- Washington Pass—accessible only about half of the year—is a stretch of the North Cascades Highway boasting steep mountains, year-round glaciers, and a gorgeous alpine forest. This section of State Route 20 climbs to elevations over 5,500 feet and is covered by up to 40 feet of snow between late Fall and early Summer. A short side road near a hairpin turn leads to the Washington Pass Overlook, where visitors can enjoy a short paved trail leading to a spectacular viewpoint. Looming above the overlook are the slopes of a breathtaking array of alpine peaks and pinnacles, including the rounded dome of Liberty Bell and the twin peaks of the North and South Early Winter Spires. This landscape is immensely popular with rock climbers, who scramble up the sheer slopes to reach high vantage points with views of Kangaroo Ridge to the east and the glacier-carved Methow River valley to the north.
- Whidbey Island (Wikipedia)
Whidbey Island (historical spellings Whidby, Whitbey, or Whitby) is the largest of the islands composing Island County, Washington, in the United States, and the largest island in Washington State. (The other large island is Camano Island, east of Whidbey.) Whidbey is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Seattle, and lies between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 corridor of western Washington. The island forms the northern boundary of Puget Sound. It is home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The state parks and natural forests are home to numerous old growth trees.