Welcome

The 2006 convention will be hosted at beautiful Western Washington University. The university is located between Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains, just outside of downtown Bellingham. Built with nature and beauty in mind this will be a stunning backdrop for the 2006 NSS Convention.  For an aerial photo of the facilities, click on the thumbnail to the right.

Situated between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia, the spectacular natural environment of this region stretches from the San Juan Islands to Mt. Baker. Bellingham area and community offers recreational experiences from the relaxing to the exhilarating.

Directions to Convention

Northbound from Seattle (see map):

Exit on ramp 252
Depart on Ramp (North) towards Samish Way (0.2 mi)
Bear LEFT (North) onto S Samish Way (0.2 mi)
Turn LEFT to stay on S Samish Way (0.2 mi)
Turn LEFT (West) onto Byron Ave
Keep STRAIGHT onto Bill McDonald Pkwy (1 mi)
Camping is on the left, watch for the signs.
Turn RIGHT (North) onto S College Dr (0.2 mi)
Registration is on the Right. Watch for the signs.

Southbound from Vancouver (see map):

Exit on Ramp 252
Turn RIGHT (North) onto S Samish Way, then immediately turn LEFT (West) onto Byron Ave (0.1 mi)
Keep STRAIGHT onto Bill McDonald Pkwy (1 mi)
Camping is on the left, watch for the signs.
Turn RIGHT (North) onto S College Dr (0.2 mi)
Registration is on the Right. Watch for the signs.

A note on caving internationally: Bellingham is only a short road trip from Canada and many of our best caving opportunities are across the border.  Be aware that some caving and activities in the region may require crossing the U.S. / Canadian border.  To do this you will need to have the appropriate identification.  This includes either:

A Passport, or a certified copy of your birth certificate and current photo identification issued by a government agency.  The seal on the birth certificate MUST be raised, or it will be rejected.  

Please note that you cannot carry guns across the border and will not be allowed across if you have had any DUI convictions.  Please visit the US customs site for more information GoNorthwest.com for useful border crossing tips and additional information.