Vacation Schedules

This post was adapted from something that I had previously written.

Last year, my sister and I visited the Columbia River Gorge. After returning home, I decided to write down some ideas that I have developed related to enjoying vacations.

First of all, weather forecasting is far from flawless. You can’t schedule things based off of meteorologist ramblings. This is especially true in a complicated region like the Northwest. We created a list of places to go. Based off of weather conditions, previous days, and expectations for later in the week, we adapted our schedules. For example, we felt like it would be best to push back hiking the Eagle Creek Trail due to extensive walking earlier in the week  and expectations of rain. For an easy day, we visited a couple of wildlife refuges.

Obviously, Griswold-style planning does not work for us. If we took that approach, we could have wound up at Sherrard Point on a cloudy day. We skipped Sherrard Point because we weren’t going out of the way for a viewpoint that was obscured behind clouds. We also planned on visiting Mt. Saint Helens on our return trip. Instead, we felt that driving out of the way to see something that probably wouldn’t be visible simply wouldn’t be worth it.

One of the keys to the vacations that we take is that we need to have a list of possible activities that exceeds what we can do. If it’s too short, we could wind up without enough to do. To play it safe, we have to go well beyond what we have time to accomplish. If we fail to eliminate activities, we can view our vacation as a failure.

Imagine spending a week doing the same thing over and over again. That is not a vacation. Activities need at least some variety. While most of our activities our outdoors featuring nature, our hikes were variable and one of the wildlife refuges featured an auto route. Variability can also help with scheduling. Some things work better than others in certain types of weather. By adding variety to our list, we can better adapt to the conditions.

We brought our cameras everywhere. Downpours are not exactly camera friendly. There are ways to protect cameras, and simpler routes can be selected on wetter days. While it would have been nicer if we had a reliable forecast and slightly drier weather (a little moisture is always pleasant), we limited pictures to just waterfalls on the wettest days. Waterfalls, however, can be enjoyed whenever clouds are in the area. I wouldn’t have made them a priority if sunlight risked contrast problems. Waterfalls are also best while fresh on cool days. Since they involve sudden drops, elevation changes in trails are typical. Heat is not appreciated on steep trails.

If it’s sunny, that’s when you go to viewpoints. Since clouds can block scenery, the uncomfortable (sunny) weather is the best time to just enjoy the view. If you want pictures, blue skies complement mountains better than gray. Some of these could be accessible close to roads, so harsher weather should be dedicated to these sights. You might want cooler temperatures if you are hiking to a viewpoint. Many of these trails require hiking above potential obstructions.

General walking without worrying about scenery is a little different. Weather and optimal levels of activity are the primary concerns. Cool is best with at least overcast skies. Showers are better. This will help cool you off as you get a workout. Obviously, the nature of the trail will be a major factor. Warmer weather is going to cause more problems if you are on a long or strenuous hike, so easier hikes can be selected on these days.

Wildlife refuges frequently include easy trails that can be handled when it gets a little warmer. Not only that, but increased light can help reduce shutter speeds for photographers. This makes it a little easier to shoot moving animals.

Another potential photographic target would be a meadow. While light can make it a little easier to just snap a picture, they tend to look more interesting while wet. Macro photography can be a little sensitive. If you want smaller flowers, lighting and calm winds can be helpful. Clear and calm after showers is ideal. Personally, I would rather shoot during showers than on a completely sunny day.

Most of these activities are not straightforward. While some trails tend to feature one of the things mentioned above, these features are not exclusive. We went to Bridal Veil Falls, where we had a waterfall and meadow in fairly close proximity. The trails are easy. Pretty much everything but a heavy rain works (and perhaps sunlight depending on how it would hit the waterfall).

We also visited Beacon Rock. We never had a good day for viewpoints, so we adjusted our plans. We gave up on the view and focused primarily on the walk. Maybe slick rocks are not ideal, but it has an established trail. Very few conditions would discourage us from justifying the reduced-expectations hike.

In the end, let me provide five simple tips:
Prepare – Figure out what there is to do, and make sure you have plenty of options.
Evaluate – Determine what will work based on weather and other conditions.
Adapt – Don’t hesitate to alter your plans when original plans don’t seem to work.
Improvise – Since you can’t plan for everything, developing ideas on the spot can help maximize the value of your vacation.
Sacrifice – Living in the Northwest, it’s obvious that I can’t do everything in my lifetime. Obviously, a single vacation isn’t sufficient. Don’t expect to do everything you want.