While I have been posting a lot of shoreline images lately, I really prefer the high country in the Olympics. Of course, this time of year, they are totally snowed in. One must dream of summer … although even in August, there is still snow.
And, even if snow-free, this area isn’t easy to access. You need to hike at least 15 miles to get to the trailhead.
(Please note the hiker on the trail in the lower left)
I was pleased to see some poppies that weren’t just the ‘standard’ yellow California poppies that are so common now in western Washington. Nothing wrong with the California ones, but they are pretty invasive and just take over large areas.
Okay, so I exaggerate… This boat was brought to this location by trailer and is going to be used as a guest house / studio. In the near foreground (outside the image) is the access road they have built.
This is along a fairly remote section of the Larry Scott Trail south of Port Townsend. It would be a lovely quiet location for spending some time relaxing and decompressing.
(more found images from my archive) The top image shows why Hart Lake (Upper Duckabush in the Olympic National Park) is sometimes called Heart Lake (but since there is another Heart Lake — also heart shaped — also in the ONP). So I continue to call this one Hart Lake. If you look carefully in the lower right corner of the top image (click on it for a bigger view), you will see the little green dot that is our tent.
(more found images from my archive file) Hart Lake is in the upper Duckabush Valley, and is much less visited than the Heart Lake in the upper Sol Duc. Hart Lake takes over 20 miles of hiking to get there, so there are many fewer visitors. We were camped near the lake and when the sun was coming up, the clouds in the valley moved up … before burning off for the day. It was spectacular.
