June 24th, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
The mountains to Sound Greenway is a 1.4 million acre scenic recreation corridor along I-90 between Seattle and Central Washington.
This weekend, June 28 and 29 they celebrate Greeway Days. Take the Greenway Challenge: visit 5 or 10 Challenge sites. Take photo proof of your visit. Submit your photos for a chance to win great prizes:
The prize list.
(Visit 5 Sites)
- K2 Snowboard with Bindings
- Roslyn Wagon Ride for up to 12 people
- $300 ExOfficio Adventure Travel Clothing Voucher for use at REI - donated by ExOfficio
- Family Hicking Package valued at $200 from REI
- One Night Stay plus Breakfast at the historic Iron Horse Bed and Breakfast
- 4 Seattle Storm Tickets from the Seattle Storm
- 2 Mariners Tickets from HomeStreet Bank
- 2 pairs of K2 In-Line Skates
- 10 Mid-Week Day Passes from The Summit at Snoqualmie
Greenway Challenge Prizes
(Visit 10 Sites)
- K2 Skis with Bindings
- Adventure Travel Package - $300 ExOfficio Adventure Travel Clothing Voucher for use at REI plus a piece of REI Travel Luggage
- Westcomb iMirage Jacket from eVent Waterproof Fabrics
- 1 BIG S Unlimited Season Pass from The Summit at Snoqualmie
- Group Climbing Event at the REI Pinnacle Climbing Wall for up to 15 people
- One Night Stay in a Tree House at TreeHouse Point
- 2 Mariners Tickets from HomeStreet Bank
- Tour the Hydro-Facility at Snoqualmie Falls from PSE
- 3 pairs of K2 In-Line Skates
Click here for the Greenway site for more information.
and click here for information on how to register for the Greenway Challenge.
Previous article on Greenway
June 24th, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
Across America, many interstate highways are the province of strip malls, billboards and spreading urban development. But people in the Pacific Northwest wanted a different future for the road over Snoqualmie Pass.
In 1990, local citizens created a plan for the Mountains to Sound Greenway to keep an accessible landscape of forests, wildlife habitat and open spaces as breathing room for people, and a place of incomparable beauty, history and outdoor recreation for their children and grandchildren.
Today, the Greenway stretches along 100 miles of Interstate 90 in Washington State from the waterfront in Seattle to the edge of desert grasslands in Central Washington. Click here for the complete website information.And Click here for an article from the Seattle P I Blog reminding us of the Greenway Days festival this weekend where there are 25 hikes, bike rides, a cowboy rendezvous, car show, historic tours, and many other events in over 10 communities.
Tags: greenway, days, snoqualmie, pass
June 24th, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
So are you on the fence on getting out of town today? How is the traffic in Snoqualmie Pass? OK, I will save you the trouble of going to the conditions and weather report. I will bring you the morning views from the traffic web cams.
Just be assured, now is the time to head to the hills.
Conditions & Weather: updated: 7:20 AM, Jun 24, 2008
This is the most current info available and is promptly updated when conditions change. So check the web site and web cams just before you leave. Trust me, the weather is great.
Eastbound, one half mile west of the summit and westbound, one and a half miles west of the summit, motorists should expect one lane closed for rock slope stabilization.
Pretty great views and scenery wouldn’t you say?
June 23rd, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
We like MySpace because they use our realestateundressed.com articles in their daily real estate news section. Other than that is more social than we need.
But it is an intersting way to get feedback and information about Snoqualmie Pass or other topics. Let’s see what MySpace is saying:
Awww, the memories of the summit.Great, great time…………..
I miss you Alpental, I’ll be back after I win the Nationals! 
…….
I heart you guys, Alpe didn’t suck today. Not even a little bit………..
Some scenery, it was beautiful………………..
For today’s exercise, I’m heading out for a day hike. Yesterday I drove around in the mountains for a few hours. It’s another nice day today, and I want to enjoy the beautiful area, here near Seattle.
I hear some of the best views in the whole state, and even on the whole Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), lie northbound (NOBO) from Snoqualmie Pass, about 6 miles. If I leave now, I should be able to be there and hiking within about an hour……………………..
Conveniently, you can find many of life’s greatest adventures here in Snoqualmie Pass, located within a short 45 minute drive of the Metropolitan Seattle …
This is a long, rugged hike past many picture-perfect lakes, each one a destination in itself. Many interesting side trips are possible to those who don’t have PCT trail miles on their mind. Even if you’re just hiking through, I can’t imagine a more interesting journey. Just leave the heavy equipment behind. I delayed this trip until the second week of August, to ensure a snow-free trail after a heavy winter snowfall…………………..
