"In 1853, the Washington Territory was formed from part of the Oregon Territory. Named in honor of George Washington, Washington was the 42nd state to join the Union, in 1889. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. The state has two major mountain ranges--the 7,000-foot Olympic Mountains surrounded by temperate rain forest on the peninsula west of Puget Sound, and the more majestic Cascade Range, which boasts the 14,410-foot Mount Rainier and the volcanic Mount St. Helens, which erupted twice in the 1980s. Although the capital is Olympia, most people live in the metropolitan areas of Seattle-Everett and Tacoma. The state tree of the "Evergreen State" is the western hemlock, and the flower is the western rhododendron.
It’s a little easier to pry yourself from the comfy bed in your downtown hotel room when you know you’re only an hour’s drive from fresh snow on the slopes of the Cascade Range, sometimes referred to as the “Switzerland of North America.” Washington State is gifted with skiing unsurpassed in accessibility and variety of terrain. The Summit at Snoqualmie and Alpental together offer four mountains within an hour of Seattle on Interstate 90. Bring your snowboard to surf the fabled terrain park of Mount Baker, the birthplace of the sport. You might want a snorkel for the deep powder of little-known Bluewood in the southeastern part of the state. Throughout the region, the peaks are dramatic, the temperatures are comfortable, the snow is reliable and the coffee at the lodge is always great.
One gorge, three volcanos, and a million possibilities await you in Volcano Country. Climb one of the tallest mountains in the Lower 48, paddle along one of the longest rivers west of the Mississippi, and explore your inner-self as you venture through gorgeous scenery. From Vancouver to Tacoma, Randle to White Salmon and hundreds of miles in between you'll find historic sites and recreational delights. Retrace the steps of Lewis & Clark along the Columbia River Gorge, look out from Paradise, or sit back and enjoy a meal in one of the many wonderful restaurants in Vancouver. Just pack a map and get out and explore because you just never know what you may find in Volcano Country.
Travel through a land full of rolling hills, steep canyons, and historic towns. Start at the southeast corner of the state where the Snake River winds through eon-old canyons marked with Native American pictographs, and where The Corps of Discovery first stepped foot into what would become Washington State, to fertile fields of wheat and lentils that stretch as far as the eye can see. Whatever activity you enjoy, whether it's world-class fishing, skiing in the Blue Mountains, or antiquing in the dozens of small towns listed in the National Historic Registry, you can do it in the Palouse."
- From the access.wa.gov website
To learn more about Washington State visit http://access.wa.gov/
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