Chapter Sixteen - The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest, as it is termed in the United States, is a vast region that encompasses western Oregon, western Washington, British Columbia west of the Rocky Mountains, and the southeastern panhandle of Alaska.  To Canadians, this region is named the Pacific Southwest for obvious reasons.

Weather

There are three major influences on the weather and climate of the region: 1) its location just east of the relatively warm ocean; 2) its location within the zone of onshore westerly winds; and 3) north-south mountain barriers located on the coast as well as further inland.  The Pacific Northwest experiences a significant rainshadow effect on the eastern side of the mountain ranges.  Winters are cool and rainy with numerous storms.  

Wine & Beer

The soils and climate in southern Oregon and the Willamette Valley have been found to be similar to those of northern France, as well as the wine grape regions of northern California were found to similar to Oregon’s ecosystems. Thus, a wine industry with about four hundred family-owned wineries was born, producing specialty wines from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris.  

In the late twentieth century, wine grape growing was successfully initiated in various locations in eastern Washington and southern British Columbia. In the early twenty-first century, traditional hop growing in the Pacific Northwest evolved into experimentation with home brewing and the development of small-scale commercial craft breweries and "microbreweries." 

Tourism

Tourism has also become increasingly important to the economy of the Pacific Northwest. More and more people from throughout the United States travel to Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and southeastern Alaska to participate in outdoor activities such as backpacking, sport fishing, river rafting, and sightseeing. The redwood forests of northwestern California and southern Oregon, the Oregon coast, the Cascade Mountains, Puget Sound, and cities such as Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver are especially attractive to tourists. Cruise ships frequently mark the coastline from Bellingham and Seattle or Vancouver to Anchorage on the Inside Passage, allowing visitors to see glaciers, grizzly bears, and the historic ports of the British Columbia and Alaskan coasts.  

Works Cited - 

"The Pacific Northwest." The Geography of North America: Environment, Culture, Economy. Pearson Education, Inc., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. <https://reader.cafescribe.com/reader/Reader.html?activationToken=LTSEV25ZSS7F2EK2&credential=K9ZJQ16J>.