|
The Pacific Northwest is a richly diverse wilderness classroom, ranging from jagged, glacier-carved mountains and valleys, to evergreen forests and stands of lodgepole pine.
These popular backpacking courses have two options for exploring this region. Early season courses travel in the Pasayten Wilderness in north central Washington, while late season courses backpack through Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula.
The Pasayten will forever alter your perceptions of the Pacific Northwest, boasting almost 150 peaks over 7,500 feet in elevation. Rugged ridges in the west flatten into expansive plateaus toward the east, with deep drainages on both sides. The diverse vegetation changes from temperate rainforest to the fir, pine and larch more characteristic of the Rocky Mountains.
Courses that travel in Olympic National Park will traverse from east to west while viewing the area’s rugged glacier-capped mountains and wide alpine meadows sparkling with avalanche lilies, larkspur and Indian paintbrush.
Like the first Western explorers, you’ll travel along the wild and rugged Pacific coast, seeing stands of moss-covered old-growth and temperate rainforest. You’ll experience some demanding off-trail hiking as you visit pristine and rarely seen parts of the park.
Pacific
Northwest Backpacking
|
Next Steps
|
Related Courses
|
|
