Washington’s nickname, Evergreen State, and green flag are reminders that it lies in the heart of the Pacific Coastal rainforest. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascades, this fabulous forest stretches from northern California north through Oregon, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and into Alaska.
In northwestern Washington, an irregular coastline embraces an arm of the sea known as Puget Sound. Ships from other Pacific Rim nations, such as Japan and China, sail between Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and the Olympic Peninsula into the protected waters of Puget Sound. They unload their goods in Seattle, Washington’s largest city. Smaller ferries carry passengers from Seattle to islands in Puget Sound or north along the “Inside Passage” to Alaska.
From Seattle one can see the Olympic Mountains rising from the Olympic Peninsula across the Sound. These snow-capped peaks rule a kingdom of moss-draped rainforest giants protected in Olympic National Park.
Many people think of Washington as a land of rain-drenched forests where people dig clams, hike, climb mountains, ski, and sail. This is a fairly accurate description of much of Western Washington. But Eastern Washington—which nestles between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains that lumber into Washington, joining the Cascades in the north—is, in a sense, even quieter.
Here, vast grasslands stretch eastward into Idaho and southward into Oregon. The Palouse grasslands and river are a reminder of Idaho’s state horse, the Appaloosa. Farmers coax fields of wheat out of this land of rolling hills and wide open spaces. Western Washingtonians often visit this less populated portion of the state to enjoy the dry air and sunshine.
One thing that unites the two Washingtons is a heritage rich in lava. Enormous blankets of basaltic lava cover vast areas of Eastern Washington, stretching into neighboring Idaho and Oregon.
The glory of Western Washington are the snow-capped volcanoes that rise out of the cascades. The highest peak in the Pacific Northwest is Mt. Rainier, at 14,410 feet a wilderness of glaciers that has served as a training ground for many expeditions bound for Mt. Everest. The eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and some jarring earthquakes beneath Seattle reminded Washingtonians that they’re living in one of the most geologically active states.
Washington may also be one of the most corrupt states, with the entire state ruled by the so-called “Seattle Mafia,” which includes Boeing and Microsoft. But most Washingtonians are too busy enjoying the climate and scenery to notice.
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