WASHINGTON STATE MOUNTAIN TRIP:
Olympic National Park
Mt Rainier National Park
Mt St Helens
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Olympic National Park
Mt Rainier National Park
Mt St Helens
Please click on any picture to view it enlarged;
also click on any highlighted words to connect to a link.
JUNE 1, 2011
PORT TOWNSEND***PORT ANGELES***OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Linda, Bart, Elvie, Caloy, Heidi, and I started out early this morning on our way to Olympic National Park. We drove towards Port Townsend and went to Fort Worden, a 19th century military fort on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Saw the Point Wilson Lighthouse, meadows of yellow wildflowers, driftwood, wind-swept trees and an idyllic place to eat our picnic lunch. Note the tsunami warning sign.
After we checked in at our hotel in Port Angeles, we went to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center where I bought a sticker for my National Parks Passport and got it stamped. We decided to go to Lake Crescent first because we were told Hurricane Ridge was too foggy. We saw deer grazing in the wildflower-strewn meadows.
We went on a hike to Marymere Falls and we passed moss-covered logs, a stream, fiddlehead ferns, wildflowers, a tunnel, a hollowed fallen tree, a wooden bridge, giant trees and finally the beautiful waterfall.
After Marymere Falls we decided to try going up to Hurricane Ridge which was still foggy but we were rewarded with a very rare sighting of a blue grouse showing off his finery looking for a mate.
Had dinner at a Chinese restaurant and then ice cream at a Baskin Robbins. Went to buy some beer which Heidi, Bart and I enjoyed while having a deep discussion of various topics in the universe.
JUNE 2, 2011
SOL DUC***FORKS***RIALTO BEACH***HOH RAIN FOREST***RUBY BEACH***HOQUIAM
After breakfast we drove to Sol Duc and went on a hike and passed a log cabin for hikers, the Sol Duc Falls and the Sol Duc River with its moss-covered rocks, various wildflowers, ferns and a lot of species of mushrooms.
Next we stopped for a quick lunch in Forks, the now famous town where the vampire movie series, Twilight, is supposed to be set.
Our next stop was Rialto Beach which is literally strewn with huge driftwood of different shapes and sizes and also giant kelp. Also growing on the beach and on some of the huge driftwood were beautiful wildflowers.
Took a hike at the Hoh Rain Forest on the Hall of Mosses where the trees were moss-covered and the grounds were full of different varieties of mushrooms and lichens. We also saw an elk grazing on the way out of the rain forest.
Ruby Beach also has a lot of driftwood strewn all over and famous for its sea stacks, protrusions of rocks on the beach. There were also a lot of wildflowers in the area.
Sadly Linda and Bart had to leave our group and go back to Seattle before flying home. So the four of us continued on, stopped along the way to marvel at the scenery and at Mt Rainier from a distance before we proceeded to stay overnight in Hoquiam.
JUNE 3, 2011
MT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK***WELLSPRING SPA at ASHFORD, WASHINGTON
We entered Mt Rainier National Park from the southwest at the Nisqually entrance. We stopped at the Wilderness Information Center in Longmire. From there we drove up to Paradise, elevation 5400 feet, and went to the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center. There was still a lot of snow on the side of the roads and of course up in the mountains. The area gets an average of 680 inches of snow every year. We were also very surprised and very lucky to encounter a young black bear along the road and it even crossed in front or our car before it disappeared down a steep slope.
That evening we stayed at the beautiful Wellspring Spa and Retreat, a really peaceful place with beautiful log cabins complete with fireplaces. Heidi and I stayed at the Tahoma while Elvie and Caloy were at Tuolumne. I immediately built a fire which made the place warmer and cozier. We sat in front of the fire and drank wine next to the stuffed animals. Later on, we went out and walked by the gazebo gazing at the stars in the sky.
JUNE 4, 2011
MT ST HELENS
We went back to Mt Rainier to see the Longmire Museum and also to see if I can buy a Mt Rainier sticker for my NP passport and luckily I did. We then proceeded to Mt St Helens and enjoyed the beautiful view of snow-clad mountains.
JUNE 5, 2011
SEATTLE
Back in Seattle to see some more of the city sights. Started at the Space Needle and the Music Experience Project and Science Museum where we happened to see a Filipino Gathering and Exhibition of Arts and Crafts. There was a Rondalla playing some Filipino songs. A woman dressed in the native Igorot costume demonstrated weaving. We later went to Pike Place Market and to the waterfront for some delicious clam chowder. Then we went back to Roseanne's house to pick up some suitcases we left. Tony, Elvie and Heidi prepared a delicious dinner before we went back to our hotel near the Sea-Tac airport for our flight out the next morning.
JUNE 6, 2011
SEATTLE***NEW YORK
Back to New York after a wonderful cruise and mountain trip! Great company! Thank you for viewing my pictorial site. I hope they bring back pleasant memories and hope we can all travel again together in the future! To check out my other trips, please click here.
