Posted by John Zinn on February 8, 2007 at 1:41 PM
Hi everyone,
The Northwest has worked it way up to #1 on my places to go list. So I am curious about when the best time to visit would be. I know the waterfalls are great in May, but I'm leaning towards trying to hit the bloom at Ranier. Is the 2nd - 3rd week of July the right time for wildflowers? And will the mossy streams and waterfalls still be looking good or will it the light be too sunny and harsh? A tentative itinerary includes Olympic NP, Ranier, Hood, St. Helens, and the coast. Thanks.
John
Posted by Marc Adamus on February 8, 2007 at 2:21 PM
Sounds like the end of July to me, John. The coast is always good. Wildflowers vary from year to year. Usually the first week of August is best, but with snowpack at only 60% of average in most places right now, it may come a little early this year. St. Helens peak blooms are 1-3 weeks before Rainier's. Keep watching for road repair info in Rainier NP. They got hit terribly hard by floods earlier this Winter. Right now the park is virtually inaccessable. The waterfalls are only in prime form until about June 1. They will still be going strong at the end of July along the major Columbia tributaries, but the greens definitely start to fade a little as Summer goes on.
Marc
Posted by Kosta Koeman on February 8, 2007 at 2:23 PM
John,
Late July, early August is the best time for wildflowers in Washington (typically more early August - hope for a few showers at that time to really bring out the wildflowers).
Don't worry about having too much sunny weather. You are almost guaranteed a few cloudy and rainy days, perfect for photographing waterfalls. If you have an umbrella to attach to your tripod, even better. The colors really get saturated when wet. I will only shoot Sol Duc Falls when it's raining (it keeps the crowds away). Hitting Rainier and then the Olympic Penninsula will give you a great trip. How long were you thinking on being in this area?
Kosta
Posted by John Zinn on February 8, 2007 at 5:16 PM
Thanks for the info Marc and Kosta. I would like to spend at least a week there. I am contemplating a 3 week trip to throw in the Canadian Rockies or Glacier and Colorado Rockies or Eastern Sierra. Unfortunately there is not enough vacation time in a year!!
Posted by Mark Windom on February 8, 2007 at 11:14 PM
I would check back here as we get closer to summer for updated info or check the NP websites. It will be interesting to see how accessible the backcountry areas are at Rainier this year considering the damage sustained earlier this Winter. I'm also wondering (being paranoid, I guess) if the wildflower bloom will be affected (loss of topsoil??). Re: the coast, again check back later. Second Beach access is closed with no guess as to when it will be reopened and I've read that the Native Americans involved may close access to Rialto Beach as well. Ruby Beach is very nice and Shi Shi is probably the best but is best done on an overnite backpack trip.
Posted by Bryan Swan on February 9, 2007 at 4:08 AM
Definitely aim for July rather than May. May will still mean a lot of snow in the mountains, higher elevations like Rainier and the passes around St. Helens especially, and the flowers won't be out yet.
Marc, I don't know what you're reading but SNOTEL is currently reporting the mountain snowpack is consistently 100-130% of average pretty much everywhere in Washington and the Oregon Cascades at between 80-110% of average (depending on what side of the mountains). This means that IF the roads in Rainier are all repaired by the summer (the Nisqually Road is slated to be open by May), then you still might run into patches at Paradise and especially Sunrise. This will also, as Marc alluded to, mean a later flower season - early August-ish.
As far as waterfalls go, however, you don't have to worry about seasonal constraints. The beauty about waterfalls in the Northwest is that they flow all the time and are usually fairly consistent. July at Rainier, St. Helens, North Cascades National Park, etc, will provide you with booming waterfalls. Lesser so for the Olympics and the Columbia Gorge, but they'll be worth seeing in those areas nonetheless (of course, waterfalls shouldn't necessarily be the reason to go to the Olympics in the summer).
Posted by Marc Adamus on February 9, 2007 at 11:06 AM
Many NW area ski resorts, like Mount Bachelor, are reporting below average snow pack at this time. I didn't check the reports from SNOTEL or from Rainier. There was also maybe 3 feet or so on the ground when I drive over Santiam pass to Bend, which really surprises me. I'm used to seeing a lot more. Thanks for the in-depth information there. It looks like the further North and West you go the better the snowfall this year. Crater Lake is also below average.