I got my day of skiing for June out of the way early with a quick dash to Snoqualmie Pass on Sunday morning to take advantage of the lingering snow……………
Tags: snoqualmie+pass, recreation’, hiking, skiiing
June 23rd, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
Whether you are buying in Snoqualmie Pass or refinancing, this is a a fabuluous new consumer tool.
We have just gone live with it.
What are today’s interest rates, Really? So you want a great interest rate and you know rates change regularly. You also know you could be a victom of bait a switch tactics.
We have just gone live with the solution to this problem. RateWindow.
This is a way to get current accurate rates.
RateWindow is connected to our lenders computers. When you select for a quick quote it takes a minute – but it delivers to you the best rate of those lenders live and available right now.
These quotes are the best rates which means you need to meet the highest standards in credit score, down payment, etc. They arrive quick and anonymous.
Once you get those rates, you can customize them for your situation by doing the advanced search. That requires you give us more information.
To find our RateWindow go to the right sidebar:
Remember rates are volatile. We provide this service for your convenience. We have committed to a flat fee pricing, therefore you know how much we make up front.
Larry and his wife Kathleen own Homes And Loans, it is a licensed Washington State Mortgage Company, license number 510- MB - 31152
Tags: rates, ratewindow, interest+rates, mortgages, refinance
June 21st, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
We love taking photographs. After all, pictures are information, art, and words all wrapped into a picture. So enjoy some photos of Snoqualmie Pass Architecture. Remember these aren’t cabins, they are homes. Some of them are quite large in size.
These were winter photographs we took. Notice how deep the snow is, yet how clean the streets were. Think of how easy it would be to drive 6 blocks to ski. Take that you ski bum.
Look at this view. Sort of like living in Heaven. But it isn’t always winter here. Even the summer views are awesome. Like this one.
Back to some local Snoqualmie Pass Architecture. Currently there are 21 homes and 6 condominiums for sale.
Second home, primary residence, either – pretty nice wouldn’t you say?
The homes range in price from $345,00 to $2,100,000 and the condominiums range in price from $146,000 to and average of $685,728. There is one big one listed in the MLS as both a home and a condo, at $2.1 million.
Tags: architecture, snoqualmie+pass
June 21st, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
Building this website, blog, is a dance in memories. Snoqualmie Pass has many for me and probably you too. If not you too, you have an opportunity in the making.
I mentioned yesterday about honeymooning in this heavenly area. Here are some of my favorite memories and then I link to a recent article from the Seattle PI about a couple celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary and remembering skiing at Snoqualmie Pass. Its a cool article, photos and all.
Photo taken near Snoqualmie Pass at Ensign Ranch
First, some of mine: Tubing down the river, learning to ski, skiing with my kids, a day on the side of the river just pondering where I was headed in life, the incredible winter view from the top of the slopes, laughing with the boys at how many times they could pass me on the slopes in one of my runs, quick dashes to the pass in the summer to write in my journal for a couple of hours, hot chocolate in the cold winter in the warm ski lodge, riding horses at Ensign Ranch, camping at Lake Kachess, watching 3 jets whiz my in formation as they skimmed the lake in obvious training mode, staying the night in the motel on the pass when it was just a bit too far to drive all the way home, and there are many more including lots of fun camping nights and memories.
Now for the clip and link to the P I Article:
The tug on the sash of Sylvia Erickson’s dress came from behind that day in Seattle.
She was about 12 and thought Harold Jones, the boy with blondish red hair, was a pest to be ignored.
“I wish you would leave me alone,” the 90-year-old recalled telling him.
“But as we grew older, we started to know each other.”
At a time when some marriages seem to last only a matter of months, two former longtime Seattle residents will celebrate 70 years of matrimony and bliss this Wednesday…………..
June 20th, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
There is more than one way to make that happen. How so? Stay tuned I say. Click here for a glimpse of one of Thomas Wolters Homes.
Tags: real+estate, homes, own, for+sale
June 20th, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
Sure, we love the mountains, the hiking, the skiing, the camping, and the whole pass scene. But there is a time and place for the city. We just did the city with a grandaughter, Space Needle and all. Issaquah, our home, is just a bit closer in than Snoqualmie Pass. Come and enjoy.
Don’t we all have a little city mixed into that mountain person, and vice versa.
Tags: seattle, seattle+center
June 19th, 2008
Posted by Larry Cragun
North and West of Snoqualmie Falls is Snoqualmie Pass and Salish Lodge. Long a popular place for fine dining the Lodge is a popular luxury visit. We have had newly married kids and friends choose it for part of their honeymoon.
This show below is a short virtual tour of the Lodge and surrounding grounds. In the sidebar is a slide show of some of our photos in Flickr.
