebrations Cascade Mountains in a
provide a cheerful glow. Bavarian-style town. New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
Carol Ships Parade of Lights Martin Luther King Day
December (first three weekends), Vancouver, (3rd Mon in Jan)
Portland’s Christmas Ships BC. Beautifully decorated vessels Presidents’ Day (3rd Mon
Parade (Dec), Portland, OR. Gaily light up local waters. in Feb)
decorated boats sail down the Memorial Day (last Mon
Willamette River. January in May)
VanDusen Botanical Gar dens’ Eagle Festival and Count
Festival of Lights (Dec), (early Jan), Brackendale, BC. Independence Day (Jul 4)
Vancouver, BC. Thousands Festival centered on a competi- Labor Day (1st Mon in Sep)
of lights glitter throughout tion to count the number of Columbus Day (2nd Mon in
bald eagles settling for the Oct)
winter on the Squamish River. Veterans’ Day (Nov 11)
Chinese New Year (late Jan Thanksgiving Day (4th Thu
or early Feb), Vancouver, BC. in Nov)
Almost two weeks of colorful
festivities, including dance, Christmas Day (Dec 25)
music, and a parade, celebrate Canada
the new lunar year.
New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
February Family Day (BC only;
Northwest Flower and Garden 2nd Mon in Feb)
Show (third week of Feb), Seattle, Good Friday (Mar/Apr)
WA. Full-scale land scaped Victoria Day (Mon before
garden displays and a flower May 25)
show featuring creative designs Canada Day (Jul 1)
attract flower lovers to this event. Civic holiday (BC Day)
Oregon Shakespeare Festival (1st Mon in Aug)
(mid-Feb–Oct), Ashland, OR
(p112). Classic and contemporary Labor Day (1st Mon in Sep)
plays draw actors and spectators Thanksgiving Day (2nd Mon
from around the world to this in Oct)
highly acclaimed drama festival. Remembrance Day (Nov 11)
One of many ski competitions held in the The FisherPoet’s Gathering Christmas Day (Dec 25)
region during winter (last weekend), Astoria, OR.




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INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  39

THE HISTORY OF THE

PACIFIC NORTHWEST


The vast landscapes of the Pacific Northwest bear the imprint of the geological
forces that carved deep gorges and thrust up soaring mountain peaks. The imprint
left by First Nations peoples who lived in harmony with the land for thousands of
years is less visible. In the early 19th century, after explorers had opened up the
territory, settlers began to arrive and the modern Pacific Northwest was born.

Enough is known about the early Early Life
inhabitants of the region to suggest that Food and other resources were
many enjoyed a good life among the abundant for tribes living in the forests
natural riches. The earliest inhabitants were west of the Cascade Mountains and
likely nomadic hunters who, 15,000 to along the Pacific coast. Many tribes lived
25,000 years ago, crossed a land bridge in well-established settlements, fished
across the then-dry Bering Strait from the rivers for salmon, and, in long
Russia to North America. dugouts, set out to sea in search
These early societies left various traces of of whales. They also cut timber for
their presence. Among intriguing finds is a longhouses – massive dwellings that
14,000-year-old spear point left embedded could house as many as 50 to 60 people.
in fossilized mastodon bones. Sagebrush Tribes living in the harsher landscapes
sandals, on display at the University of east of the mountains had fewer
Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural resources at hand and migrated across
History, are possibly the world’s oldest high-desert hunting grounds in search
shoes, revealing that 10,000 years ago the of bison, deer, and other game. In spring
art of shoemaking was practiced. Other and summer, they moved up mountain
signs that the region was long settled can slopes to pick berries and dig roots.
be found in oral traditions, rife with tales of By the 19th century, tribes living in the
the eruption of Mount Mazama, some 8,000 high deserts had acquired horses and
years ago. Rock carvings and paintings in rode them east to the Great Plains to
Petroglyph Provin cial Park, near Nanaimo, hunt bison, which had become extinct
BC, are thought to be at least 1,000 years old. farther west.




















