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October, 2024

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Help me plan my PNW road trip

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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
Hey guys,

My girlfriend and I are leaving for a road trip around the PNW at the end of the week. We've laid out the following route (tentative).



Link to Google Maps Route

We're looking for the best climbing, camping, biking (XC) & hiking along the way.

Currently we've got the following places we want to hit up:
+Smith Rock
+Mt Hood (suggestions outside of skiing would be appreciated)
+Olympic NP (2nd beach, Hoh rainforest)
+Various climbing in Washington (North Bend, Vantage, Coeur D'aleane)

We're not planning on spending much time around Bozeman or Missoula since we can hit these areas up on a long weekend.

I'd love to hear from some NS'er if anyone can help add to the list. We specifically need beta on awesome places to car camp along the way.

+K for any help.

PS: If you see this grape van, come say whatsup
Mar 30 2015 11:46PM
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
INB4 Regionals.

Figured I'd post this hear so people would actually see it and I'm sure there are lot of people who have vacationed in the area and might be able to offer some quality input.
Mar 30 2015 11:47PM
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Moosen
Posts: 4285 - Karma: 2,585
Well as everyone knows. Best place to camp around hood is the airstrip by trillium lake. Free, laidback (most of the time) and you don't really get bothered.
Mar 30 2015 11:49PM
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iFlip
Posts: 4543 - Karma: 19,132
How long do you have? Are you interested in climbing any of the mountaineering-type peaks such as Hood, Shasta, or Rainier? I've climbed all over the PNW. I was not a huge fan of Smith but that was probably mostly due to the heat. If you climb hard sport, it's one of the best and should be nice at this time of the year. Definitely consider climbing at Trout Creek.
Mar 30 2015 11:52PM
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.CJ.
Posts: 1509 - Karma: 3,669
Go canoeing or boating on Coeur d' Alene lake. I used to live there and its a calm lake.
Mar 30 2015 11:55PM
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
iFlipHow long do you have? Are you interested in climbing any of the mountaineering-type peaks such as Hood, Shasta, or Rainier? I've climbed all over the PNW. I was not a huge fan of Smith but that was probably mostly due to the heat. If you climb hard sport, it's one of the best and should be nice at this time of the year. Definitely consider climbing at Trout Creek.


We've got like 11 days so were not really planning on doing any big Alpine climbs. We'll mostly be climbing sport and some easy trad (up to 5.10a). Trout Creek looks amazing but I only have a double trad rack and most the routes look like they require 4-5 cams in the same size.
Mar 31 2015 12:02AM
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
.CJ.Go canoeing or boating on Coeur d' Alene lake. I used to live there and its a calm lake.


Any suggestions on good camping around the area?
Mar 31 2015 12:03AM
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.CJ.
Posts: 1509 - Karma: 3,669
iLLbiLLyAny suggestions on good camping around the area?


Nah sorry, It's been awhile since I've lived there.
Mar 31 2015 12:14AM
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TinyTigers
Posts: 484 - Karma: 213
I'd recommend skipping Boise and Twin Falls and spend a day or two going through the Sawtooth wilderness. You could get there by gettin off 84 around Weizer and goin up through McCall on 95, then down to Garden Valley and join up with 21 to go through Stanley and Sun Valley. Or, if you're not interested in checkin out McCall, just go straight from Boise to Garden Valley, then through Stanley. If you're interested in checkin out this part of Idaho, I've got some good info on hiking/camping for ya.

Another thing, if you don't care to spend too much time in Bozeman or Missoula, just skip through on to 287, 89, then to highway 2 so you can make it through Glacier Park and Kalispell, then you could go down to CDL through Sandpoint. That's honestly the most beautiful driving portion of your whole trip in my opinion.

Sounds like an awesome trip, have fun!
Mar 31 2015 12:28AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,686
US 2 instead of i90. Stop in Leavenworth for some rock climbing and hiking, maybe some mountain biking outside Wenatchee. Then up into the Okanogen and take the backroads or US2 to Spokane.

If you do go i90 there is some decent rock climbing off exit 38. Also Vantage.
Mar 31 2015 12:52AM
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ghosthop
Posts: 631 - Karma: 1,027
TinyTigersjust skip through on to 287, 89, then to highway 2 so you can make it through Glacier Park and Kalispell


^^^although I really enjoy going west from helena and taking 83 to kalispell, not sure how the drive is this time of year


cool thread, interested in recs for camping near the coast
Mar 31 2015 2:00AM
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