As a resident of the Puget Sound Region of the PNW, I never expect a White Christmas. If you are a resident of Western Washington, you shouldn’t either. Over the last century, the city of Seattle has only had four Christmas Days with snowfall. In outlying areas, the total is higher, but not much. In the Pacific Northwest, …
Pacific Northwest Snowpack Melting at Record Pace
Back in October of 2015, the endless summer of warm temperatures and sunny days suddenly vanished, replaced by endless, record setting rainfall and a ridiculously healthy snowpack in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. Skiers and snowboarders rejoiced as their mountains became white and fluffy, while hikers slogged along on muddy, soaked trails. Numerous roads around …
The Vanishing American Pika
Pikas are adorably cute, and nearly everyone who sees these tiny animals is taken aback by their adorableness. The American Pika is one of the toughest animals in the contiguous United States, living high above the tree line, thriving in cold temperatures, small spaces and some of the most unfriendly terrain around. Yet, despite their …
Big Four Ice Caves Collapsing – Stay Out!
The Big Four Ice Caves in the Mount Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest are one of the region’s major attractions, gaining more popularity in recent years thanks to social media sites like Instagram, and even being featured on patches as one of the Seven Wonders of Washington. With an easy 2.2 mile round trip trek along a …
The Lack of Snow in the Olympic Mountains Could be Terrible News for Salmon
As has been well documented over the past few months, the winter of 2014-15 is shaping up to give the mountains of the west one of their worst snowpacks in recent memory. While many look at the lack of snow this year and are concerned about the economic impact on ski areas and the increase …