Illustration of First Nations people of the Pacific Northwest
A 1946 illustration of Captain George Vancouver’s ship, HMS Discovery



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40  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


Elizabeth I, was to sail up the west coast
of North America, plundering gold from
Spanish galleons. After claiming the land
around San Francisco Bay for Britain, Drake
sailed up the Oregon coast, as far north as
the Strait of Juan de Fuca, first navigated by
Juan de Fuca in 1592. Drake then traveled
A Shoshone hunting elk with bow and arrow across the Pacific Ocean back to England.
In the 1770s, Captains George Vancouver
For many tribes, life was so bountiful that (1758–98) and Peter Puget (1765–1822)
a tradition of potlatch evolved. At these accompanied Captain James Cook
elaborate ceremonies, which marked (1728–79) on a voyage along the Pacific
important occasions and which were Northwest coast in search of the fabled
centered around a feast, the host chief Northwest Passage. The explorers sailed
would offer gifts with the expectation that up the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and
the recipients would eventually repay the British Columbia. In 1791, Vancouver and
gesture with loyalty and gifts at a Puget also charted what are now Puget
subsequent potlatch. Sound (Washington) and Vancouver
(British Columbia). However, they did not
Arrival of Explorers notice the Columbia River, discovered the
First Nations peoples thrived in the Pacific following year by Captain Robert Gray, an
Northwest until the 18th century, disturbed American fur trader from the East Coast,
only by occasional incursions by
explorers and traders. In the 16th
century, the first Europeans began
exploring the coastline in search of
the Northwest Passage, a sea route
that would provide a passage
between Europe and the Far East.
The first European to sight the
Pacific Northwest was Spanish
explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo,
who sailed with his crew from
Mexico to southern Oregon in 1543.
Once the Spanish had gained a
stronghold in the New World, the
British, too, wanted a share of the
riches. The mission of Sir Francis
Drake (1540–96), financed by Queen Ship caught in the ice along the northern Pacific coast

25,000–15,000 BC 1492 Christopher 1534–5 Cartier explores
Nomadic hunters arrive Columbus arrives the Canadian east 1579 Sir Francis Drake sails up
in North America across in America coast, sailing up the the west coast of North America
a land bridge from Asia St. Lawrence River as far during his second journey
as Hochelaga (Montreal) around the world (1577–80)
25,000 BC 1500 1550 1600
13,000 BC Massive 1592 Juan de Fuca
floods carve the 1543 Juan Rodriguez sails from Mexico to
Columbia River Gorge Cabrillo, a Spaniard, sails Vancouver Island
from Mexico to the coast and is the first to
Totem pole of southern Oregon navigate the strait
later named for him




US_PNW_038-045_History.indd 40 04/07/16 12:33 pm

THE HIST OR Y OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  41

Lewis and Clark
US president Thomas Jefferson called on
his former secretary, Meriwether Lewis,
and Lewis’s friend, William Clark, to find
an overland route to the Pacific Ocean. The
pair and an entourage of 33 set out from
St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1804 and walked,
Simon Fraser and companions on the Fraser River rode horseback, and canoed to the Oregon
coast, which they reached a year and a half
who named the river after his ship, the later, in November 1805. The only female
Columbia Rediviva. Other American vessels member of the expedition was Sacagawea,
soon arrived in search of animal pelts and a young Shoshone woman who proved
other bounty. The Spanish, who had been to be an invaluable guide and translator.
attempting to establish strongholds along The famed expedition set the stage for the
the Pacific coast for centuries, retreated rapid settlement of the Pacific Northwest.
to their claims in California. The expedition members not only plotted
In 1793, Scotsman and Montreal fur trader the first overland route across the US,
Alexan der Mackenzie crossed Canada to mapping unexplored territory and collecting
British Columbia, proving that an overland data on First Nations peoples and wildlife,
trade route was feasible. Mackenzie was but they also published journals that
also the first European to navigate the sparked a wave of migration from the east.
Peace River, the only river in British
Columbia that drains into the Arctic Ocean. A Battle for the Spoils
From 1805 to 1808, Simon Fraser The battle to control the Pacific Northwest
(1776–1862), a partner in the fur-trading was waged by the British and the
North West Company, was charged with Americans not with gunfire but through
extending the company’s trading activities trade. The expedition of Lewis and Clark
west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific opened up the region to US fur traders.
Ocean, and exploring a river thought to They could now compete with the British,
be the Columbia. In this capacity, Fraser who dominated the lucrative pelt trade.
established Fort McCleod, Fort St.
James, Fort Fraser, and Fort George,
all in British Columbia. Fraser’s major
accomplishment, though, was to be
the first to navigate the longest river
in British Columbia, now known
as the Fraser River, which courses
through the rugged BC interior
to the Pacific Ocean. Pioneer log cabin, Champoeg State Heritage Area, Oregon

