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Frequently Asked Questions
In order to make your Chinook
experience and that of all our guests as pleasant
and rejuvenating as possible, here are a few reminders
to help guide your planning and stay with us:
What do I bring?
- Flashlight
- Water bottle (for hiking)
- Good walking shoes
- Shoes that slip on and off easily (no shoes
are worn in the Sanctuary)
- Rain wear
- Sun Screen
- Casual clothing
- Personal Toiletries (including soap)
- Alarm clock (if needed)
- Phone card for long-distance calls
- Headphones for any personal DVD or CD players
What should I NOT bring?
- Pets ~ We have a longstanding no pet policy.
The Chinook lands provide a sanctuary for wild
animals, and even dogs on leashes can disturb
the natural habitat we strive to maintain.
- Perfumes or strongly scented toiletries
- Incense, Candles ~ Please do not burn candles
or incense individually in any of the rooms
or cabins. Candles may be burned during group
gathering only, with permission of facilitator-
Please, never leave candles unattended.
What do I do when I arrive?
Parking: As we have a very limited number of parking
spaces, we strongly recommend that you carpool
whenever possible. If you choose to drive, please
observe parking signs and these restrictions:
- Because of fire regulations, parking on the
side of the road is absolutely against the law
and we must warn that you may be towed. Please
park only in the parking lots.
- The Reserved spaces are strictly for staff
and caterers. Please respect these spaces.
- Please do not double park in the upper lot
so that emergency vehicles may have access.
- If you double park in the lower lot, leave
your keys in the car so that it can be moved.
Check-in: Look for a sign in the upper parking
lot directing guests to check-in with the facilitator
either in the Farmhouse or Thomas Berry Hall.
Room assignments are determined by the facilitators
of each group.
Luggage/Tents: If you have luggage and/or camping
supplies to take to the farmhouse , cabins or
fern meadow, please park temporarily in the upper
lot and use the carts provided to haul it in.
The only exceptions are for catering vehicles
and transportation for the disabled. Granny's
guests may park their cars in the Granny's parking
lot, next to the house. To preserve the natural
quality of our lawns and meadows, only tent campers
may stay overnight in Fern Meadow. Vehicle camping
is prohibited.
More Commonly asked questions~
Where can I make local or
long distance phone calls? You will find
a pay phone near the bathrooms between the Dining
Room and the Great Hall. Phones are also located
in the Farmhouse and Granny's; a phone card must
be used for long distance calls. Cabins do not
have phone service.
How can I send or receive
faxes? The fax number at the Center is
360-341-3405. The fax machine is located in the
Guest Services office, at the bottom of the stairs
in Thomas Berry Hall.
If someone wants to leave
a message for me, what number should they use,
and how will I get the message? The Guest
Services number at Chinook is 360-341-3404. The
office is not always staffed but messages are
checked frequently. If you receive a non-emergency
message, it will be posted to the cork board on
the wall near the pay phone and the restrooms
in Thomas Berry Hall. Emergency calls may be referred
to our 24 hr Resident Caretaker at 360-341-3153.
Can I send or receive email?
There is a Macintosh Computer located under
the stairs in Thomas Berry Hall for guests to
access the web. It is available for use during
normal business hours. Thomas Berry Hall has wireless
internet access in most areas of the building.
If you have a laptop, the internet is accessible
if you have a wireless notebook adapter card.
Please do not ask friends or associates to send
you messages via the Institute's email address.
With our small staff we simply cannot take on
this additional activity. Thanks for respecting
this request.
Can I access a phone line
if I brought my laptop? There are phones
located in the Farmhouse and Granny's, however
they are blocked to long-distance calls. Long
distance dial-ups permitted only with phone cards.
Is smoking allowed at Chinook?
Smoking is allowed outdoors only.
Can I listen to music in
my room? We love music here and include
it in most of our programs; however, most visitors
come to Chinook, in part, for the peace and quiet
of being close to nature. Out of respect for this
intention, please use headphones at all times
- indoors or outdoors. Thank you.
Are children welcome? We
welcome children to the Chinook lands but we ask
that you designate an adult to be responsible
for them at all times so they do not injure themselves
or damage the property.
Can I pick the garden flowers
or produce? We hope you will enjoy the
flower and vegetable gardens as we do, but please
check with a staff person before picking anything.
Some flowers are too rare to pick.
Are resources available
to learn more about Chinook Center, Whidbey Island,
and the Pacific Northwest? Glad you asked!
For those who are merely curious or simply are
determined to use their personal time for acquiring
knowledge, we encourage you to visit the Bioregional
Resource Room on the ground level below the kitchen.
Please feel free to spend time there or to take
materials back to your room. We will appreciate,
of course, if you also take responsibility for
returning borrowed materials before you depart.
Can I recycle cans, bottles,
etc? We do recycle as much as we can, but
it requires your cooperation to do it well. Please
make use of the designated recycling container
near the dishwashing room after meals. Recycling
bins can also be found in the kitchens of Granny's
and Farmhouse.
Are festive decorations
ok? Please check with Guest Services before
hanging decorations on the buildings, particularly
in dangerous places. We care about both our appearance
and your safety
Will I be able to use my
cell phone? Probably not! The terrain of
Whidbey Island and the location of cell towers
make it difficult (at best) to connect and sustain
a call on the Chinook land. We suggest you turn
off the cell phone when you arrive and enjoy a
quiet, peaceful, uninterrupted visit!
What should I do if I have
a medical emergency? First Aid kits are
located in every kitchen. To request emergency
medical response, dial 911 and explain that you
are at Chinook Center. Emergency information cards
are located by each phone.
A few more things…We'd
like you to know that your help will be appreciated
in keeping the Chinook facilities clean and ready
for the next group of visitors. Please pick-up
any litter you might see on the land or in the
buildings. Before leaving your room, please check
well to be sure that no personal belongings are
left behind. Please dispose of anything you do
not wish to take with you.
Finally, we invite you to do us one last BIG
favor: please change the sheets and pillow cases
on your bed and put the used linens and towels
in the locations described in the cards found
on your beds. This will save us a lot of time
in preparing rooms for new arrivals. Thank you
in advance.
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