While Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Western Red Cedar make up the climax forest in the Olympic National Park, Alders are a significant presence in newly disturbed areas and along river banks. I thought this was an interesting stand … seemingly sorted by height. Taken along the Elwha river near the current ‘end of the road’.
Just a couple of winter shots from the Hurricane Ridge of the central Olympic Mountains in the National Park. Even on some cloudy days you can get glimpses of ridges and peaks. I actually like clouds in photos of mountains to break up the solid blue sky and provide another layer of subject. The shot below is taken looking to about the same area. It’s got a much different feel, doesn’t it?
Mount Washington is outside the Olympic National Park (but in the Olympic National Forest) … but it is visible from Seattle as one of the two major peaks (along with Mt Ellinor) on the south end of the western skyline. I took this from the shoulder of Mt Ellinor … which has a trail to its summit and I have been up Ellinor a number of times (along with thousands of others … some carrying coolers and “boom boxes”). If you go in the off season, you can still find solitude… or at least more so than in summer. I have not been up Mt Washington, however. It is a more technical climb … although still in the ‘easy’ category.
It’s getting colder and staying damp … signs that autumn is starting to move into winter. The first snowflakes of the fall/winter are in the forecast for this weekend (but temps too warm for it to stick around long). I saw this image and it reminded me that the warm, sunny weather will come again. This is the Upper Dungeness in the Olympic National Forest in the eastern corner of the Olympic Peninsula.
These photos were taken from the Graves Creek Bridge on the East Fork Quinault trail in the Olympic National Park. I thought the difference between the two was interesting … you just wouldn’t likely think the photos were taken the same spot. The difference between the two ‘sides’ is purely a result change in gradient … there isn’t any dam or blockage below this point on the creek.
