Tripster

It’s Copper River Salmon Season

They’re spilling into Sea-Tac, but you can catch your own.

Posted by: Allison Williams on May 18, 2012 at 05:00PM 0 Comments

Oh, like that would even fit in the overhead compartment.

Photo courtesy Alaska Airlines

Today marked one of the definitive signs of spring in Seattle: Boxes of Copper River salmon were pulled of Alaska Airlines planes on the Sea-Tac tarmac. The king and sockeye were then prepared in a cook-off judged by the likes of ex-Mariner Jay Buhner and the co-owner of Dunham Cellars, Joanne Dunham. It probably tasted better than most airplane food.

A further sign that salmon-mania is a local affliction? Alaska has announced that a “salmon-thirty-salmon”—a Boeing 737-800 painted with a 129-foot fish—joins its fleet this fall. Besides making air traffic controllers do a double take, the aircraft is meant to promote the 25 million pounds of seafood the airline flies from Alaska every year.

But maybe you’re not looking for imports. You want to catch your own. Here’s what you need to know about salmon fishing trips to Alaska:

• The salmon run is in summer, so book soon. Most fishing lodges are open May to September, but fishing windows are even more narrow—at the Gakona Lodge and Trading Post, where they fish feeder rivers to the Copper, they recommend you go after king salmon before early July, for example.

• Despite the well-marketed Copper River name, tourist fishing is rarer on that interior waterway, and salmon aren’t even the usual bounty. The Rainbow River Lodge specializes in rainbow trout, a popular catch on the river.

• The Kenai peninsula, within a few hours’ drive from Anchorage, is chock-full of angling outfitters. Sarah of Tower Rock Lodge offered her number one piece of advice when planning a Kenai trip: “Get references—there are so many hacks up here. People get up and are shocked by what they find in the package they booked,” she says. Many on the Kenai are angling for one of its record kings, but those not up for reeling in a giant can try for sockeye or silver salmon, which require more “endurance and stamina” than strength, says Sarah.

• Check regulations and limits before booking; for instance, you can’t fish for Kenai kings on Sundays and Mondays with a guide. Licenses are available on the website for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Buy one ahead of time, since some require postage mail time.

Or, of course, you could just go sneak a filet off a baggage cart at Sea-Tac.

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Try This Trail: Saddle Rock

We can’t guarentee sun, but it’s a pretty good bet.

Posted by: Craig Romano on May 18, 2012 at 02:00PM 0 Comments

Solid as a rock.

Photo by Pictoscribe

Trail Name: Saddle Rock

Rating: Moderate

Distance: 3 miles round trip

It’s time to get back in, er, on the saddle. Saddle Mountain is the prominent and iconic Wenatchee Foothills peak that looms above Wenatchee, part of a chain of rocky buttes flanking the city’s western neighborhoods.

The hike is short, steep, and—thanks to scented sage—a tad sweet; follow an old jeep track 1.5 miles and 900 vertical feet to the craggy 2,000-foot landmark. In May the stark slopes radiate in gold thanks to a profusion of blossoming arrowleaf balsamroot (otherwise known in these parts as sunflowers). Expect plenty of real sun in this part of central Washington, too.

After that lung-busting ascent, look beyond the flowered slopes to the sweeping vistas. Face west to rows of evergreen-draped ridges and snowcapped peaks; to the west are the basaltic canyons and shrub-steppe Columbia Plateau. To the north and south is the Columbia River, here cutting its deep gorge through one of the most dramatic transition zones in the Pacific Northwest, where coastal mountains and forests converge with interior arid plateaus.

On the descent, you won’t get saddle sores, but your knees may knock, so bring your trekking poles.

Watch For: Old mines dot the surrounding hills; look for shafts, tailings, and other relics.

Getting there: From US 2 in Wenatchee turn south onto SR 285 (Wenatchee Avenue). After 2 miles, turn right onto Miller Street. Continue for 3.2 miles and turn right onto Circle Street; in 0.3 mile arrive at the trail head and parking area near the Appleatchee equestrian center.

Time from Seattle: 2 hours and 40 minutes

Craig Romano is the author of eight hiking books, including Day Hiking Central Cascades and Backpacking Washington.

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Tags: Hiking, Seattle Hiking Trails, Wenatchee

New Flights to Hawaii, But Not from Sea-Tac

It’s good news if you’re leaving from Bellingham.