1765 Robert Rogers maps the vast 1778 Captain 1804–1806
1663 France territory he refers to as “Ouragon” James Cook Expedition of
proclaims Canada explores the Meriwether Lewis
a French colony 1763 Canada becomes a Pacific coast and William Clark
British Crown colony
1600 1650 1700 1750 1800
1793 Alexander Mackenzie
1791 Captain George
1670 Hudson’s Bay Vancouver and Peter forges an overland route
Company founded Puget circumnavigate across Canada
Vancouver Island 1792 Captain Robert Gray
The Willamette Valley is the first non-Native to
before the arrival of settlers navigate the Columbia River



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42  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


In 1811, the American John Jacob Astor Oregon gained statehood in 1859,
established a fur-trading post, Astoria, at Washington in 1889. British Columbia
the mouth of the Columbia River. Although and Vancouver Island joined to become
US president Jefferson had hoped that one colony in 1866, and joined the
Lewis and Clark’s expedition would displace Dominion of Canada in 1871.
the British, the British-owned Hudson’s Those who profited least from the
Bay Company effectively continued to division of spoils were the First Nations
rule the Pacific Northwest until the peoples. Already decimated by diseases
middle of the 19th century. The company introduced by settlers, such as smallpox,
controlled both the growing population measles, and influenza, they were forcibly
of settlers and much of the trade activity. removed from the lands they had inhabited
Company headquarters at Fort Vancouver, for millennia and resettled on reservations.
overlooking the confluence of the
Columbia and Willamette Rivers, and The Great Migrations
at Fort Victoria, on Vancouver Island in Between 1843 and 1860, more than
British Columbia, were the region’s major 60,000 settlers embarked on a 6-month,
settlements. Hudson’s Bay Company 2,000-mile (3,218-km) trek from
trading posts became such common Independence, Missouri, across the US
sights in the wilderness that it was along the Oregon Trail mapped by Lewis
quipped that the initials “HBC” stood and Clark in 1804–05. Many settlers left
for “Here Before Christ.” the trail in Idaho and headed south to
Territorial tensions between Britain California. Most of those who continued
and the US erupted in the War of 1812. west to Oregon followed the Snake River
Although neither side “won” this war, to the Columbia River, where they put
the dominance of the British was later their wagons on rafts. The downstream
undermined when thousands of American trip across dangerous rapids led to the
farmers migrated westward along the mouth of the Willamette River and, just
Oregon Trail. Britain and America divided upstream, the trail’s end at Oregon City.
the spoils of the Pacific Northwest in Rather than pay the exorbitant fee of $50
1846, using the 49th parallel as the new to float a wagon down the river, some
boundary, with the land to the north
(British Columbia) being claimed by Britain,
and that to the south (Oregon) by the US.
Oregon, which included the present-day
states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho,
became a US terri tory in 1848. The Oregon
Territory was itself divided in 1852,
with lands north of the Columbia River
forming the new Washington Territory. Astoria, founded by John Jacob Astor in 1811

1811 John Jacob Astor 1843 James Douglas, of the Hudson’s Bay
establishes Astoria, a 1829 Oregon City is the first Company, founds Fort Victoria, later
trading post at the mouth town west of the Rocky renamed Victoria, in British Columbia; a
of the Columbia River Mountains to be incorporated wagon train transporting 900 settlers blazes
the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley
1810 1820 1830 1840
1812–14 War of
1812 between 1824 Fort Vancouver
Britain and the US is established by
the Hudson’s Watercolor of
A French- Bay Company Mount Baker,
Canadian woodsman Washington, 1848




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THE HIST OR Y OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  43


and Vancouver in 1886,
opening up British Columbia
to mass settlement.
In the US the arrival of
the railroad was especially
beneficial to the tiny
settlement of Alki-New York
in Washington, which soon
burgeoned into Seattle,
and eventually outstripped
Portland as the Pacific
Fort Vancouver, a strategically located trading post, in 1848 Northwest’s major port
and center of trade.
settlers opted for the treacherous climb
across Barlow Pass on the flanks of Gold Rushes
Mount Hood, one of the peaks of the Gold fever gripped the Pacific Northwest
Cascade Mountains. in 1848, when gold was discovered in
The reward for those who made the California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
arduous trek to Oregon’s fertile Willamette Many of the new settlers who had staked
Valley was a land grant of 350 acres land claims in Oregon headed south,
(140 ha). Many settlers staked their claims lured by the hope of making their fortune.
in Oregon, while others made their way In fact, two-thirds of the male
farther north and settled in Washington. population of Oregon followed the lure
With its strategic location at of gold. Many returned soon afterward
the confluence of the Columbia with gold nuggets in their pockets.
and Willamette Rivers,
Portland became the
region’s major port and
most important city.
By the 1870s,
transcontinental railroads
were steaming across the
US and Canada, making
the Pacific Northwest
accessible to hundreds
of thousands more
settlers. Trains began
crossing Canada
between Montreal Romantic vision of the westward trek, painted c.1904

