(Salish Lodge behind the massively beautiful Snoqualmie Falls)

SNOQUALMIE TO SAGECLIFFE HIGH COUNTRY ECO ESCAPE
2 DAYS / 1 NIGHT

Tour Length: 2 Days / 1 Night
Tour Code: EV 101
Lodging: Cave B Inn at Sagecliffe
Activities: Rafting or biking, hiking, wildlife viewing, fine wining & gourmet dining
Interests: Natural history, geology, ecology, culinary, sustainability, educational sightseeing
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D), Morning / Afternoon Tea (MT/AT)
Difficulty: Moderate
Carbon Footprint: custom – ask for details
Cost: Call for quote
Season: Year round
Departures: Private Charter Only
Min No of Passengers:

Escape Route day-by-day Itinerary:

DAY 1 - Seattle to Sagecliffe via Snoqualmie Pass (B,LD)

Sleep: Cave B Inn
Do: Hike, Biking or Rafting, Geology Tour, Wine Tasting

Start the day off with a short hike to Coal Creek Falls on Cougar Mountain our urban escape route, then venture up through our region's self-named Mountains to Sound Greenway, straddling Interstate 90, in the heart of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, With the adventurous day before us we stop for the Famous Four Course Country Breakfast at Salish Lodge, overlooking the 268’ foot Snoqualmie Falls.  In the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest there is more then ample opportunity to go play in the outdoors including the chance to paddle a raft, kayak or funyak down the Powerhouse run of the Snoqualmie River, go mountain biking on the John Wayne Trail, or hike one of many trails or even go fly-fishing in a stream teeming with rainbows, spot wildlife and just take in some incredible scenery. This place is overflowing with peaks, lakes, rivers and streams and the perfect region to enjoy the outdoors.

As we make our way down the “other side” you will see for yourself the dramatic changes in landscape.  Going from dense evergreen forest and soaring mountains to a sagebrush desert plain.   You will encounter first hand the impact that the Cascade mountain range has on our State’s climate by casting a huge rain shadow effect onto the dry side…  You will also witness a grand landscape in motion - as seen from a geological perspective, your guide will describe the forces that have shaped the land, which only adds to the pleasure of the remarkable scenery. 

As we head further east through apple country keep a watch out for elk feeding in the meadows or one of the sixteen species of raptors known to migrate through the area.   As we approach the Gingko Petrified Forest State Park, we take a look out across the arid landscape, it is difficult to imagine that the surrounding area was once covered in dense forest. Approximately 16 million years ago however, that is exactly what it looked like. Forests of mixed deciduous trees and conifers covered land that now can only support sagebrush, shrubs, and grasses. Volcanic eruptions that covered southeastern Washington during the Miocene epoch preserved the wood, providing evidence of these ancient forests.  The scenery again beckons our attention as we enter the SageCliffe Columbia River Reserve and cross the Columbia River on the way to the luxurious Cave B Inn at SageCliffe overlooking the dramatic river gorge.  This evening you can experience a barrel tasting in the Cellar, followed by dinner at Tendrils restaurant located in the architecturally spectacular main Inn, with visit to your table by Chef or Winemaker. Chef Fernando Divina serves innovative regional fare - harvested from SageCliffe’s on-site organic gardens - artfully paired with Cave B Estate Wines.

DAY 2 - Sagecliffe to Seattle (B,L,D)

Sleep: Cave B
Do: Massage, Bike and Hike

Sleep until you wake, enjoy breakfast on your patio overlooking the gorge, then head to the Spa at SageCliffe for an invigorating 80 minute Hot Stone Massage utilizing heated basalt and river rocks with aromatherapy..  Feeling invigorated, you embark on the new day, starting with a hike that leads down to the Columbia River below, offering exciting views, hidden waterfalls and seasonal ponds. Or choose to connect with the beautiful SageCliffe land on a sturdy mountain bike where you can breeze past vineyards, traverse the 700 acre estate or take an adventurous ride to the magnificent Columbia River.  The staff at Tendrils can pack a box lunch for a picnic with unobstructed views, or fill up at Tendrils.

After lunch you take a private winey tour,where you will have the opportunity to blend and bottle your own bottle of wine. The property itself has varied soils and climatic conditions which allow it to grow a variety of vines, from those traditionally grown in Italy to those traditionally grown much further north in Germany. The frost-free days on the property's vineyards vary by as much as 50 days a year. The corresponding difference in heat units allows Cave B Estate Winery to produce small quantities of quality estate wines in over ten varietals.

We then load up the Jeep and head back across the desert and into the mountains on our way back to Seattle, once again witnessing the terrain changing as you cross flat wheat lands, before climbing the steep, rocky mountains of the Cascades.  We take a quick drive through the historic mining town of Roslyn, where the television series ‘Northern Exposure” was filmed.  We then head into the Suncadia Resort and enjoy the Coal Miners Meat & Cheese plate or the Mesquite Smoked Rainbow Trout Cream Cheese dip, served with a baguette at the Gas Lamp Grille set in the mountain Inn amidst the beauty of a pristine ponderosa pine forest.