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The Hidden Journeys Project
aims to enliven the flying experience and transform it
into a fascinating exploration of the people, places and
environments thousands of meters below by providing
inspiring information to air travelers about the parts
of the world they fly over (www.hiddenjourneys.co.uk).
The latest guide to be
released explores the mountainous landscape that lies
between Denver and Seattle, including the rugged Wind
River Range in Wyoming; Craters of the Moon National
Monument and the Salmon River Range in Idaho, the
picturesque Palouse Region and the Cascade Mountains of
the Pacific Northwest. The route between the two 19th
century boomtowns of Denver and Seattle follows the path
of hundreds of thousands of emigrants who battled their
way through the mountainous northwest quarter of the
contiguous United States to settle in the West.
As
you fly over several sub-ranges of the Rockies, learn
how the power of glaciers, rivers and the wind have
shaped these mountains into some of the highest peaks in
the continent. See the classic cones of the Cascade
Mountains as you descend towards Seattle, and discover
the influence these active volcanoes have on the Pacific
Northwest, from the impact of devastating eruptions to
the ash-fall deposits that have created the most
productive farming region in the country.
Amongst the spectacular yet
hostile landscapes there are pockets of humanity, where
Native Americans thrived for ten thousand years and
modern cities have sprung up at the feet of mountains
and along the lengths of rivers. A plethora of natural
resources drew settlers here, from precious metals and
timber that fuelled the growth of boomtowns to
present-day mining of chemicals and fossil fuels that
are increasingly valuable as 21st century
commodities.
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Hidden Journey's photos - from the air |
Travel Dream West's Pacific Northwest tour photos - on the ground |
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Mount Hood - courtesy of
NASA - Mount Hood's typical cone-shaped form with
winding belts of lahars (mud flows) and debris from
previous eruptions. |
View of Mt. Hood from
Trillium Lake in
Mount Hood's National Forest |
Scenic drive from
the Columbia River to Mount Hood |
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Enjoy a great hike around
scenic Trillium Lake and take a picnic on our small
group tour traveling from Portland, Oregon to Umatilla
Oregon. Mt. Hood in the background is Oregon's highest
volcano, part of the Cascade mountain range. |
Discover historic Columbia
River Highway with unparalleled views over the Columbia
Gorge and then on to Mt. Hood Scenic Byway. Mt. Hood is
3400 meters high and a considered a dormant volcano. |
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Mount Rainier & Mount Adams
© Aaron Schmidt - Many of the prominent Cascade
peaks are formed by volcanoes, such as these. |
View from Mt. Hood towards
the Cascade volcanoes. |
Explore Seattle harbor with
impressive Mt. Rainier in the background. |
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Visit famous Timberline
Lodge, a ski resort on the National Historic Landmark,
perched on the side of majestic Mt. Hood. Many movies
have been shot here including The Shining with Jack
Nicholson, Lost Horizon with Liv Ullmann and Bend of the
River with James Steward among others. |
Seattle is an important
seaportat Puget Sound, an arm of the Pacific Ocean. It
serves as a major gateway for trade with Asia. In the
background looms 4400 meter high Mt. Rainier, part of
the Cascade Volcanoes and considered one of the most
dangerous volcanoes in the world. |
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Mount St Helens -
courtesy of NASA - This image shows the huge
regional impact of the blast zone, stretching clearly
towards the top of the image over a huge area. |
Mount St. Helens seen from
Johnston Ridge Observatory |
Coldwater Lake with Mt. St.
Helens in thebackground. |
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Our tours visit Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic
Monument stopping at the Silver Lake visitor center
first for an informational movie and displays. A drive
up to Johnston Ridge Observatory demonstrates how nature
is recovering from the last massive eruption in 1980. |
There are several hiking
trails in the area. On our hike at the Coldwater Lake
you can experience how plants have regained the area
that has not long ago been bare and devastated by
volcanic mudslides. Hundreds of square kilometers have
been turned into wasteland in 1980. |
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Seattle: |
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Puget Sound - courtesy of
NASA - Dark water swirls with lighter currents off
Puget Sound, as chlorophyll-rich marine algae gathers
near the coast. |
Scenic beach on Olympic
Peninsula that lies across Seattle on the Puget Sound.
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One of the few remaining
temperate rainforests in the U.S. protected within
Olympic National Park |
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Explore the Olympic
Peninsula on a walk along the beautiful Rialto Beach at
Olympic National Park. Here our tour group relaxes and
enjoys a picnic before we plunge into natural hot
springs at Sol Duc Hot Springs. |
Take a leisurely walk and
explore on your own the walking trails at Hoh
Rainforest. This is an unusual natural area with
tremendously large trees, lichen and mosses. |
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Alki Point, Seattle,
Washington © Gerald Hawkins – An aerial view over
Alki Point, West Seattle, jutting into the dark waters
of Puget Sound. |
Seattle is one of the
Pacific Northwest's most livable cities surrounded by
green, lush forests and many water bodies including
Elliot Bay connecting the city to the open Pacific
Ocean. |
Pike Place Market, one of
the oldest Farmer's Markets in the US is a popular
tourist destination right on the waterfront of Elliot
Bay. |
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Seattle's sky scrapers
downtown, the central business and shopping district
geographically confined by hills and Elliot Bay. |
Experience Music Project and
Science Fiction Museum/Hall of Fame, a unique museum and
building designed by Frank Gehry. |
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