Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

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Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

August 22, 2018, 01:56:34 am

For the second August in a row, we have been chased out of an area in Washington state we had hope to spend more time in.
Last summer, the smoke on the eastern Cascades was too much much so we went to Port Townsend.
This year the smoke in the San Juan Islands and especially in the Port Townsend area sent us packing southward, toward home, which right now, ironically, has some of the better air the in the US.
Friends traveling in various western states are having similar experiences, just as they have had in the last few years.

So, what to do in the later summer? Even the PNW coast is not a guarantee of cool, clear air anymore.
There is no reason to expect this season will be the end of it, with a continuing drought and hundreds of million of dead trees throughout the West and B.C., patiently waiting their turn to burn .
This could have major economic implications as out of area tourists slowly figure this out.
More than few out of state and foreign visitors had their Yosemite dreams canceled this year and a reported loss of fifty million dollars in Park fees and the local tourist trade.
The Economic Impact of the Ferguson Fire | Outside Online
And that is just one of many fires.

One partial solution is to travel earlier, in the late spring and earlier summer, before the fire and smoke season begins.
Unfortunately, that leave us at home during the hottest months of the year.
Looks like I may need to insulate and air condition the garage.

Larry

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #1 – August 22, 2018, 06:18:31 am

Hopefully "this too shall pass". Three out of four of the last summers have been this way in NE Washington. We just got back from the coast where we were escaping the smoke and heat but our last couple of days there got a bit smokey even on the beach. Supposed to get better now as a cold front moves in and there are stars this morning which is encouraging. Went to town a couple days ago and it was so bad people were driving with headlights on. I think the west is just in a dry period that hopefully will end soon. I can remember 25 years ago when we lived in North Idaho and bought a brand new boat and barely got to use it the first two summers because it rained so much. Seemed like all I did was go down to the dock and pump the bilge every morning on my way to the job. Wish we'd get a few summers like that now.

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #2 – August 22, 2018, 08:56:14 am

Larry, the Great Basin is still looking good, although according to the Smoke Map I do now see a small fire in northeastern White Pine County in the Cherry Creek mountain range. My vote would be to head to Great Basin NP. At 8,000- 10,000 ft. camping elevations, I'm betting the air would be plenty clear and cool. Not much kayaking up there, tho!

PNW Smoke Map

PS: My current avatar is from Lower Lehman cg.

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #3 – August 22, 2018, 09:31:45 am

In two or three days we are leaving Portland for a two month trip around the US. The first plan was to go north to Seattle then hit highway 2 or so going east to Michigan. Because of smoke and fires we are heading south then east. The plan now is to go southeast thru Utah then Colorado, Oklahoma then up north east to Tennessee. Then go north thru Michigan to hit Highway 2 going west. Hopefully the fires and smoke will be gone. <sigh> This year has been an interesting challenge. .

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #4 – August 22, 2018, 11:31:51 am

Along the southeastern coast, we've had stretches of years where summer plans (fishing, scuba diving, general going to the beach) seemed to be constantly interrupted by hurricanes and tropical storms.

The last frustrating stretch was in the mid 2000's, and I remember reading articles about how this was the 'new normal' and we all just needed to get used to it.

Perhaps predictably, this lead to a stretch of below average activity and everyone quickly forgot why they were so hesitant to book a vacation week at the coast.

Hopefully you'll see something similar with fires along the west coast.

Rich
'03 MB in NC

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #5 – August 22, 2018, 12:16:45 pm

Here is a timely cartoon. We have extended our stay in Port Townsend because we continue to wait for our mishandled mail.

Wheel of Dystopia

Jim

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #6 – August 22, 2018, 01:13:19 pm

Quote from: Jim & Gayle - August 22, 2018, 12:16:45 pm

Here is a timely cartoon. We have extended our stay in Port Townsend because we continue to wait for our mishandled mail.

Wheel of Dystopia

Jim

Being absent from the cartoon, it would appear that the Midwest and the Great Plains are still available for in-migration.

Chris

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #7 – August 22, 2018, 02:09:06 pm

Quote from: Chris Horst - August 22, 2018, 01:13:19 pm

Being absent from the cartoon, it would appear that the Midwest and the Great Plains are still available for in-migration.

Chris

Whoo Hoo, for the Midwest and Great Planes. We aren't finished exploring there yet! Then hopefully the fires and hurricanes will have settled down and we can explore the rest of the US.