Posted by: Allison Williams on May 17, 2012 at 04:30PM 0 Comments

Don’t just wear grass—wear grass in Hawaii, where it doesn’t look so out of place.

When low-cost carrier Allegiant Air announced new routes to Hawaii yesterday, the Northwest got lucky—especially outside the big cities. The Vegas-based airline added flights to Maui and Honolulu from the Bellingham airport and a Honolulu route from Eugene.

Allegiant made Bellingham one of its “focus cities” in 2008, and already flies from there to California, Nevada, and Arizona (the budget carrier also services exotic locales like Owensboro, Kentucky, and Peoria, Illinois). Introductory fares of $159 (from Bellingham to Honolulu) and $199 (from Bellingham to Kahului in Maui) each way are being offered though Monday, and the flights themselves start November 14 and 15.

Of course, as The Seattle Times notes, those fares come with booking fees, checked baggage fees, and even carry-on fees. In April, Allegiant became the second American airline to charge for carry-on luggage. Passengers pay $10 to $35 for the pleasure of throwing out their shoulders as they wedge bags into overhead bins; for the Hawaii route it’s $25 if paid in advance.

So will this mean more Hawaiian travel for Northwesterners? Alaska, Hawaiian, and Delta Airlines already provide service to the islands out of Sea-Tac, and Alaska does nonstop flights from Bellingham as well. Still, since Allegiant kicks off its new flights in November, there will be plenty of sun-deprived Washingtonians to fill their seats.

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Where to Go to Play Golf

Some of us are PGA, some of us are putt-putt.

Posted by: Allison Williams on May 15, 2012 at 09:00AM 0 Comments

The sun shines on Pronghorn in Bend, Oregon, but only when you birdie.

A sunny spring is upon us and across the state, the tees are trimmed and the bunkers are raked. It’s time for a few links—the golfing kind, not the hot dog kind. Just watch out for gophers.

• At the Port Ludlow Golf Club across the Sound, you never have to be satisfied with the golf gear you already own. Reps from Callaway will be on site May 25, working out of a tour van that can customize clubs while you wait. Plus, this Friday is Nike Golf Demo Day on the course—and a purchase of $200 earns a free round.

• Sometimes a worthy tee takes a little drive time. In our three golfing road trips, find world-class courses around Puget Sound or in Central Oregon. There are juniper forests and lava caves at one golf resort, and a casino at the area’s newest big-name course (so you can earn back your greens fee, naturally).

• The third course at Cle Elum resort Suncadia is called Rope Rider, so named for the rope-swinging coal miners that worked where 7,300 yards of fairway and greens are now. It opened only last fall and includes a “short-game” area that can be played as a kind of mini course, should you want to leave time for other recreations, like snowmobiling.

• If you’re really not Tiger enough for grown-up golf, try something a little smaller: putt-putt. At Ohme Gardens in Wenatchee mini-golf, is free with garden admission on Father’s Day (that’s June 17), with prizes awarded via drawing. Even less formal are the 30 free “holes” of mountain disc golf, available at Crystal Mountain after June 16, weather permitting.

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Tags: Travel Tips, Golf

Know Your Trees, Courtesy of SDOT

The city government maps the greenery on every block—and that’s a lot of leaves.

Posted by: Allison Williams on May 08, 2012 at 09:00AM 0 Comments

Turns out that these aren’t lodgepole pine.

Photo courtesy of Seattle Department of Transportation

Confession time: I know next to nothing about trees. As a Seattle resident and fan of the outdoors (and a former bio major), I’m embarrassed that I can barely tell a flowering cherry from a cedar. That’s why I’m pumped that since January, a web map created by the city reveals the name of every leaf on the street—and every morning commute can be a nature walk.

So how do you find out what’s flowering outside your door? Zoom in to the tree inventory map, which has icons for some 122,000 plants. Besides the scientific name of each arboreal specimen, the map displays the truck diameter, date of inventory, and street address.

Special icons are used to mark heritage trees, which are special individual specimens (like really big ones), historic (like really old ones), or otherwise a landmark. Among the city’s heritage trees are giant redwoods more than 100 feet tall and a 90-year-old golden weeping willow.