1851 Portland 1859 Oregon becomes 1873 The newly
1848 is incorporated the 33rd state created North West
Oregon Mounted Police is
Territory is 1852 Washington 1865 Seattle assigned to patrol the
established Territory is formed is incorporated US-Canada border
1840 1850 1860 1870
1846 1850 The First 1867 Dominion of
Washington and Nations Straits Salish Canada is created 1871 British Columbia joins
Oregon claimed peoples sell land under the British the Dominion of Canada
by the US, British on Vancouver Island North America Act
Columbia to the Hudson’s
by Canada Bay Company Wagons as used by pioneers on the Oregon Trail




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44  INTRODUCING THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST


thousands of exposition visitors stayed
in the newly dubbed “City of Roses,” and
the population doubled to more than
250,000 by 1910. Seattle, having quickly
rebounded from an 1889 fire that leveled
all of downtown, followed suit in 1909
with the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition.
These expositions set the stage for the
region’s growth throughout the 20th
century. The Boeing Airplane Company,
Government House, New Westminster, BC, in 1870 founded in Seattle in 1916 and rivaling
the state’s timber industry in economic
The Gold Rush moved north in 1851, importance, created tens of thousands of
when prospectors found gold in southern jobs through its military and commercial
Oregon, and farther north again, to aircraft contracts. During World War II
British Columbia’s Fraser River, in 1858. (1939–45), factories in the Pacific
Canadian prospectors also struck it big Northwest produced aircraft, weapons,
in 1860 in the Cariboo Mountains, in and warships for the Allies’ war effort.
the BC Interior. When Seattle-based Microsoft took
The Klondike, in Canada’s Yukon Territory, off in the 1980s, this ushered in a wave
was the stage for the next frenzy of gold of high-tech business.
fever. Once prospectors stepped off ships Vancouver became the focus of world
in Seattle and San Francisco, in 1896, with attention when 21 million visitors attended
gold they had found along Bonanza Creek, festivities at Expo ‘86 to celebrate the city’s
the word was out. More than 100,000 100th anniversary. In the years immediately
prospectors flooded into the Klondike following, there was a huge surge in
gold fields, and Vancouver and Seattle population growth, business development,
prospered by supplying and housing and cultural diversification.
the miners and banking their finds. In the late 1990s, trade liberalization and
the globalization of goods manufacturing
Modern Times increasingly became topics for public
By the early 20th century, the Pacific
Northwest was celebrating its prosperity.
Portland hosted the Lewis and Clark
Exposition in 1905, honoring the pair’s
voyage 100 years earlier. The city put
up new buildings downtown, planted
thousands of roses, and laid out
new parks for the event. Many of the Historic cannery along the British Columbia coast


1897 The Klondike Gold Rush brings 1938 Lions Gate Bridge
prosperity to Seattle and Vancouver opens, joining
1909 Seattle hosts 1919 US’s first General Strike Vancouver to North
1889 Washington becomes Alaska-Yukon- occurs when 60,000 workers Shore communities
the US’s 42nd state Pacific Exposition mobilize in Seattle
1880 1900 1920 1940
1886 Canadian 1905 Portland hosts World’s Fair 1916 Boeing 1926 Seattle elects the 1949 Seattle
first woman mayor of
transcontinental with Lewis and Clark Exposition Airline Company a major US city earthquake
railroad founded in Seattle ruins many
completed; fire 1942 Internment of historic
destroys a large Farmer taking produce to Seattle’s Japanese-Americans and buildings in
part of Vancouver The Klondike Gold Rush Pike Place Market, founded 1907 Japanese-Canadians Pioneer Square