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #8 – August 22, 2018, 06:26:32 pm

Larry, you wrote what has been on my mind for two months. We really wanted to get back to the PNW one more time next year. Not at all sure it will happen. You have heard me moan about being chased by smoke all last year. I think it is worse this year. Much of the west had good snow last year, then it turned dry early and the fires started (and were started).

I have spent a lot of time getting the LD and toad ready for another trip and still have two projects that have to be done when it cools off here. It depresses me to think I will spend the time and smoke will get us again after driving 2,500 miles.

One partial solution is to travel earlier, in the late spring and earlier summer, before the fire and smoke season begins.
Good plan we will get to Moab while it's still cool. When it warms up there, look for a place to kill time until the Oregon coast gets reasonable.

Unfortunately, that leave us at home during the hottest months of the year.
Tell me about it. It's been a killer summer in Alabama.

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #9 – August 22, 2018, 06:50:09 pm

Quote from: Don Malpas - August 22, 2018, 06:26:32 pm

Larry, you wrote what has been on my mind for two months. We really wanted to get back to the PNW one more time next year. Not at all sure it will happen. You have heard me moan about being chased by smoke all last year. I think it is worse this year. Much of the west had good snow last year, then it turned dry early and the fires started (and were started).

I have spent a lot of time getting the LD and toad ready for another trip and still have two projects that have to be done when it cools off here. It depresses me to think I will spend the time and smoke will get us again after driving 2,500 miles.

One partial solution is to travel earlier, in the late spring and earlier summer, before the fire and smoke season begins.
Good plan we will get to Moab while it's still cool. When it warms up there, look for a place to kill time until the Oregon coast gets reasonable.

Unfortunately, that leave us at home during the hottest months of the year.
Tell me about it. It's been a killer summer in Alabama.

Do you boondock Moab or stay in a campground. I like the slickrick campground because I mountain bike but it's a nice campground even if you don't.

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #10 – August 23, 2018, 01:58:14 am

Quote from: Sawyer - August 22, 2018, 06:50:09 pm

Do you boondock Moab or stay in a campground. I like the slickrick campground because I mountain bike but it's a nice campground even if you don't.

If sites are available, we camp on Hwy 128, north-east of Hwy 191, in one of the BLM sites, next to the Colorado River.
The old age card reduced the nightly fee to $7.50, the last time we were there.
Many of the sites have a 24' limit. We squeeze in at 23.5'.

Larry

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #11 – August 23, 2018, 09:06:38 am

We boondock about everywhere we go. Staying a campground is like a prison to us. We prefer places with nothing but horizon. That's tricky around Moab as many places have been placed off-limits. Still it's better for us than a campground.

Over the years, we have stayed at all the BLM campgrounds along the Colorado River that Larry mentioned. My wife likes the closest one to town Goose Island. The only amenity is trash pickup. The downside is the constant stream of vehicles going through the campground looking for a space, road noise and the light show at night.

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #12 – August 23, 2018, 05:59:11 pm

Quote from: Don Malpas - August 23, 2018, 09:06:38 am

We boondock about everywhere we go. Staying a campground is like a prison to us. We prefer places with nothing but horizon. That's tricky around Moab as many places have been placed off-limits. Still it's better for us than a campground.

Over the years, we have stayed at all the BLM campgrounds along the Colorado River that Larry mentioned. My wife likes the closest one to town Goose Island. The only amenity is trash pickup. The downside is the constant stream of vehicles going through the campground looking for a space, road noise and the light show at night.

We started going to Moab thirty plus years ago and man have things changed. It used to be easy to boondock but yeah it's kind of tough now. We used to boondock where the slickrock campground is now but it became such a popular party spot for kids that it was getting trashed and they had to take control of the situation. I still love going there though and plan a trip next spring.

Edit: Actually I think it's called the Sand Flats campground now

Re: Is this the end of the western summer vacation as we knew it?

Reply #13 – August 24, 2018, 04:03:00 am

I think the spring/early summer or maybe fall instead of later summer may be a good idea. I have not seen smoke in Washington or northern Oregon until August this and last summer. I don’t recall smoke in 2016. I left the Northwest day after Labor Day in major smoke 2017 so I don’t know when it improved. In summer, later spring, early fall I am often on the northern Olympic Peninsula. Sometimes Seattle area, coast, Columbia Gorge, or cascade mountains.

I always lived in Seattle until 2015 and saw smoke maybe a few times traveling in Washington and northern Oregon but nothing like the last couple summers.

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