Come in August; I don't share Kosta's assurance that there will be cloudy days. As others have written on this site, the months of August and September are just unremittingly dazzling, with harsh light all day. The result is, you should plan on getting up very very early, especially if you're quartering at a motel outside the park and have to drive. I did a workshop at Rainier a few years back, in August; we were getting up at 3:30 AM to reach good spots for morning light.
For lots of falls, water flow shouldn't be an issue because, well, there's always a lot of it. Some of the lower-flow locations may be noticeably diminished by late summer. Be aware of a differing, counterintuitive seasonal rhythm for glacier-fed watercourses: since their volume of flow is dependent on the rate of melting at the headwater glacier, some streams will be building in August toward a seasonal peak in September or October. Moss is not a seasonal thing west of the Cascade crest. You want moss, we got moss.
You'll catch lots of wildflowers at just about any time during the summer; if they've passed by at a particular location, just go up higher. I believe the absolute peak for wildflowers near timberline on Mt. Hood is acftually in August. You'll miss the rhododendrons and beargrass, which have spectacular peak seasons in June. June would also be the time for low elevation irises. There are a few at higher elevations but nothing like the splendid fields of them at lower heights. Paintbrushes have long seasons; be aware of regional variations in color, ranging from deep maroon (Washington Cascades) to bright yellows (mainly east of the mountains). Penstemons also have long seasons, and come in infinite varieties. Get a field guide.
Posted by John Zinn on February 11, 2007 at 3:05 AM
Thanks for all the info guys. Now I just have to work out the final plans and make it happen.
Discussion
8 repliesThe Northwest has worked it way up to #1 on my places to go list. So I am curious about when the best time to visit would be. I know the waterfalls are great in May, but I'm leaning towards trying to hit the bloom at Ranier. Is the 2nd - 3rd week of July the right time for wildflowers? And will the mossy streams and waterfalls still be looking good or will it the light be too sunny and harsh? A tentative itinerary includes Olympic NP, Ranier, Hood, St. Helens, and the coast. Thanks.
John
Marc
Late July, early August is the best time for wildflowers in Washington (typically more early August - hope for a few showers at that time to really bring out the wildflowers).
Don't worry about having too much sunny weather. You are almost guaranteed a few cloudy and rainy days, perfect for photographing waterfalls. If you have an umbrella to attach to your tripod, even better. The colors really get saturated when wet. I will only shoot Sol Duc Falls when it's raining (it keeps the crowds away). Hitting Rainier and then the Olympic Penninsula will give you a great trip. How long were you thinking on being in this area?
Kosta
Marc, I don't know what you're reading but SNOTEL is currently reporting the mountain snowpack is consistently 100-130% of average pretty much everywhere in Washington and the Oregon Cascades at between 80-110% of average (depending on what side of the mountains). This means that IF the roads in Rainier are all repaired by the summer (the Nisqually Road is slated to be open by May), then you still might run into patches at Paradise and especially Sunrise. This will also, as Marc alluded to, mean a later flower season - early August-ish.
As far as waterfalls go, however, you don't have to worry about seasonal constraints. The beauty about waterfalls in the Northwest is that they flow all the time and are usually fairly consistent. July at Rainier, St. Helens, North Cascades National Park, etc, will provide you with booming waterfalls. Lesser so for the Olympics and the Columbia Gorge, but they'll be worth seeing in those areas nonetheless (of course, waterfalls shouldn't necessarily be the reason to go to the Olympics in the summer).
For lots of falls, water flow shouldn't be an issue because, well, there's always a lot of it. Some of the lower-flow locations may be noticeably diminished by late summer. Be aware of a differing, counterintuitive seasonal rhythm for glacier-fed watercourses: since their volume of flow is dependent on the rate of melting at the headwater glacier, some streams will be building in August toward a seasonal peak in September or October. Moss is not a seasonal thing west of the Cascade crest. You want moss, we got moss.
You'll catch lots of wildflowers at just about any time during the summer; if they've passed by at a particular location, just go up higher. I believe the absolute peak for wildflowers near timberline on Mt. Hood is acftually in August. You'll miss the rhododendrons and beargrass, which have spectacular peak seasons in June. June would also be the time for low elevation irises. There are a few at higher elevations but nothing like the splendid fields of them at lower heights. Paintbrushes have long seasons; be aware of regional variations in color, ranging from deep maroon (Washington Cascades) to bright yellows (mainly east of the mountains). Penstemons also have long seasons, and come in infinite varieties. Get a field guide.