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Some friends and I decided to challenge ourselves with a multi-day backpacking adventure from the Hoh Rainforest to the Blue Glacier. It ended up being about 3 days and 2 nights and got a simple backcountry permit for $5 per person per night when we arrived at the Hoh Visitor Center. Using this permit, we could stay the night in Lewis Meadows and take a day trip to the glacier- which was just enough with its 4,000 feat increase in elevation! It took us an approximate 11 mile hike along the river to get to the meadows. That was the easier part. The day after was tough as the glacier round trip was 22 miles and very high up, but it was worth it when you got to see the views! Information Retrieved from:
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2016-08-15.9632089824 Before heading out for our trip, I heard from a few Pinterest pages that Ruby Beach was one of the most gorgeous beaches to see. It's the northernmost of the south beaches along the coast of Olympic National Park and is one of many beaches along Highway 101. The hike is also a short 0.25 miles (which is perfect for me as I'm not the fastest hiker). One of the first things we saw once out of the forest was the beautiful expanse of Abbey Island far in the distance. I'm sure if I had a canoe, I'd be paddling out to that island (even if it might be followed by some tedious rock climbing). Something very neat about the beach was the difference in rocks from our previous adventure where Hoh rocks were common. The rocks on the beach were volcanic in origin and were joined by some sedimentary. We found out the rocks of the area are called "volcanic breccia" for this reason. Some rocks have white streaks in them, indicative of secondary minerals after a fracture (mostly calcite). There were also red portions of sand, giving the beach its 'Ruby' name, and arising from garnet crystals. Overall, it was a beautiful and peaceful hike full of many interesting features of the beach. It was definitely an afternoon well spent! My favorite spot as a visitor to Olympic National park was Hurricane Ridge. Although officially named Mount Eldridge, the high winds that whip through these mountains have resulted in the popular name of Hurricane Ridge. The entrance fee was $20 for one car. I with my 3 friends spent an enjoyable day here taking in the spectacular views and hiking along the trails! Hurricane Ridge served as a lookout tower during World War I due to the visibility it provides. Today this area provides amazing views of the nearby mountain ranges for the park visitors. This area also has a visitor center that provides tips and information to enhance the visitor experience. Sources:
http://exotichikes.com/how-hurricane-ridge-got-named-not-by-the-scorpions-in-1984/ http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Olympic/Olympic3.html#hurricaneridge Walking along the coast at Olympic National Park, me and my friend found a spot termed the Kalaloch tree cave. This is one of the most unique features along the vast expansive coastline. This unique feature resulted from erosion underneath the tree. The entrance was large enough to allow me to stand upright! This cave is not very extensive on the inside but the unique views of the tree located above makes it worth the walk to get to it. It can be accessed from the coastal area of the park and is free to enjoy this cool natural feature! Sources:
https://roadtrippers.com/stories/the-kalaloch-tree-cave-in-olympic-national-park-just-wont-quit?lat=40.80972&lng=-96.67528&z=5 |
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