There's lots to do here...

1909 Map of the county

Bike Rides

*Skagit Flats - west of the Skagit River, many loops from 1-25 miles, flat,   beautiful & not many cars. *Fir Island Loop - About 10 miles, flat & beautiful. Bay View to Sedro Wooley - 42 miles, flat quiet roads. Bay View to Mt. Vernon - 41 miles, flat farmland. Fidalgo Island - 34 miles, oil refineries & totems. Big Lake to Mt Vernon via Nookachamps - 38 miles, flora, fauna & hills. Cascade Trail - 22 miles from Sedro Wooley to Concrete, follows the old   railroad right-of-way (no cars!)

Hikes

*Park Butte - 3.5 mi, 2250' up, great views of Mt Baker Scott Paul Trail - 7 mi, 2900' up, mod strenuous Boulder Ridge - 4 mi, 1800' up, view Boulder Glacier Rainbow Ridge - 2 mi, 1200' up, great view but faint trail Swift Creek - 2 mi, 400' up, maybe hard crossing of Creek Shannon Ridge - 3 mi, 2300' up Cow Heaven - 5.5 mi, 4000' up *Thornton Lakes - 5 mi, 2600' up, Pickett views, mod strenuous Trappers Peak - 5964', additional 1000' up from Thornton Lakes trail

*Sourdough Mountain - 3.5 mi, 3900' up, strenuous
*Thunder Creek - 5.5 mi, 600' up, south from Colonial Creek, mod difficulty
East Bank Trail (Ross Lake) - 31 mi
Crater - Devils Loop - 43 mi (5-9 days)
Desolation Peak - 4.5 mi from Desolation Landing (18 mi uplake) 4400' up, strenuous
Beaver Loop - 26 mi
*Easy Pass/Fisher Creek - 7 mi 2800' up, mod strenuous
Lookout Mountain/Monogram Lake - 4.5 mi 4500' up, strenuous
*Hidden Lake Peaks - 4 mi 3500' up, mod difficulty
Kindy Ridge/ Found Lake - 7 mi to Found lake, 4700' up (approach for Mt. Snowking)
South Fork Cascade River - 3 mi, easy
Middle Fork Cascade River - 3.5 mi to Spaulding Mine Trail, 1500' up
*Boston Basin - 7 mi, 3000' up
*Cascade Pass - 3.5 mi, 1800' up
*Sahale Arm - additional 2200' up from Cascade Pass
Round Mtn - 5400 ft. 2 mi, 1900' up
Squire Creek Pass- 4.5 mi, 4000 ft up, views of Whitehorse & 3 Fingers
Green Mountain - 4 mi, 6500', 3200' up, 360 degree views & Glacier Peak, mod difficulty
Bachelor Meadows - 12 mi (rough trail), hike along Downey Creek
Milk Creek/Dolly Creek/Vista Creek Loop - 33 mi loop PCT on north flank of Glacier Pk.
*Image Lake - 16 mi, 4400 ft gain
Suiattle River To Lake Chelan - 29.5 mi
Around Glacier Peak - N & E part - 52 mi
Around Glacier Peak - S & W part - 43 mi
Meadow Mountain/Fire Mountain - 8 mi, 3300 ft gain
Kennedy Ridge - 9 mi, joins PCT, 4000 ft gain
Kennedy Hot Springs - 11 mi, 1000 ft gain
White Chuck Glacier - 14 mi, allow 4 days
Lost Creek Ridge - 5 mi 3550' up, great views of Glacier Peak
*Eightmile Pass/Hidden Lakes (Methow Valley) - The pass is 2 miles, lakes are 14 miles

Climbs

Sauk Mtn - 5537', 1300' up, mod strenuous Snowking Mountain - 7443', 8 hrs to Cyclone Lake, then 2 ½ hrs Mt Buckindy - 7320', class 3/4 White Chuck - 6989', some steep heather 4-5 hrs *Mt Pugh - 5.5 mi 7224', class 2, 5500' up, ascent 5 hrs, descent 3 hrs Whitehorse - 6852', NW Shldr: 7 hrs from rd, steep snow finger *Glacier Peak - 10,541', Sitkum Glacier: 5 hrs to camp, then 5 hrs climb Monte Cristo Pk - 7136', class 4, 5 hrs *Mt. Pilchuck - 5324', 2.7 mi, 2 hrs

Kayaking

*Skagit River: easy paddling, camping possible, can do 1-hour to all-day float Skagit Bay (day trip) Padilla Bay (day trip) *Cypress Island loop (overnight) *Lummi Island loop (overnight) *Lummi Rocks (overnight) *San Juans (overnight) *Everett - Protection Island (day trip)

Sailing/Rowing (suitable for my Whitehall 16)

Skagit Bay (day trip) Padilla Bay (day trip) Cypress Island (overnight) Lakes: lots of 'em (day trips) Row in to Therese' cabin Snohomish River Estuary (Todd's idea)

Shopping

Cascade Mall - 201 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington Dollar Plus -  426 E College Way,  848-0987 Goodwill  - 102 Valley Mall Way,  848-0646 Grocery Outlet (cheap food!) - Riverside Way Skagit Valley Food Coop - 202 S 1st St,  366-9777 Skagit Valley Farmers Market - summer Saturdays 9AM to 1PM,     at Skagit River revetment on Gates Street. Value Village -  525 E College Way,  416-0104

Etc.
Bay View State Park - eight miles north of La Conner on Padilla Bay
Biplane Rides - 360.428.0333
Blau Oyster Company (oysters, mussels, clams) - 11321 Blue Heron Rd, Samish Island   360.766.6171
Burlington Berry Days - July 15-21
Chuck Wagon Drive In - 800 N 4th St, MV, 360.336.2732
Maylee Cuisine of Thailand - 181 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington, 360.757.9747
Mexico Cafe - 1320 Memorial Hiway, MV, 360.424.1977
Skagit County Fair - August 7-10
Skagit Speedway - 8 miles north of Mt. Vernon on Hiway 99. Races June 22,29, July 6,13,20,27, Aug 3,9,10,17,23,31
Skagit Valley Hospital - 1415 E Kincaid St, Mt Vernon, 360.424.4111 ( they got this handsome PT guy working there.)
Taylor Shellfish Farms (oysters, mussels, clams) - 2182 Chuckanut Drive, Bow   360.766.6002

* = Outings I've been on (I might be willing to go again...)

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