hurricane brain and twilight delight

We recently returned from a trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit family.  A planned mini-trip took us up the coast and into the Olympic Mountains.  It had been unusually hot in Portland (100 degrees!), so the slightly cooler temperatures in the north felt so good.  Although not Zeus' Mount Olympus, this peak was pretty impressive!

This blue-tinged range is known as Hurricane Ridge.  This area receives 400 inches of snow annually!

A webcam shot is thoughtfully provided for those who want a sneak peak of the panoramic views.

I'm afraid of heights, but I thought I'd try to hike to the tallest point accessible by trail, Sunrise Point (elevation 5425').  It was a gorgeous hike...

...but Sunrise Point proved to be a little bit too steep.  Look at that drop-off!  I had to turn away 1/4 mile from the top.

Still great views!

Thankfully, some other tourist took a helpful video that picks up exactly where I quit, so I can see precisely what I missed at the top.  Skip ahead to minute 4 for the video pan.  Do I wish that I would've pushed forward the final bit?  HECK NO! :)

We also hiked in the Quinault Rainforest.

The Pacific Northwest is in a pretty terrible drought right now, and dead pine needles drifted down around us while we walked.  I really hope that rain comes soon!

Our planned trip took us through Forks, WA, famously inhabited by the Cullen family in the Twilight series.  Who knew that Todd was such a fan?  :)

Much of the coastal area is private tribal land, so there were only a few public beaches, and they were awfully crowded.  We had better luck with Rialto Beach.  It was a grey, overcast day, but still a really gorgeous stop!

Sea lions, whales, and otters are frequently spotted here, and although we didn't see any, we did see quite a few pelicans.

This beach is famous for its teeming-with-life tidepools, if you can time your visit for low tide!  We didn't, but still had a great time.  Fun fact:  Rialto Beach is named after the famous Rialto Theatre chain! It's also right next to First Beach, made famous in the Twilight books.  

We spent time at beautiful Crescent Lake, too.  It's glacially-carved, and over 1,000' deep! Because the water holds so little nitrogen, it's difficult for algae to grow...that's why the water is so blue.  Crescent Lake is also the location of the famous "Lady in the Lake" murder!

We were unable to get a reservation at the famous Crescent Lake Lodge, but we found a lodge in Port Angeles, about 30 minutes away.  This gave us a chance to see the beautiful waterfront...

...and get a peek of Canada, right across the water.

When travel opens up, we're going to take the ferry across and do some exploring.

That's just a fraction of the things seen and done on our trip!  I'll do the final installment next week.  We're home, and Tabitha is definitely glad.  She's meowed for days and won't leave my side.  Otherwise, life is getting back to normal again!  Onward into fall...come on, September!  I have a feeling that it's going to be a great one.

Have a good week!