Book excerpt: Ghost Towns of the Pacific Northwest is a guidebook to the best boomtowns of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Once thriving centers for mining, fishing, logging, and national defense, these abandoned camps and pioneer villages still ring with history. Nowadays, these ghost towns are some of the best places to travel to, filled with fun things to do and see.Ghost town expert Philip Varney equips you with everything you need to know to explore these remnants of the past. Featuring color maps, driving and walking directions, town histories, touring recommendations, and stunning color photography, Ghost Towns of the Pacific Northwest details famous sites such as Port Gamble (Washington), Fort Steele (British Columbia), and Jacksonville (Oregon) — in addition to out-of-the-way gems like Holden (Washington), Sandon (British Columbia), and Flora (Oregon).Chasing down the ghost towns of the Pacific Northwest will take you from the seacoast high into the forests of the Cascade Range. You will view the magnificent Columbia River as it passes through Revelstoke, British Columbia, to its first entry into the United States in Northport, Washington, and to its dramatic meeting with the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, Oregon. See the region as you have never seen it before with this essential guidebook to the glory days of the Pacific Northwest!