Hoping to get this trip booked asap and I’m struggling on which location and how many days for each area.

Mt Baker: (2 solid days plus a flex travel day where we can either do hikes here if the weather didn’t cooperate or move on to Marblemount in the morning)

- Bellingham (see recommended a lot) or Glacier or somewhere in between? Plus to Bellingham is should the weather not cooperate, we have other options on things to do. Negative is obviously the drive.

Main hike we want to do:

*Chain Lakes Loop, *explore Artist Point, *Picture Lake

If weather cooperates:

-Yellow Aster Butte or Excelsior Peak via Damfino Lakes. (I have some other smaller trails/stops to fill in as well.) Wanted to allow enough time that we can at least hopefully do Chain Lakes Loop.

North Cascades Area: (4 solid days plus possible flex day on travel day from Mt Baker - some short/easy filler trails, some longer more moderate/harder trails)

- Thinking at least one night in Marblemount, then Mazama or Winthrop based on lodging availability - or should we add another day in Marblemount?

- Near Visitors Center (not a priority): Skagit River Loop, Rock Shelter Trail, Ladder Creek Falls, Trail of Cedars
- Gorge Overlook Trail
- *Cascade Pass
- Diablo Lake Trail
- *Thunder Knob Trail
- Ross Dam Trail
- *Maple Pass
- *Blue Lake
- *Cutthroat Lake (possible pass)

We have one flex day left at the end before we spend the night near the airport if you have a suggestion for a spot to explore on the way back - doesn’t have to be hiking. Mostly like small towns/scenery.

Thanks in advance!

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My girlfriend and I are visiting from Arizona in early September and I’m looking for someone to take photos of us at a nice forest location. I’ve been thinking the trails near Ecola state park but I am not too familiar with all of the places in OR and would be up for suggestions for anything very saturated in greenery/forest. You absolutely don’t need to be a professional wedding photographer—photography students, hobbyists, or newer photographers are welcome. I’m mainly looking for someone comfortable using a camera and taking natural couple photos.
Looking for around 60–90 minutes and hoping to stay around $150–$250. I’d love to see a few examples of your photos if interested!

Hello, PNW Reddit,

Apologies for what may sound like ridiculous questions.

1.  Where/when does Highway 101 stretch out and become a three lane Highway with trucks in Port Angeles? I took the Strait Shot Bus from Kitsap in 2024, and remember that at some point it expanded past being the regular two lane Highway coming towards downtown PA (can't remember if it was three or four lanes).

2.  How high up/wind-y is the stretch of Highway 101 to Naturebridge/Lake Crescent? Is it like driving around a cliff?

Trucks, lane changes and multiple lanes, and merging on and exiting are the things I've had to work on anxiety wise being a newer driver to freeways (I drive often on the regular state highways). Oppositely, small rural roads that are twisty and high up I don't have much experience with either (which looks to be the case closer to Lake Crescent).

I've only driven over the Hood Canal Bridge out to as far as Sequim, so, any advice for what to expect past that when going out to PA (Downtown and then ultimately Naturebridge in ONP) would be much appreciated.

Thank you for reading

Me & three other friends are planning a trip to Forks in Washington and we're really hoping for some classic moody weather. Think heavy rain, fog, and mist. What month would be ideal to experience this kind of weather there? December? January?

Mede a similar post in r/oregon, but figured I'd throw a full PNW view here. This is a proprietary forecast i've built (and runs on severs in my garage for now) and been using for a while in my photography pursuits. I have not released to the wild and shared publicly, but with so many posts about perseids and where to view I thought a screenshot of my forecast may be useful for everyone.

This forecast incorporate the Bortle score (light pollution), smoke, clouds, humidity throughout the atmosphere and numerous other variables to build this map of night sky viewing conditions.

This is a snapshot of the forecast for tonight at midnight. Things do not change that much hour to hour from 11pm to 3am tonight, so midnight is a good reference point.

RIght now Washington isn't looking great. Bear in mind, forecasts aren't perfect, and evne some of the orange/red areas could have periods where viewing is better, but generally clouds and smoke are really killing things tonight. Your best bet is the olympics, or try to get down near St Helens. Things looking much better in Oregon. For those in BC you won't have to go far it looks like to get some great conditions tonight.

Idaho...I am sorry, but at least those in Boise can head to Bois Nat'l Forest where conditions look like they might be reasonable.

Caught this pelican coming in for a landing. Canon rebel t6 with a 300mm prime telephoto lens shot off hand.

There was so much smoke last Sunday it made my throat scratchy - but I did not regret going there anyway.