Outdoor Travel Adventures

Glacier capped mountains, wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth forests, including temperate rain forests can all be found at Olympic National Park. About 95% of the park is designated Wilderness, which further protects these diverse and spectacular ecosystems. Olympic is also known for its biological diversity. Isolated for eons by glacial ice, and later the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Peninsula has developed its own distinct array of plants and animals. Eight kinds of plants and 15 kinds of animals are found on the peninsula but no where else on Earth.

Thank you for your interest in Olympic National Park-Hiking and Nature Study trip sponsored by ADK. This trip provides an opportunity to experience the diverse ecosystems of the Olympic Peninsula while hiking daily (4 to 9 miles RT) with a naturalist guide. We will hike alpine ridges with views of glacier capped peaks, and meadows abundant with wildflowers on several days then contrast this environment with the deep valleys of the temperate rainforests with their huge old growth trees, giant ferns and hanging mosses and lichens. Yet another day we will visit the Pacific coast to walk the beach and investigate tide pools.

The Olympic Park Institute (OPI) will provide home base for meals, lodging in cabins, naturalist guide, evening speakers and transport to trailheads. Located near Port Angeles, WA, the institute is on the shore of Crescent Lake and surrounded by mountains in a relaxing picturesque spot. We will stay in cabins that have a nearby bathhouse with showers and flush toilets. Each cabin has a small common room and 4 sleeping rooms that sleep 2-4 people. Cabins and bathhouse are wheelchair accessible. There is also a dining hall, log gazebo with stone fireplace, meeting rooms and science lab.

Olympic Park Institute (OPI) is non-profit organization and a member of Yosemite National Institutes. They will provide a naturalist-guide daily to lead interpretive hikes and present evening programs. OPI is located on Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula and on the edge of the Olympic National Park. It is 3.5 hour drive from Seattle. Since 1998, OPI, a non-profit organization, has sponsored conferences, retreats, K-12 school programs and Elderhostels. OPI is dedicated to providing educational adventures in nature's classroom to inspire a personal connection to the natural world and responsible actions to sustain it. For over 30 years, YNI has served over 40,000 youth and adults annually through a unique variety of environmental education programs at our National Park campuses in California and Washington

Activities: Hiking with naturalist guide, nature study with focus on alpine wildflowers, rain forest, tundra and tide pool habitats, flora and fauna, evening presentations, optional canoeing and or meditating along the picturesque lakeshore surrounded by spectacular mountains.

Physical requirements: Be reasonably physically fit as to hike 5- 8 miles a day with elevation gains of possibly 1,500-2000'. Daily walks are advised as preparation.

Personal Enjoyment: Participants need to enjoy interacting with others and group living in simple, comfortable cabins with shared bath facilities near by. We need to be a bit flexible as weather and environmental conditions might modify our schedule on any given day. We will hike daily with a naturalist guide.

Click here to see a detailed Tentative Itinerary.

Cost, $810, includes lodging day 1-6, all meals from dinner Day 1 through bag lunch Day 7, transportation to and from Seattle airport and OPI, naturalist guide, evening speakers and transport to trailheads. Airfare, alcoholic beverages and personal items are not included.

Please consider the strenuousness of this trip and described below and your current level of fitness.

To insure a reservation please send $300 deposit by charge or check made payable to ADK Olympic.  All but $75 is refundable. Please also print out, fill in, and include signed liability form, credit card authorization form (if needed), health form and application. Or contact me and I will mail you the forms. Thanks. These must be received by US mail rather than e mail. The balance of $510 will be due by Mar 1, 2004.  The trip requires a minimum of 10 and is limited to a maximum of 20 participants.

 I hope that you will consider joining us on this exciting experience. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call me at 315- 687-3589 and talk to me or our recording device or by email.

Contact : Mary Coffin, 328 Deepsprings Dr., Chittenango, N.Y.13037. 315-687-3589. mccoffin721@att.net.