Local green travel gurus Jake Haupert and Dan Moore offer fantastic year-round getaways here in the Pacific Northwest through their company EverGreen Escapes. (Click here to read a recent profile on the Wanderlust & Lipstick site) We were lucky enough to catch up with Dan somewhere between the mountains and the ocean this week and chat a bit about what they do.
So, what’s your story – how did you come to Evergreen Escapes?
I met Jake when he was trying to get training to be the naturalist for his new company. I was an educator at Discovery Park running a volunteer naturalist training program. In talking with me he realized I could more quickly fill the hole needed in his company to train and manage the guides and design and conduct programs – his wife Jessica already was tapped for skills in marketing, graphic design and website construction.
Jake himself worked in the travel industry since college. 5 years ago he started Explorers 3 Adventures. In the process of designing adventures for people around the world, he realized no one in Seattle was providing small scale guiding service connecting the dots between many adventure activities and fine wine/ dining, upscale lodging and providing all with an educational component – naturalist interpretation and sustainability discussion when determining business practices. EGE was born and started doing primarily custom designed trips for folks but quickly was tapped for team building and corporate programs and now set trips everyday of the week.
What does EE do in nutshell?
EverGreen Escapes is the Pacific Northwest’s premier local and sustainable adventure travel 
company based in Seattle, Washington USA. We specialize in crafting upscale nature, active and education based experiences throughout the Northwestern U.S. & British Columbia, Canada. Opportunities include authentic half, full and multi-day escapes, exclusive private getaways, memorable corporate retreats and inspiring teambuilding experiences.
Whatever the pursuit—bird watching, hiking, sea kayaking, cycling, snowshoeing, rock climbing or wine tasting—your escape is creatively designed and executed with a commitment to environmental and social sustainability combined with the comfort of scrumptious northwest “on safari” meals, fine local wine and luxe lodges. Our goal is to offer locals and visitors alike a transformational outdoor experience that inspires them to respect, revere and protect our planet from the rock face, to the orca, to the wine!
Our escapes integrate superior first class vehicles, naturalist guides, and rare flexibility of itinerary that can traverse the magnificent contrasts of mountains, rainforest, islands, and coastlines of the Pacific Northwest & British Columbia and incorporate only the finest of accommodation and freshest organic and local cuisine available.
What is your take on the environmental impacts of traveling and how does EE offset some of those negative impacts?
The environmental impacts from traveling are huge. From the emissions from planes to the toxins used in building hotels, there is a lot better we need to do in order to still be traveling in 50 years. That said, travelers can have an incredible impact in solving some of these problems. I think it is no coincidence that the last president was one of the worst presidents in history and had only visited a couple countries prior to becoming president. Similarly, Americans are one of the least traveled people in the developed world. Lack of worldview inhibits us from seeing how what we do as a nation is impacting the rest of the globe.
That said, just going to an exclusive resort in the Caribbean, being shielded from the poverty and the pollution is not going to open your eyes. Meaningful travel where a holistic picture is laid out – not preached – is the way for transformation to occur. The experiences we provide put people in the middle of a protected piece of property with an educated commentary to allow for appreciation and the generation of values.
In terms of the day to day actions we do to protect the planet, we drive fuel efficient vehicles: Mercedes 12 passenger vans that get nearly 20 mpg. We use a blend of bio-diesel – cleaner burning made from vegetable oil. Not the panacea, but a good transition to the next transportation revolution. We strive for 0 waste on our tours: use reusable water bottles, plates, cutlery, our (organic) catering is served family style rather than boxed up individually. Our uniforms for guides are made from bamboo and/or organic cotton. There is a lot more to do, but we’re trying to include sustainability into every decision we make.
What kinds of people go on Evergreen Escapes? Do you have to be athletically fit?
All sorts of folks go on EverGreen Escapes trips. We have single travelers interested in getting out and exploring, but not wanting to rent an individual car go on our set departures. We work with families designing fun and educational trips throughout the region. We take companies out on excursions and design story based team building programs to help them reach new limits. Participants are locals and folks from around the globe.
It is not necessary to be an athlete to go on one of our programs. This is commonly asked and unfortunately too commonly assumed (therefore lost business). Our daily departures are designed for the beginner. There is always a blend of sightseeing with brief forays out into the wilds. Even if 
someone wants to sit out the short hike, he/she will get the taste of the region we visit. For the custom tours, we design the program that the customer wants. We took a group of senior citizens to BC last spring and had an amazing time exploring the back roads and limiting the time out of the van. For those wanting nothing but leisure, we offer a series of wine tours from half day programs to Woodinville to multi day trips to Yakima and Walla Walla. On the flip side, those seeking more extreme adventure will be happy with the diversity and skill level of our guides. From rock climbing to remote sea kayaking, we have some of the most skilled folks in the nation leading our programs.
What do you think makes Seattle a perfect place to base from?
Seattle has access to it all – mountains, ocean, rivers, lakes, forests, deserts, BC, Oregon, etc. Plus we have a reputation for being on the cutting edge when it comes to sustainability and adventure sports. Two items that seem exclusive, but recently a ton of effort has come from the adventure sport industry – both gear and guides – to put sustainability at the forefront of doing business. If we destroy the earth we will be done doing the activities we all love.
There are plenty of challenges though. One, the locals are quite knowledgeable and stubborn DIYers. To base our business on the local market (at least for our non corporate work) would be foolish. It takes a while to build the trust of the locals – but we’re trying! Also, it is quite expensive to live and operate here. We do our best to pay our guides well above the average, but even with that it is difficult for someone to live in our region.
Finally, there are so many agencies that manage the land in our backyard that it is very burdensome for a small company to get all the permits and okays to bring folks all the places they want to go. We are all in favor of paying our share to support the protection of these incredible resources, but we don’t have the admin of the large companies to fill out the pages and pages of text for many of these permits. Planting a seed here: how about a permit for all public land? How about being able to fill it out online?
What are the top 3 travel destinations on your wish list right now?
I’m very excited about SE Asia. EverGreen Escapes is based on Beacon Hill where I’ve lived for nearly 10 years. I have learned a lot from the many cultures that call this neighborhood home. I would love to visit some of the places my neighbors originate from (either directly or ancestrally). China, Vietnam and Malaysia are on the top of that list. Outside there, the continent of Africa is high up: South Africa, Tanzania, Senegal… Lots to see. EverGreen Escapes is excited about the idea of voluntourism. I would love to travel to some of these places and lend a hand. Not take away a job of a local person, but a skill that I have that would be beneficial. The choices we make as a traveler can mean we support a dictator or a cooperative, a multinational corporation or a small village.
Any final comments, advice, or wisdom you’d like to share?
We are in tough times as a nation – both economically and ideologically. As a small business it is surprising how great of an impact we actually can have. We don’t have shareholders forcing us to make a profit on the backs of poor or disenfranchised. We don’t have franchises to keep in business. Many veterans in our industry are looking at businesses like EverGreen Escapes for inspiration and creativity. We’re ready to step up to the table and change travel for good.
