����The "Other" Washington����Washington, probably more famous for it's volcano and it's rain than anything else, is my home! If you would like to take a peek at our volcano (Mt. St. Helens) The Volcano Cam at Johnston Ridge Observatory is available for your viewing pleasure! This live picture is updated every 10 minutes. This is available courtesy of U.S.Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Along with keeping an eye on the mountain (which is about 50 miles from my home), we have beautiful ocean beaches, the tall and majestic Cascade Mountain Range, Puget Sound and The Columbia River Gorge to keep us occupied. Washington, bounded on the north by the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the south by Oregon, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. A series of channels in the northwest-Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait, and the Strait of Georgia-separate the state from Canada's Vancouver Island. Puget Sound deeply indents the northwestern part of the state. All these bodies of water contain numerous islands that form part of the state. The Columbia River forms much of the southern boundary, and on the east we share a border with Idaho. Washington entered the Union on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd state. Formerly known primarily for its agricultural and forestry products, Washington had, by the early 1990s, a highly diversified economy. Although the state remained a leading national producer of such products as apples, wheat, and timber, manufacturing had become a leading sector of the economy. Tourism and other services were also important; visitors are attracted by the state's diverse scenic wonders. The state is named for George Washington. Washington is called the Evergreen State.
Washington is the home of Nintendo, Microsoft, and Boeing, which provide us with things to do, and a way to leave when the rains come! In my part of the state (Southwest Washington) our average yearly rainfall is about 46 inches per year, but in areas of the Olympic Rain Forest, rainfall exceeds 160 inches per year. In the eastern portion of Washington however, Spokane gets an average of 17 inches per year and some areas of Central Washington see as many as 300 sunny days every year. If a Washingtonian tells you "the mountain is out," that means Mount Rainier is visible. On many days, it won't be. because it will be "socked in" by clouds!
 Forest covers about half Washington state's land area. The North Pacific coniferous forest here contains some of the world's finest commercial softwood trees. On the western side of the Olympic Peninsula extending south to the Columbia River is a temperate rain forest. This is an extraordinarily luxuriant woodland of spruce, cedar, and hemlock, its floor densely covered with ferns and mosses. Inland, on the southeastern side of the Olympic Range, is a more open spruce and fir forest with a shrubby understory. Surrounding Puget Sound and extending into the western Cascade Range are great forests dominated by cedar, hemlock, and Douglas fir. Deeper in the heart of the Cascades is a magnificent forest consisting of silver and Douglas fir with scattered shrub undergrowth. An open forest of ponderosa pine with grasses and shrubs is found on the eastern slopes of the Cascades. Farther north is a Douglas fir forest that extends east into the Rocky Mountains. In the driest portions of the central Columbia Plateau is a steppe, an area covered by short grasses. To the east, in the Palouse Hills, is a prairie, a region of taller grasses. Washington also has a great diversity of wildlife. In the forests and mountains are bear, elk, mountain lion, wildcat, mountain goat, and white tail, black tail and mule deer. Smaller mammals include beaver, mink, marten, muskrat, weasel, squirrel, porcupine, chipmunk, and gopher. Birdlife includes the crow, western lark, willow goldfinch, grouse, and prairie falcon. Shore and marsh birds include gull, sandpiper, oyster catcher, tern, and cormorant. Shrimp, oysters, and clams are abundant in the state's coastal waters, as are tuna, halibut, and red snapper. Salmon ascend the Columbia River annually to spawn. Rainbow and steelhead trout and white sturgeon are principal species in the state's rivers and lakes. Washington rivals any state for festivals, including such oddities as the Forks Rainfest, slug races, and a Spam-carving contest. Washington is a casual spot, and your favorite jeans, sweaters, shorts, and sportshirts will be welcome just about everywhere. Still, you may want to pack along a dressier outfit or two for nights on the town. Dress in layers for comfort, especially when visiting mountainous areas. Famous Washingtonians past and present include Bing Crosby, William O. Douglas, Kurt Cobain, Bill Gates, Gary Larson, Mary McCarthy, Edward R. Murrow, Eddie Vedder, Adam West, Marcus Whitman, and Minoru Yamasaki.
For more information call the Washington State Tourism Department (800) 890-5493 |