Some of you may remember the thread I started for my trip last December to see the Oregon/Oregon State game with a few buddies, and all the sightseeing in between.

http://texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=1533929&page=2&forum_id=55


Well, the same group (+1 BQ buddy of mine) will be headed back that way on May 27th. We fly in to Seattle this time on the morning of the 27th and then fly out of Seattle on June 2nd. Our only truly planned events are white water rafting the White Salmon on Friday morning (Any of you are welcome to join) and then the hike to Multnomah Falls the afternoon.

What we have planned as of now:
Thur - Fly in to Seattle in the morning, then?
Fri- see above
Sat - ?
Sun - ?
Mon - ?
Tue - hang out in Seattle then fly out that afternoon

Desires of group:
- Outdoor activities such as hiking and sightseeing
- Visit several beer making establishments
- hang out in Portland for part of a day
- hang out in Seattle
- Possibly head to Canada for a bit

I know with the holiday weekend it should be busier on the roads and parks this time. Do you have any tips or tricks about this?

Oregon:
We will probably stay up in the Portland/Columbia Gorge area this time. I'd like to head to Bend, but I think the party may not want to go down that far.

Washington:
None of us have been to Seattle or anywhere in Washington. Ideally I'd like to tour the city and surrounding areas for a day or so and then spend some time driving the Pacific and/or woodland areas. Does anyone have a rental cabin anywhere?

As you can tell, the trip is pretty much open as of now. If you have any "must-do" or "must-see" events/places please list them. Awesome eateries and other such establishment recommendations are welcome also. Thoughts on the drive times and problems I should take into consideration?

Seattle - places to see...things to do...events...establishments...etc?

My e-mail is in my profile if you would prefer to answer that way.

Thanks for your help!

Sorry for the whole steam of consciousness style of writing there…

Marcel Ledbetter - Are you still selling BBQ?
OregonAg03 - what company/river is your fiance working?

[This message has been edited by p-wonk01 (edited 5/18/2010 10:58a).]

Have fun. If you have any questions about Bend, let me know. We have five breweries. And tons of trails. Some may not be open yet.

Hey there! Sounds like you have a good trip in the works! My fiance and I always spend Memorial Day weekend on the Deschutes. We stretch out the run from Warm Springs down to Maupin over 5 days ever year (Thursday-Monday). Do you already have everything arranged for your trip on the White Salmon? Husum Falls is crazy! Let me know if you need any help making some connections for organizing your trip and we can definitely hook you up with some good people.

Yep,
I have my new smoker up and running and it cooks like a dream compared to my old one. I kick off the bbq season tomorrow. I keep things simple, just pulled pork, brisket and bbq baked beans. Too bad y'all are so far away. I'm out in the sticks!

p-wonk,

Welcome back to the Pacific Northwest. I live in Vancouver, WA just north of Portland, OR. Looks like you've got a good trip planned. Sorry it looks like the weather might leave a bit to be desired.

I was in Ballard (Seattle neighborhood) this past weekend visiting a couple of friends. I usually head up their every other month or so. If you have time, and are looking for something to do, you might check out Market St. there. There's a bunch of good restuarants/bars. I'm not that familiar with Seattle so I can't be much help.

I'm much more familiar with the Portland area. I've rafted the White Salmon twice through a guiding service. we used Wet Planet both times. It's a good time, and with all the rain we've been getting (it's been an exceptionally wet April and May) the river should be ripping.

On your way back to Portland you have to stop in Hood River, OR (right across the Columbia River from where you'll be rafting) and have beers at the Double Mountain Brewery. The food's not all that great, but their beer is the best in the NW imo. You absolutely will not find a better Red. There's plenty of places to eat there as well.

As far as Multnomah Falls goes, I don't mean to be crass, but it's one of my least favorite hikes in the gorge. yeah, the waterfall is pretty, but it's soooo full of tourists it can get pretty annoying. I would suggest stopping by the Falls, walking up to the bridge (will take you ten minutes), take a few pictures and head on down the gorge to some much better hiking spots. Some of my favorite Gorge hikes are Dog Mountain, Horsetail Falls and Nesmith Point. I've been meaning to do Eagle Creek's Tunnel Falls as well. Everyone that's done it has told me it's outstanding.

As far as going out in Portland the possibilities are endless. If you like microbrews you're in for a treat. My personal favorites:

Amnesia
Laurelwood
Horsebrass (not a brewery, but lots of local brews on tap)
Roots
Lucky Labrador
Lompoc

Beware that currently I205 in Portland is under construction on the weekends. DO NOT drive north on 205 (or 5 for that matter on saturday or Sunday evenings).

I'm class of '01 as well. I moved here 5 years ago. If you want to know anything else let me know.

Have fun. The Pac NW is a great place.

Seattle hangouts (see travel thread):

http://texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=1625990&forum_id=54

King's Hardwear / People's Pub (Ballard)
Ray's Boathouse (Ballard)
Pyramid Alehouse (Downtown/Sodo) - fun to go here before/after going to an M's game...
The Elysian
The Triple Door is fun, but it's more of a date place... Great for seeing live music.

Driving: The Cascades Loop: I-90 east to Hwy 97 in Cle Elum, over Blewett pass to Hwy 2, west on Hwy 2 to I-5 (can stop in Leavenworth for lunch), then south to Seattle. There's a shortcut to get to Seattle from Monroe, but I'll keep it simple...

Driving Option 2: Take the ferry from Seattle to Whidbey Island. Drive Hwy 20 through Deception Pass and Anacortes to I-5, then south to Seattle.

Driving Option 3: Paradise, Mount Rainier.

Hiking near Seattle: 100s of options...depends on what you're looking for as far as hiking distance and drive time from Seattle...

I agree about skipping the Multnomah Falls hike. It is a ton of work for little reward. The view from the top of the falls is a bit underwhelming as you can't see the fall itself. If you are dead set on it, at least make a loop from the top by hiking over to Wahkeena Spring, down Wahkeena Falls, and back to the base of Multnomah Falls. Wahkeena Spring is quite a sight - more like a river gushing from the mountain side than a spring.

As suggested above, Dog Mountain is a fantastic hike - particularly at this time of year. It is considered the best wildflower hike in the gorge. You need to be in decent shape for this one - it is a popular place for people to train prior to Mt. Hood summit attempts. I wouldn't attempt it if you are short on time. Luckily days are pretty long here this time of year it is 9:25 and I was working in the yard until about 10 mins ago.

Eagle Creek is the best hike in the Gorge IMO (and many people would agree), but crowds are nuts if you are hitting it on a weekend. This would be my top recommendation for a weekday, or if you just don't mind crowds.

[This message has been edited by corndog04 (edited 5/26/2010 11:28p).]

quote:

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...it is a popular place for people to train prior to Mt. Hood summit attempts...

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Ugh...I'm climbing Hood in two weeks. I'm totally gonna get my arse kicked!

Hikes that are close(ish) to Seattle:

Mt. Pilchuck (medium)


Bandera Mtn. (medium)


Blanca Lake (easy, then strenuous)


Here are two on the west side of the Sound:

Mt. Townsend (medium)


Marmot Pass (medium, but steep below the pass)

I'm up in the U-District this summer. I'll try to get to as many of these places as I can.