DRIFTLINE

Guided flight · Pacific Northwest

Olympic Peninsula

Rainforest, wild Pacific coast and alpine peaks

KHQM → KCLM

In-sim reference for Ruby Beach & Sea Stacks
In-sim screenshotRuby Beach & Sea Stacks

The Olympic Peninsula compresses an extraordinary range of landscapes into one corner of Washington. Moisture arriving from the Pacific feeds some of North America’s great temperate rainforests, while the exposed western shoreline is shaped by surf, sea stacks and rugged headlands. Just inland, the Olympic Mountains rise abruptly into glacial valleys, alpine ridges and deep mountain lakes.

This flight crosses those environments from south to north, beginning near the broad coastal lowlands around Grays Harbor before entering the forests of Lake Quinault, following the wild Pacific edge, and finally turning into the mountainous northern Olympics near Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge.

Origin

Bowerman Field

Destination

William R. Fairchild International Airport

Waypoints

6

Distance

178 NM

Leg 1 · KHQM to KCLM

Route

AOrigin1–6WaypointsBDestination

Recommended aircraft

Light single-engine GA aircraft

Examples: Cessna 172, Diamond DA40, Cirrus SR22 — ideal for a relaxed sightseeing pace with good visibility.

Suggested altitude

3,000–5,500 ft, terrain permitting

Rainforest · Coast · Mountains · National Park · Scenic · General Aviation

Ready to fly

Start Olympic Peninsula

Download the PLN for import into Microsoft Flight Simulator, then open the same guided flight on your phone.

Places along the way

  1. In-sim reference for Lake Quinault Lodge

    Waypoint 1

    Lake Quinault Lodge

    Historic 1926 lodge on the shore of Lake Quinault, set between the lake and Olympic temperate rainforest.

  2. In-sim reference for Ruby Beach & Sea Stacks

    Waypoint 2

    Ruby Beach & Sea Stacks

    A wild Pacific shoreline of surf, sea stacks and forested headlands along Olympic National Park’s western coast.

  3. In-sim reference for Hoh Rain Forest & Hoh River Valley

    Waypoint 3

    Hoh Rain Forest & Hoh River Valley

    A broad river valley supporting one of North America’s great temperate rainforests, shaped by heavy Pacific rainfall and towering conifers.

  4. In-sim reference for Point of the Arches

    Waypoint 4

    Point of the Arches

    A remote stretch of Olympic coastline marked by dramatic sea stacks, rocky formations and the open Pacific.

  5. In-sim reference for Lake Crescent & Mount Storm King

    Waypoint 5

    Lake Crescent & Mount Storm King

    A deep glacial lake enclosed by steep forested mountains, with Mount Storm King rising above its southern shore.

  6. In-sim reference for Hurricane Ridge

    Waypoint 6

    Hurricane Ridge

    A high alpine ridge with sweeping views across the rugged peaks, valleys and forests of the northern Olympic Mountains.