In March 1996 I had started planning this trip with intentions of touring the eastern part of northern California and the east side of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington; then, going into Canada around Banff and Jasper, then on to Alaska, then back into Idaho and Montana.
It soon became evident that there was so much to see that I would not reach the Canadian border until early September - a little late to head for Alaska. As it turned out, I didn't make it into Canada or Idaho and Montana.
In summer 1997 I visited Idaho, Montana and the Banff and Jasper areas in Canada. In summer 1998 I visited Alaska via the Alaska Highway and saw much of British Columbia and Yukon in Canada. For all three of these trips I left home with a plan of places to visit and things to do, but no schedule. This allowed me to spend as much or as little time in a given place as I wished at the time.
The following was created from e-mail messages that I sent to Jim and Jean Gilbreath during the trip, with some editing and additional information.
- Tom's Place, CA to Klamath Falls, OR via Virginia City, NV, Alturus, CA and the South Warner Wilderness
- Klamath Falls, OR to Lava Beds National Monument
- Lava Beds National Monument to Klamath Falls, OR with visits to Mt. Shasta, Castle Crags State Park and Trinity-Alps Wilderness
- Klamath Falls, OR to Waldo Lake, OR with visits to Crater Lake National Park, Diamond Lake Recreation Area
- Waldo Lake, OR to Bend, OR with visits to Three Sisters Wilderness, McKenzie Pass
- Bend, OR to The Dalles, OR with visits to Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, Mt. Hood Wilderness, Columbia River Gorge
- The Dalles, OR Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument with visits to Indian Heaven Wilderness
- Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
- Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to Yakima, WA with visits to William O. Douglas Wilderness, Goat Rocks Wilderness, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
- Mt. Rainier National Park
- Mt. Rainier National Park to Leavenworth, WA with visit to Alpine Lakes Wilderness
- Leavenworth, WA to Winthrop, WA with visits to Wenatchee Lake, Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, Lake Chelan, Lake Chelan/Sawtooth Wilderness, North Cascades National Park, Mt. Baker Wilderness
- Winthrop, WA to Toms Place, CA with visits to Harts Pass, Pasayten Wilderness, Sandpoint, ID, Lewiston, ID, Eagle Cap Wilderness, Hells Canyon, Sumpter Valley
Click the BEAR to visit the
Jim Morris Environmental Shirt Company where T-Shirts and other goodies can be found. The site also has extensive links to environmental organizations and current environmental alerts. CHECK IT OUT!