If you’re too lazy to look up a tree, you can always make an educated guess: Of those maintained by the city, 21 percent are of the flowering cherry genus; 20 percent are maples. The condition of each is cataloged, with a whopping 42 percent noted as poor or mostly dead. To report conditions or inquire about city greenery, call the city’s tree hotline (yes, they have one!) at 206-684-TREE.

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Tags: nature, gardens

Local Rooms: The Edgewater

What’s good enough for the Beatles is good enough for us.

Posted by: Allison Williams on May 02, 2012 at 04:00PM 0 Comments

Wave at shivering commuters on the ferry from your warm fireside seat.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

Wave at shivering commuters on the ferry from your warm fireside seat.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

From the lost Beatles hit “I Wanna Hold Your Cod.”

View Slideshow » Illustration:

The Hotel: A lot happened 50 years ago. Besides the World’s Fair and the Space Needle construction, a waterfront hotel designed by local architects John Graham & Co was erected on Pier 67. The onetime Camelot eventually became the Edgewater Hotel, soon known for when a certain John, Paul, George, and Ringo visited in 1964. The fab foursome were photographed fishing out of their window and into Elliott Bay (and some eager fans even jumped into the Sound to reach the Beatles). Led Zeppelin and KISS, among other rock bands, later stopped by as well.

In the decades since, the Edgewater’s style has leaned toward the hip and rustic, with LED underwater scenes in the elevators and gas fireplaces in every room, even in the front drive.

For Out-of-Towners: Visitors with a water view will get their fill of ferryboats and tanker ships, though thick windows keep the whistles and horns at an acceptable volume. Rooms combine outdoor prints—stripes and plaids in bold colors—with leather, and ottomans resemble stuffed animals. Recently remodeled bathrooms have slate floors, and from some premium rooms you can see the Olympics from a claw-foot tub.

Though next door to the cruise terminals, the hotel is somewhat off on its own. Belltown is the closet neighborhood, a short walk uphill and home to a handful of young-skewing bars and restaurants. Downtown is accessible but not necessarily convenient from the Alaskan Way location.

For In-Towners: Besides a decorated suite for Beatles superfans, the hotel’s biggest draw is its restaurant, Six Seven. Suspended over Elliott Bay, it’s understandably seafood-minded. An outdoor deck opens during better weather, hosting specials for Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and the Kentucky Derby. With head-on water views, it overlooks Seattle’s many regattas during Sail Away Sundays. Even the regular happy hour is worth a visit.

The crowd at the Edgewater tends to be touristy, but in fall special rates for Washington residents apply. And coming soon is the “It’s Not Me, It’s You” package, with deals for the recently single. Nurse your wounds under the wood chandeliers, or bait your hook to catch yourself a Ringo.

The Edgewater, 2411 Alaskan Way, 206-728-7000, edgewaterhotel.com

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Tags: Seattle Hotels, Local Rooms

BoltBus Brings Dollar Fares to Seattle

Can you spare a buck to visit Portland?

Posted by: Allison Williams on May 01, 2012 at 11:10AM 6 Comments

The wheels on the bus go round and round, all the way to Portland.

In the age of two-story airplanes and electric cars, buses don’t get much respect. When east coast staple BoltBus debuts later this month, however, it’ll make a case for coach travel.

Launched in 2008, Bolt was a competitor to the Chinatown routes that offered dirt-cheap travel between major eastern cities. The Bolt service has two calling cards: Wi-Fi on each bus, and fares as low as $1.

Bolt brings both to the Seattle-Portland route, its first on the West Coast. Don’t think of it as a competitor to mainstay Greyhound; the upstart is actually owned by the old gray fleet, targeting a younger, more wired clientele. Beginning on May 17, Bolt buses will leave Seattle across from the International District Station at 5th Avenue South and King Street. They’re equipped with leather seats, power outlets, and free Wi-Fi. Like an airline, Bolt rewards frequent riders with free trips and early boarding.

The $1 fares are heavily advertised by Bolt, but there are limited one-buck seats available, and each requires a booking fee. Other fares are in the $6 to $10 range (before fees), and tickets are also available from the driver. After a trip of about three and a quarter hours —longer in rush hour, of course—the steel chariots arrive at 647 SW Salmon Street in downtown Portland.

