Point of the Arches – Olympic National Park

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Olympic National Park in Northwestern Washington State contains several distinctly different wonderlands.

The rain forestsol duc 2015 2, glaciated peaks

Mount Olympus, Olympic Wilderness

Mount Olympus, Olympic Wilderness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the Pacific coast.

The Olympic beaches are some of the wildest most rugged beaches in the lower 48. I have visited and slept on these beaches many times. There is something truly magical about the ocean.

Last week I spied a window of nice weather forecast for the coast and headed over. I was not disappointed!

Evening light

Evening light

Lines in the sand

Lines in the sand

Sunset through the Arch

Sunset through the Arch

Arch aglow

Arch aglow

Point of the Arches

Point of the Arches

Evening Light

Evening Light

Point of the Arches Sunrise

Point of the Arches Sunrise

Point of the Arches Sunrise

Point of the Arches Sunrise

Washington State Ferry Ride: Sunrise

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I recently embarked on a trip from my home in Sedro Woolley to my favorite coastal hike and camping spot at Point of the Arches, in Olympic National Park. It’s a long way, maybe 9 hours from start to camp site, and one of the beautiful legs of the sojourn is a ferry ride from Coupeville to Port Townsend. I booked my spot on the Ferry and arrived just as the sunrise was happening.

Washington State Ferry Sunrise

Washington State Ferry Sunrise

Ferry Drive-in

Ferry Drive-in

Inside the ferry

Inside the ferry

On the Ferry Deck

On the Ferry Deck

Washington State Ferry Sunrise

Washington State Ferry Sunrise

Washington State Ferry Sunrise Crown

Washington State Ferry Sunrise Crown

Washington State Ferry Sunrise: Looking Out

Washington State Ferry Sunrise: Looking Out

Washington State Ferry - Coupeville

Washington State Ferry – Coupeville

Washington State Ferry Sunrise light

Washington State Ferry Sunrise light

I knew it was going to be a great trip when the images from the ferry ride were enough to make the entire trip worth while!

Images of the coast to come, but here is just one to whet the appetite!

Point of the Arches, Olympic National Park

Point of the Arches, Olympic National Park

 

The Wilderness Act Turns 50 !

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On September 3rd, 1964 President Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act. This watershed piece of legislation has been a cornerstone in preserving the wild lands of America.

The Wilderness Act provides a definition for wilderness: “A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

I have been lucky enough to visit many wilderness areas and enjoy their majesty and solitude. Here are a few images from my travels.

Sahale Camp, Steven Mather Wilderness

Sahale Camp, Steven Mather Wilderness

Pasayten Wilderness

Pasayten Wilderness

Milky Way, Glacier Peak Wilderness

Milky Way, Glacier Peak Wilderness

Point of the Arches, Olympic Wilderness

Point of the Arches, Olympic Wilderness

Mount Rainier and Avalanche Lillys, Goat Rock Wilderness

Mount Rainier and Avalanche Lillys, Goat Rock Wilderness

Left Fork Canyon, Zion Wilderness

Left Fork Canyon, Zion Wilderness

Steeple Peak and Lost Temple Spire, Bridger-Teton Wilderness

Steeple Peak and Lost Temple Spire, Bridger-Teton Wilderness

Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Enchantments, Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Mount Olympus, Olympic Wilderness

Mount Olympus, Olympic Wilderness

Amphitheater Mountain, Pasayten Wilderness

Amphitheater Mountain, Pasayten Wilderness

Upper Lyman Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness

Upper Lyman Lake, Glacier Peak Wilderness

Mount Baker and the Park Butte Lookout, Mount Baker Wilderness

Mount Baker and the Park Butte Lookout, Mount Baker Wilderness

Sunrise, Steven Mather Wilderness - This image will be displayed in the Smithsonian Museum as a part of the Wilderness 50 Celebration starting on Sept. 3rd, 2014

Sunrise, Steven Mather Wilderness – This image will be displayed in the Smithsonian Museum as a part of the Wilderness 50 Celebration starting on Sept. 3rd, 2014