Evergreen Escapes — Attraction in Seattle

We did a day tour on Feb 9, very early in the season and we couldn't have been happier with the lack of crowds.

We started in Port Austin, picked up at our hotel. It was just the two of us and our guide Marty. We talked about what we wanted to see and do in the area and Marty tailored the trip to us. Our first stop was Hurricane Ridge. After passing the gate, and making way for the plow, we pulled over to put on the tire chains. Minutes later back on the road, discussing the geology of the area, how it was the sea floor at one time. Beautiful switchback drive up, lots of gorgeous views and we had big breaks in the clouds giving us sunny valleys to look down on. Both on the way up and down we passed backcountry skiers setting off up the mountain for some gorgeous powder.

Reaching the top we parked and it was prep for phase 2: snowshoeing. if you know how to walk, you know now how to snowshoe. Marty mad sure we were fitted right, gave us the option for trekking poles, explained how to walk in snowshoes and we set off. The local ski lift was open with skiers and snowboarders enjoying the fresh snow and 18 degrees. We set off over a meadow and into the trees. walking on 5-6 feet of snow. Do you know what a tree well is? Marty did and explained how they form and the danger they can present. Funny enough, walking a a downslope, my wife got caught on the edge of one and she used her poles to lever herself away from the edge and we pressed on. We got onto a trail that cross country skiers like to use for a downhill leg and we passed skiers and other snowshoers. it was a great walk in the snowy woods, quiet, pristine and just beautiful.

Coming back down from Hurricane Ridge we took a side road west through the forest, passing some beautiful homes on the edge of the Olympic National park and went over to the Elwah River and up the road as far as it would go, since the road had washed out short of the Elwah Dam Removal. the River is gorgeous, fast and cold and we're told it changes color with the season and the melting of snow and glaciers in summer. We did see a beautiful little waterfall jsut a quick 1/10 of a mile from the parking lot.

After that it was on to Lake Crescent. We drove up to a beautiful bay, with a great view of the lake and the mountains that drop seemingly to the water'e edge. Marty got the stoves going, soup was on, chicken was available with noodles or in the soup, some great scones and tea and we were warm and ready for more.

We next went to Salt Creek and if you didn't have someone local to get you there, you might miss it. There are sea stacks there, the tide was out and we walked a lot of the flats below the cliffs; tidal pools had clams and starfisn, lots of bullwhip kelp. No seals that day and a little too early for whales in the strait. But after exploring the flats we got back in the van and drove up to a coampground on the point. The campground was a former miltary gun emplacement in WWII, with bunkers still on-sght, some of which you can drive through. There's a great staircase and walkway to the water with excellent views back to the beach and of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

After that we drove back to Port Angeles, taking a little detour down to the waterfront/harbor. A few ships moving in and out of port. We were a week early for seasonal start of the ferry to Victoria, B.C. but you can see across the strait to Victoria.

That was the end of our tour day because we had a car and were driving back to Seattle. The ferry ride is super easy, whether you do it yourself or if you're in the van. Either way, you get out of your car, up topside where you can sit inside or go outside and see the best views of Seattle. And we came in on the 6:30 ferry in early February, so the city was lit up and even looks beautifu at night. Our hotel was a 3 minute drive from the ferry so it...