The service is popular on the eastern seaboard, though out there, Bolt’s Wi-Fi service is known to be spotty. Currently one-way Amtrak prices to Portland for early June are as low as $32, Greyhound is at $17, and an Alaska direct flight costs about $80 each way. So Seattle riders just may brawl over the few $1 fares on BoltBus.

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Tags: Portland , Road Trip

Where to Go to Ride a Boat

Wouldn’t you rather be out on the water?

Posted by: Allison Williams on Apr 23, 2012 at 09:00AM 2 Comments

Once you have the ship, all you need is a flag and you’re in the pirate business.

Photo by Joel W. Rogers

Ah, spring in Seattle—when our minds turn to thoughts of sailing in the sun. Or maybe paddleboating; that’s easier. We’re sandwiched between lakes, rivers, a sound, and an ocean; isn’t it time you went out on the water?

• There are, by one count, 428 islands that comprise the San Juans, and you’re never going to hit all of them alone. Rent a sailboat, complete with skipper, to explore spots like Echo Bay on Sucia Island, or mainstays like Orcas or Lopez. Bellingham is another busy spot for sailboat rentals, and Bowman Bay on Fidalgo Island is a good place to rent a kayak.

• Got your own schooner? We suggest setting a course for Denman and Hornby Islands, hidden island secrets in British Columbia.

• Don’t forget the rivers—they’re water, too. Whitewater enthusiasts will thrill at the Snake River to the east, where brave rafters push off near Hells Canyon (gulp). Things are a little slower (and boozier) when kayaking down the Yakima River in wine country; the culinary delights are even tastier on a culinary whitewater trip on the Salmon River, which adds fine dining and Dutch oven cooking classes to the float.

• Rather than harness the wind, harness the power of your own quads in a paddleboat. Rentals are available as close as Green Lake and can also be found at Lakedale Resort on San Juan Island.

• Perhaps you’d rather do without the hassle of an actual boat. The sport of stand-up paddleboarding is on the rise, and now you can do SUP yoga, too. Once you’ve done a corpse pose in the middle of Lake Union, you’re officially one with the water.

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Tags: Waterfront, Sailing, Boats

Rick Steves’s Travel Festival Unpacks in Edmonds

What’s better than going to Italy? Hearing someone talk about going to Italy.

Posted by: Allison Williams on Apr 12, 2012 at 03:00PM 0 Comments

How do you get here? You follow I-5 to Edmonds and start taking notes.

Once upon a time, Rick Steves was just a travel nerd from the Seattle suburbs. Now, 32 years after writing his hit guidebook Europe Through the Back Door, he has an eponymous travel empire and a company leading 11,000 tourists per year. And on Saturday from 9am to 6pm, he—well, his company—hosts one of their thrice-annual European Travel Festivals.

At the Edmonds Theater and Edmonds Center for the Arts, experts lecture on Turkey Tours (a rundown of the various excursions the company runs), Michaelangelo’s Italy (a slide show of David, The Pietà, and the modest little cities that hold them), and Packing Light and Right (they’ll “demonstrate a professionally packed bag”). Everything’s free, with reservations available online. You only spend money if you’re inspired to run straight from the lecture hall to the ticket counters at Sea-Tac.

The Rick Steves Travel Center will be open with extended hours on Saturday as well; besides a travel store, there are rail pass sales, travel consultants, and a massive library of worldly books and DVDs centered around a fireplace.

Steves himself is in Portugal this weekend, but he makes an impact on the Northwest despite traveling four months out of each year. He promotes his home city of Edmonds, donated a building to the local YWCA, and is a board member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. So he’s probably still the kind of guy you’d like to befriend in a hostel.

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Tags: Festivals, Travel Tips

Try This Trail: Old Mount Si

There’s more than one way to the top.

Posted by: Allison Williams on Apr 09, 2012 at 04:00PM 1 Comments

Mount Si was featured in Twin Peaks back in its cool Hollywood period.

Photo by Cascade Hiker

Trail Name: Old Mount Si Trail

Rating: Difficult

Distance: 6 miles round trip

The main trail up Mount Si is kind of like I-5 at rush hour; it’s very crowded but it’s a very useful route. Peakbagger estimates that as many as 100,000 people ascend the North Bend peak every year, many in training for greater alpine ascents (that’s why you see so many people day-hiking with giant packs and checking their watches—two hours is considered a decent time to the top). Parking lots fill immediately on weekend days.

