Camping in Central Washington State

[Bob Miller]

Central and Eastern WA... Stay Away for Now

I just arrived at Lake Chelan for an extended visit & work parties, and the smoke up and down the Columbia River and almost everywhere east of the Cascades from the Chelan and Okanagan Complex fires is extremely unhealthy. There are dozens of fires burning and there is no wind so the smoke just stays and stays.

As many of these fires are expected to continue into October it's just not a good time to visit.

Next year will be better (it can hardly get worse!)

PM me for additional info if wanted.

[Carol H]

Keeping away from the southern Okanagan area of BC is a good idea as well.

Today evacuation alert notice was issued on the BC side of the border to the communities around Christine Lake and Grand Forks as the winds are blowing north now and the concern is the hot ambers will be putting those communities at risk.

Air quality warns have been issued across most of the southern half of BC as well as Alberta for a week or more now. Some areas of BC and Alberta are getting hit pretty hard by the smoke. Here in Vancouver its only a light haze.

[Tincanpuller]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Central and Eastern WA... Stay Away for Now

I just arrived at Lake Chelan for an extended visit & work parties, and the smoke up and down the Columbia River and almost everywhere east of the Cascades from the Chelan and Okanagan Complex fires is extremely unhealthy. There are dozens of fires burning and there is no wind so the smoke just stays and stays.

As many of these fires are expected to continue into October it's just not a good time to visit.

Next year will be better (it can hardly get worse!)

PM me for additional info if wanted.

Forecast says it should cool after today and might even rain on Saturday, but highs in the 70's for a few days should be a huge help.

[Byron Kinnaman]

This one of the best web campground resource I've found. Ultimate Campgrounds - Home

[John McMillin]

I was up there last week, staying at Red Mountain CG above Cicely, Alaska, er, Roslyn, Washington. Obviously not the best of times there, with the lake half empty and visibility restricted, but it was still one of the finest campsites I've ever found. It was half the price of a Colorado campsite but twice the size, shaded by tall trees and graced with a short path to a stony beach on the river. The foliage was colorful, the water was musical, and the evening air show was wonderful, both from the local bats and the planes departing SeaTac airport.

But beyond that evening's experience, the OP is right-- it's a lousy time for a road trip in that corner of the country. In one 800-mile day, I managed to drive through five states, without feeling like I'd seen even one of them! And all the forest roads and campgrounds in SW Idaho were closed to the public.

[Bob Miller]

Ahhh.... Rosyln
My late wife worked at the hospital that used to be in Rosyln. It had a water powered elevator that always sounded like a giant toilet flushing when you went down in it.


One of my tenants stayed at Red Mountain in May, reported the same you, an excellent place to stay.

[John McMillin]

Scenes from Roslyn and Red Mountain-

[OneOleMan]

I always like going to Cecily, AK and visiting the cemetery. So much history in that plot of land. And so segregated. One time stopped in at the Red Brick Saloon for a cool one and enjoyed the atmosphere. I swear the ole dog lying on the floor was one of the first residents.