August is the month of recreational frenzy: Jam in the last of those summer vacation days; push to the snowline in order to hike higher before the snow begins to fall (maybe in September); or squeeze in the last paddle or horseback ride.
Whatever your choice, remember the Discover Pass for vehicle access to nearly 7 million acres of Washington state-managed recreation lands including state parks, water-access points, heritage sites, wildlife and natural areas, trails and trailheads.
For information on the annual $30 pass or the $10 day pass, go to www.discoverpass.com.
On the bright side: Don’t be too discouraged about not being able to reach Mount Rainier’s high country because of near-record snows.
The lower elevations are criss-crossed with snow-free hikes. Along Highway 410, for instance, try all or part of the 8.2-mile Skookum Flats Trail along the White River through old-growth forest; the 2.8-mile Snoquera Falls Loop just past mile marker 52; or the Palisades or Dalles Creek Falls trails for moderate elevation gains.
The U.S. Forest Service Visitor Center is at Silver Creek (mile marker 57). It’s open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays to Mondays. Rangers lead daily interpretative walks from the summit of Crystal Mountain. For information, call 360-663-2354.
Slow time: It’s not necessary to go at full speed from now until whenever to enjoy nature. Take some time to improving your knowledge and sign up for a workshop at the North Cascades Institute or a hike-and-learn opportunity at Snoqualmie Pass.
NCI weekend workshop topics include Writing in the Cascades, The Art of the Essay, Northwest Mushrooms, and Mountaineering. Call 360-854-2599 or go to www.ncascades.org.
Guided 90-minute easy hikes are offered at the pass on weekends through Sept. 4. The 1-mile hikes to and around Gold Creek are at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Learn about the landscape, history and wildlife in the area.
The 2-mile Twin Lakes trek will be held at the same times on Sundays through. These hikes go through old-growth forests, and offer a chance to learn about the magnificent trees, plants, wildlife and history.
Hikes will start at the Snoqualmie Pass Visitor Center just off I-90 at exit 52. Wear sturdy shoes or boots and bring a day pack containing sunscreen, water and extra clothing. Leave pets at home. A $10 donation per person is suggested.
You can make reservations from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays and holidays at 425-434-6111.
Minor delays: Progress. Visitors to Olympic National Park’s Sol Duc Valley should expect one-lane traffic and short delays due to road repairs. Current road information is available at 360-565-3131.
On the bright side, 6-mile-long Obstruction Pass Road near Hurricane Ridge has been reopened. Snow drifts up to 6 feet high had delayed the scheduled July 1 opening, and only the first half of the road was open on July 15.
The areas surrounding the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams are now closed to all public access in preparation for the start of dam removal. There is no access to the Olympic Hot Springs from the Elwha Valley although access to other areas, including the Elwha Valley and three campgrounds, is open.
On the bookshelf: Unfortunately, it’s been bad news bears for the past few weeks, including a fatal attack on a teenager by a polar bear in the Norwegian Arctic. On the flip side is the book “Smiling Bears: A Zookeeper Explores the Behavior and Emotional Life of Bears” ($18).
Else Poulsen knows that to adapt is to survive, that captive bears need new skills to adapt to nonnative surroundings. It became her passion to learn what a bear needed and then to help that bear create a new skill set, paying attention to emotional needs as well as physical needs.
She discusses many of her bears in “Smiling,” an engaging read.
For more ideas, check out our guide to local hikes.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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