But the Old Trail, which dates back to the 1930s, is the secret to a semi-quiet day on the mountain. Start on the Little Si Trail, which has two parking lots—they’re the first two after crossing the red bridge on Mt. Si Road. About a quarter mile beyond the trailhead, bear right when the Little Si route banks left; after a full mile, there are signs for the Boulder Garden loop while the Old Mount Si trail continues straight. It’s all uphill from here.

Unlike the more meandering new trail, this slog has few switchbacks and no viewpoints (it’s shorter, but climbs the same 3,150 feet). Near the top, the two paths almost touch; Old Trailers used to the peace and quiet may be stunned by the solid line of hikers they see through the trees.

Finally, a mere 100 yards or so from the summit clearing, the two trails do merge. The rocky expanse at the bottom of the Haystack (a giant rock you should only climb with scramble experience) is almost always crowded, but the views of Rainier, the Olympics, Seattle, and Bellevue are worth sharing the lunch spot.

Watch For: Snow covers the top quarter mile well into the spring, so trekking poles and micro spikes are advised.

Getting There: From exit 31 on I-90, take Bendigo Boulevard, then a right on E North Bend Way. Turn left after a mile onto Mt Si Road and immediately cross a red steel bridge. Parking lots are on the left and require a Discover Pass.

Time From Seattle: 40 minutes

Find more Seattle-area trails here.

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Tags: Hiking, Seattle Hiking Trails

Long Beach Hotel Marks Titanic Anniversary

Our hearts will go on; this one-day meal special will not.

Posted by: Allison Williams on Apr 06, 2012 at 04:00PM 0 Comments

“Say what you will about this cruise, Rose; you can’t deny the food was top-notch.”

This weekend, it’s 1997 all over again with the rerelease of the epic Titanic film. Remember our good friends Jack, Rose, the old lady, and the iceberg? (And, of course, Celine Dion’s clavicle?) They’re in 3D at a multiplex near you.

Nostalgia runs even deeper next weekend at Shelburne Inn Bed and Breakfast on the Long Beach Peninsula, billed as the state’s oldest continuously operating hotel. On Sunday, April 15—the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic’s sinking—the inn will hold a commemorative tea and dinner. Using the boat’s menus as inspiration, the house chef will serve smoked Chinook salmon mousse, grass-fed curried country lamb pies, and, um, “oceans of tea” at 2pm, then dishes such as chicken lyonnaise and filet mignon lili for supper.

Entertainment at the Shelburne that day includes a historical presentation by an interpreter in period costume, as well as a piano performance. (Fun fact: The hotel’s grand piano is named Gloria.) Songs come from the White Star Line Music Repertoire book.

Oh, and “period clothing is encouraged, but not required.” That means BYO life jacket, people.

To fill out your April beach weekend, we suggest Jake the Alligator Man in Long Beach or dinner at Pelicano in Ilwaco. Or just head across the Columbia River, where Titanic 3D is playing at Astoria Gateway Cinema.

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Tags: Deals, Hotel Deals, Beach

A Waterfront Ferris Wheel Is Being Built on Pier 57

Is this our version of the London Eye?

Posted by: Allison Williams on Apr 05, 2012 at 02:00PM 2 Comments

Just picture a big old Ferris wheel right here on Pier 57.

Santa Monica, Coney Island…Seattle? A new waterfront Ferris wheel is being erected on our own Pier 57, so by June we may have a new city landmark.

Just 103 short years ago, a Ferris wheel was put on display at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Another appeared at the Seattle Center during the 1962 Century 21 Exposition—in 2010 it looked like a Giant Seattle Wheel was going to visit town for that event’s 50th anniversary, but plans fell through. This time we don’t need a world’s fair to get a new ride.

King 5 News reports that assembly of the 175-foot wheel is taking place on a pier a few blocks from the Seattle Aquarium. The wheel will have enclosed gondolas, like those on the London Eye—and they’ll have A/C, for all those blistering summer days down on Elliott Bay. Builder Hal Griffith applied for the building permit for Pier 57 (known as Miners Landing, also home to a few seafood restaurants) in December 2011, and construction reportedly began this week.

The wheel is predicted to open in June. Since it’s just across Alaskan Way from the Seattle Met offices, you now know how the staff here will be spending our summer lunch hours.

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Tags: Waterfront, tourism