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THE HIST OR Y OF THE P A CIFIC NOR THWEST  45


in Pioneer Square were destroyed by a
combination of the rioters’ violence
and the effects of the quake.
For the First Nations peoples of the Pacific
Northwest, the 20th century brought gains
as well as losses. Fishing rights were
restored, but the construction of dams
along many rivers destroyed some
traditional fishing grounds and greatly
diminished salmon runs. The casinos on
Mount St. Helens before its cataclysmic explosion
Native lands brought economic benefits to
debate. On the streets of Seattle, in some tribes but not to others. With the
December 1999, more than 30,000 Nisga’a Treaty, drawn up in 2000, the
protested against the World Trade Canadian and BC governments acknow-
Organization and its policies on ledged that 744 sq miles (1,927 sq km) of
multinational corporations, environmental Crown land in northern British Columbia
and labor laws, and subsidies for belongs to the Nisga’a Nation.
developing countries. Keeping the landscape pristine in the
The Pacific Northwest has also had its Pacific Northwest continues to be both a
share of natural disasters in modern times. source of pride and an ongoing bone of
Washington’s Mount St. Helens (see contention. Conservationists fight to curtail
pp196–7) erupted violently in 1980, and lumbering operations and limit growth,
the accompanying earthquake triggered while loggers and ranchers often resist
the largest avalanche in recorded history, government intervention in their affairs.
killing 57 people as well as millions of This conflict between the need to protect
birds, deer, elk, and fish. Floods and the environment and interests in
avalanches devastated parts of Oregon capitalizing on the region’s natural
and Washington in February 1996, as a resources shows no sign of slowing.
result of heavy rains and melting snow
caused by unusually mild temperatures;
the swelling of the Willamette River and
its tributaries forced the evacuation of
residents in low-lying areas, stranded
hundreds of drivers, and resulted in at
least one fatality. On the evening of
February 28, 2001, Seattle was rocked
by a Mardi Gras riot and then a
6.8-magnitude earthquake. The façades
of many of the historic red-brick buildings Airplanes on the Boeing assembly line, Seattle


1962 Seattle’s Century 21 Fair 1999 Protesters 2002 Seattle football and soccer fans
and opening of Space Needle shut down celebrate opening of Seahawks Stadium,
World Trade now CenturyLink Field
1980 Mount St. Helens Mount Organization talks 2010 Vancouver, BC, hosts
erupts in Washington St. Helens in Battle of Seattle Winter Olympic Games
1940 1960 1980 2000 2020
1971 Environmental 1986 Vancouver hosts 2015 The Rocky
group Greenpeace Expo ’86; Microsoft Mountaineer®
founded in Vancouver world headquarters 1995 Amazon. 2000 The Nisga’a Treaty (see p324) cele-
established in com launched awards land in northern brates 25 years
Redmond, Washington from Seattle BC to the Nisga’a Nation of service





US_PNW_038-045_History.indd 45 04/07/16 12:33 pm

US_PNW_046-047_SectOpener.indd 46 04/07/2014 17:26
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Section openers template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.1)
Date 15th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm

The Pacific

norThwesT

region by


region





The Pacific Northwest
at a Glance 48–49
Portland 50–89
Oregon 90–119

Seattle 120–173
Washington 174–197
Vancouver 198–245
British Columbia 246–279









































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48  P A CIFIC NOR THWEST REGION B Y REGION

The Pacific Northwest at a Glance

An area of many contrasts,
the Pacific Northwest has much to
offer visitors. From Portland, Seattle, and Fort Nelson
Vancouver, its vibrant and attractive cities,
many of the region’s impressive natural wonders
are only a short excursion away. Imposing
mountain ranges, vast stretches of deserts, deep,
wild canyons, crystal-clear lakes, and a magnificent
coastline ensure that there is a sight or activity to
suit every taste. While in summer wildflowers carpet
alpine meadows, in winter, visitors and locals take
advantage of the snow-covered slopes to enjoy winter
sports. On the West Coast, whale-watching enchants
visitors year-round. Smithers




Prince
George




North Pacific
Ocean

Alta Lake, in Whistler, British Columbia, Kamloops
offers many summer activities in a town
which, in winter, is one of the world’s most
popular ski destinations (see pp260–61). Kelowna
Vancouver

Victoria
Cannon Beach is Spokane
just one of the many
beautiful stops along Seattle
the Oregon coast Tacoma
offering breathtaking
vistas of sand, sky, and
sea stacks that rise out
of the ocean (see p97).
Portland Pendleton
Salem
Deepwood Estate (1894),
one of Salem’s many historic
buildings, is now a museum
showcasing period pieces that Eugene
offer a glimpse of what life was
once like in this city, Oregon’s
capital since 1851 (see pp104–5).
Burns
Junction
Medford
0 kilometers 150
0 miles 100
Stunning aerial view of Vancouver, British Columbia


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