Lake Chelan Planet Walk
To Pluto and Back
The story starts with a man and a vision. It ends with a mile-long walk to Pluto and back. In the middle, a nearly 100-year-old service club makes it all happen. Meet Russ Jones, the Lake Chelan Planet Walk, and the Lake Chelan Rotary Club.
3.1 Billion miles in 6,372 feet.
Our brains are not designed to imagine long distances. We can imagine hiking two miles by foot or driving a hundred miles by car.
But what do we do when it comes to distances in outer space? How can we imagine the 3.1 Billion miles between Pluto and the Sun and all the other planets' locations in between?
One solution is to scale these distances to walkable lengths. With each step, we travel thousands of miles. Our brains begin to grasp the relative distances between planets.
Imagine if one inch equaled forty-eight-thousand miles. At this scale, an unfathomable 3.1 billion miles becomes an approachable 6,372 feet - just over a mile. At this scale, Russ Jones imagined a walk to Pluto from downtown Chelan.
Russ Jones
The Man - Russ Jones
Russ Jones has been captivated by the challenge of imagining long distances for decades. Years ago on school field trips with his kids, he lined up students as planets - the sun on one end and Pluto a hundred feet away.
The most restless student would be given the role of Alpha Centauri - the nearest star to our sun. Russ would have him start walking out past Pluto.
With the student growing smaller in the distance, Russ would gather up the rest of the class.
“Do you think we should stop him before he gets to Wenatchee?”, Russ would ask with a slight smile. “Because that’s where Alpha Centauri is on this scale.”
Since these early ad hoc planet walk experiences, Russ pursued the vision of a permanent planet walk in Chelan. After many decades, his vision has become a reality.
The Club - Lake Chelan Rotary
Russ Jones carried the vision of the planet walk for years. But it was his membership in the Lake Chelan Rotary Club that brought the walk to life.
The Lake Chelan Rotary Club has committed to ten community projects over ten years to celebrate its 100-year birthday in 2026. After hearing a presentation from Russ, the Club adopted the Planet Walk as one of its ten centennial projects.
Things came together quickly after this decision. Lake Chelan Rotary committed $10,000 in funding. The Club applied for a District Grant to raise an additional $8,000. It petitioned the Chelan County PUD for permission to install the signs in Riverwalk Park. Finally, club members donated over 70 hours of volunteer labor and installed the posts and signs.
On June 20, 2019, the Lake Chelan Planet Walk officially came into being.
The Walk - Lake Chelan Planet Walk
The Lake Chelan Planet Walk begins on the west side of the historic Chelan Bridge. I like to park downtown and walk across the bridge. You will see the first Planet Walk sign (the Sun) as you approach the Riverwalk Trail.
At just over 2.4 miles round trip, the walk is approachable for those of most fitness levels. Wear a good pair of walking shoes, appropriate clothing, and bring a curious mind.
One inch equals 48,000 miles along the walk. Yes, that means that with each step you are traveling 1.4 million miles!
Along the way, you will gain an understanding of the relative distances between the planets on the walk. You will learn how long a year is on Saturn (29.5 earth years). And you will be reminded of the vastness of the universe.
See You on the Walk
Perspective of how small we are in the vast cosmos can be helpful when working through life's challenges. Getting some fresh air can offer similar upsides. The Lake Chelan Planet Walk offers a healthy dose of both.
See you on the Walk.