I booked this tour just because I was not familiar with the logistics to travel over to Olympic National Park from Seattle. Turns out, it’s incredibly easy! Just hop on the Bainbridge Island ferry (holds 255 vehicles and only takes 30 minutes to get to the other side), then drive 2.5 hours to the park! It’s honestly not that different from Mount Rainier in terms of drive time from Seattle, the ferry is a bonus as long as you ride very early and very late when the crowds are down, though we did get a gorgeous view of the Seattle city skyline on the way back in the late afternoon/early evening. As always, the earlier you go, the less crowded everything is (ferry and parks). It’s not timed entry at Olympic yet, so you just get there early like anywhere else, but it is a HUGE park that only has roads on the perimeter, so pick your location and stick to it. The tour was convenient for those who don’t want to or can’t handle planning their trip to the park. I could have, so I made a mistake by not looking into the ferry operations and seeing how easy it actually is to use it. It’s the roll of the dice with any and all group tours, and most often you’ll get people who don’t know how to be ready at a hotel (we had one group like that), can’t walk, but for some reason think that booking an all day walking tour was a good idea (we definitely had one of those). It is what it is, Matt did the best he possibly could have, given the group. Everything is taken care of, pickup at the hotel, nice coffee/tea and blueberry loaf in the morning while riding the ferry, drive to the park, natural knowledge that I’d never get when hiking solo, lunch was incredibly good and supported by a local business, got to see some nice views, but was cut short because group lady riding shotgun wanted Lake Crescent first, instead of the national park entrance. That means waiting in the afternoon in long lines to get to Hurricane Ridge (because you know, everyone has to have a conversation at the entrance gate). It’s ok, it is what it is, but that is what you get with group tours, the luck of the draw with the people who sign up. If they have to go to the bathroom on the way (it’s a long drive), that’s time lost in the park. If they have to go to the bathroom before the hike, that’s lost time. If they are slow or can’t walk, that’s lost time in the park. If I go on a .5 mile bonus hike with permission, and they wait instead of just sitting down and eating lunch, that’s lost time. Just know what you’re getting into and definitely don’t be intimidated by the logistics, if you are considering planning your own trip instead of booking a tour, since you will always get the best results because of the extra freedom and proper planning. If you think it’s difficult to get to Olympic from Seattle, trust me, it’s not! Just go early and beat the crowds! This tour is perfect for people who can’t or don’t want to plan anything and just want to see some of the most popular tourist spots (probably 2 at most, depending on the group you get). If you want to get to where no one else is out on the trails, this tour is NOT for you. Instead, plan your own trip, it’s easy: just rent a car, take the ferry, and drive! Only book this tour if you can’t do things independently or don’t want to for whatever reason. Tours like this are perfect for those who can’t handle visiting the parks on their own and don’t mind the luck of the draw. Hope the advice helps others who are on the fence, absolutely nothing wrong with this tour, it just wasn’t for me since I still have the ability and means to travel on my own and...

I can’t begin to explain the amazing time we had during our hike of Mount Rainier and wine tasting with Evergreen Escapes. What really made our hike and day AMAZING was our guide: Evan N. From picking us us early from our hotel, to the minute he dropped us off, Evan’s smile and enthusiasm never faded. Likewise, on the way home, when we were a bit tired, he read us well and let the comfortable silence naturally occur and didn’t attempt to fill it with excessive chit chat. The first stop on our tour took us to a naturally occurring forest where we had delicious zucchini breat and fresh pressed coffe. Evan then took us on a stroll through the forest as we enjoyed our coffee. He explained what a naturally occurring forest was, answered our questions and even pointed out salmon that were spawning near the shore of the White River we came upon. Then off to hike Naches Peak on Mt Rainer. As we were driving up the mountain, Evan realized that there had been snow overnight. However, Evan remained all smiles, reassured us that it would be no problem…even though both of his clients “may” have been in the Cool Person Over 50 Club :) When we got to the trail head, though we were for the most part prepared, Evan offered us additional equipment (wool, socks, gloves) because we had not prepared for snow. Then we took off on the most pristine and breathtaking hike I think I will ever go on in my life. Evan easily maneuvered us on the trail even though the actual trail was fully obscured by about 4 to 8 inches of snow. The three of us (my sister, Evan and I) were the first footprints on the trail since the snow and never once did I feel I was in an unsafe situation. During pauses on the hike, Evan pointed out various geographic features and how they change from fall into winter season, we even built a snowman, and possibly did a few snow angels in this beautiful and pristine snow. After our hike and a delicious clean and yummy lunch, Evan took us through the beautiful Yakima Valley, explaining the different agricultural features from orchards to vineyards. We stopped at a lovely winery (Owen Roe) to do some wine tasting, and because our escapade in the snow took a little bit longer than we expected, he reassured us that, even though the plan was to have two stops for wine tasting, that staying at our first stop was fine so we could enjoy the gorgeous weather. Even the music Evan played was right up our alley, all from when we were in high school. Without a doubt, the most amazing experience I’ve ever had on a vacation. Quite honestly… I got a little tearful at the end because it was very overwhelming. Thanks so much to Evergreen escapes and...