It’s summer; time to get out and travel our state for new birding destinations! The North Central Washington Audubon Society website has lots of advice for where to find birds that thrive in their drier, warmer and more mountainous area.
See: North Central Washington Audubon Birding Routes
The Cascade Loop birding trail, part of the colorful series mapping our state, will also guide you to best spots and helpful information on local birds in this area.
And in the evenings, enjoy the surprisingly gripping story of how the North Cascades were set aside as a National Park in 1968 after decades of sustained effort. Local writer, Lauren Danner builds upon her thorough research and firm grasp of the political struggles both within and between the competing federal agencies of the Forest Service and National Parks, to describe the campaign to save the wild Cascades. The pressures of unprecedented population and economic growth experienced in our post-war state ironically provided both the urgent impetus to save this area and attracted a new generation of backpacking enthusiasts with the resources to achieve their goal. Still, it took enormous effort, skill and some luck to create the park we revere today. After awe-inspiring days exploring the trails, marveling at the sharp-edged peaks and arching blue skies, as well as the abundant bird life, thank the hardy band of conservationists whose vision and tenacity gifted us with this beauty, so well described in Crown Jewel Wilderness. (by Anne Kilgannon)