We did a day tour on Sunday Feb 9, being picked up in Port Angeles, where it was 40 degrees, a light wintry mix. Very early in the season and we couldn't have been happier with the lack of crowds. Evergreen Escapes contacted us to make sure we had the proper gear for the weather, which we had, but they still brought along extra gloves and rain gear.
We started in Port Austin, picked up at our hotel. It was just the two of us and our guide Marty. We talked about what we wanted to see and do in the area and Marty tailored the trip to us. Our first stop was Hurricane Ridge. After passing the gate, and making way for the plow, we pulled over to put on the tire chains. Minutes later back on the road, discussing the geology of the area, how it was the sea floor at one time. Beautiful switchback drive up, lots of gorgeous views and we had big breaks in the clouds giving us sunny valleys to look down on. Both on the way up and down we passed backcountry skiers setting off up the mountain for some gorgeous powder.
Reaching the top we parked and it was prep for phase 2: snowshoeing. if you know how to walk, you know now how to snowshoe. Marty mad sure we were fitted right, gave us the option for trekking poles, explained how to walk in snowshoes and we set off. The local ski lift was open with skiers and snowboarders enjoying the fresh snow and 18 degrees. We set off over a meadow and into the trees. walking on 5-6 feet of snow. Do you know what a tree well is? Marty did and explained how they form and the danger they can present. Funny enough, walking a a downslope, my wife got caught on the edge of one and she used her poles to lever herself away from the edge and we pressed on. We got onto a trail that cross country skiers like to use for a downhill leg and we passed skiers and other snowshoers. it was a great walk in the snowy woods, quiet, pristine and just beautiful.
Coming back down from Hurricane Ridge we took a side road west through the forest, passing some beautiful homes on the edge of the Olympic National park and went over to the Elwah River and up the road as far as it would go, since the road had washed out short of the Elwah Dam Removal. the River is gorgeous, fast and cold and we're told it changes color with the season and the melting of snow and glaciers in summer. We did see a beautiful little waterfall jsut a quick 1/10 of a mile from the parking lot.
After that it was on to Lake Crescent. We drove up to a beautiful bay, with a great view of the lake and the mountains that drop seemingly to the water'e edge. Marty got the stoves going, soup was on, chicken was available with noodles or in the soup, some great scones and tea and we were warm and ready for more.
We next went to Salt Creek and if you didn't have someone local to get you there, you might miss it. There are sea stacks there, the tide was out and we walked a lot of the flats below the cliffs; tidal pools had clams and starfisn, lots of bullwhip kelp. No seals that day and a little too early for whales in the strait. But after exploring the flats we got back in the van and drove up to a coampground on the point. The campground was a former miltary gun emplacement in WWII, with bunkers still on-sght, some of which you can drive through. There's a great staircase and walkway to the water with excellent views back to the beach and of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
After that we drove back to Port Angeles, taking a little detour down to the waterfront/harbor. A few ships moving in and out of port. We were a week early for seasonal start of the ferry to Victoria, B.C. but you can see across the strait to Victoria.
That was the end of our tour day because we had a car and were driving back to Seattle. The ferry ride is super easy, whether you do it yourself or if you're in the van. Either way, you get out of your car, up topside where you can sit inside or go outside and see the best views of Seattle. And we came in on the 6:30 ferry in early February, so the city was lit up and even looks beautifu at night. Our hotel was a 3 minute drive from the ferry so it was a breeze.
We had driven ourselves to Olympia the night before, getting up early and were at the the Quinnault Rainforest by 9am. We did a few different trail loops there through the rainforest. We never heard or saw anyone else out on the trail. There was some fog, some breaks in the forest into sunny meadows, the river roars throught the gorges and the trail along Lake Quinnaut is a beautiful view. We then drove up to Ruby Beach, reaching it at low tide. Great seastacks, an easy trail down to the beach. The beach was piled high with driftwood, actually, huge tree trunks, many over a 100 feet long. We walked around those, found a log that had fallen across a stream and walked north of Ruby Beach, closer to seastacks and even more beautiful views. We told Marty about this and he said that Evergreen Escapes also does a 3 day tour in the area, and gets to those same places. I would definitely recommend taking the 3 day tour (you do stay indoors btw).
We skimmed the highlights of the Olympic National Park on our own and with a guide. I certainly recommend going with a guide whether it's half-day, all day or 3 days. They'll show you more than you'd seeon your own and have so much knowledge about the area that they're happy to share as much as you want. We wholehertedly recommend that you use Evergreen Escapes when visiting the Pacific Northwest!
