Dosewallips Basecamp
It’s been a while since the last time I camped in the Dosewallips State Park. It’s placed in a perfect location for accessing the Olympic Peninsula, but its proximity to Hwy 101 and its heavy truck traffic has always been a bit of a put-off. It’s also very popular with families and has open sites with no privacy from your neighbors, but visit during the shoulder season and it’s worth a visit.
For this weekend’s adventure, friend, co-worker, and talented photographer Matt White was joining me. We’ve gone out in the field together in the past, but like most things with COVID-19, it’s been quite a while, so we were both looking forward to catching up and enjoying the outdoors.
Support
Our mission is a labor of love, but it does come with overhead. If you’d like to support our efforts we’d certainly appreciate it. Currently, we’re actively participating in the following field research:
- COASST Beached Bird Surveys
- Wild and Scenic River Project
Thank you.
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Steve meets up with fellow photographer Matt White and they turn their lens toward the Hamma Hamma and see signs of last summer's record-setting fire season.
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This set of pillars made from columnar basalt at the terminus of Frenchman Coulee is popular among rock climbers. Read more about this in the link in bio.
We started our hike to the Frenchman Coulee Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge early in the morning to beat the heat. However, when we reached the bottom of the waterfall, it was already scorching hot. Follow the link in the bio to read more.
Stormy weather over Fort Worden.
Point Wilson Lighthouse at night. This is a hand held shot with the new iPhone. Hard to believe where tech has taken us.
Large waves from the evening storm crashed against the rocks at the base of Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.
Spending the weekend on the Washington coast near the mouth of the Columbia River. Last night it poured in camp, but this morning the sun broke throught for a bit. Make everything seem a bit warmer.
A road less traveled through the Northern Cascades during the fall season.
Sunset over a lonely section of coastline on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Enjoying the quiet and solitude of an evening camp on Whidbey Island.
A view of Baker River just south of Baker Dam. We arrived midweek and had the place to ourselves despite enduring some showers.
Theresa clings to her cap atop Goats Rock on the SW side of Deception Pass, admiring the view of Puget Sound after a steep climb.
This group of Common Rustgill were at our campsite on the Sagkit River. This is a great time to go out and brush up on your fungi identification skills.
Nature's masterpiece painted across the canvas of the sky, as fiery hues intertwine with the tranquil waters of Deception Pass. Last night's sunset at North Beach left me in awe of the world's endless wonders.
That time of the year to pull out the mycology reference books. Spending a week exploring the forests of the North Cascades. #MycologyMagic #ForestAdventures
Deception Pass State Park is our starting point for a 7 day camping trip through the North Cascades.
A view from last summers trip to Frenchman’s Coulee along the Columbia River Gorge. Missing the warm dry temperatures.
Lena Creek Falls
Like much of the west coast, just last year, the Olympic Peninsula endured a record-breaking fire season, including unbelievable unhealthy air conditions. Included in these fires was the Hamma Hamma drainage and specifically Mt. Lena which was sparked by a lightning strike. Much of this area was closed during and after the fire so we were unsure if we’d be able to access some of the waterfalls we hoped to photograph.
Finishing a quick breakfast, we jumped in the FJ and headed south to see how far we’d get. Turns out we were in luck and we were able to visit most of the waterfalls we had on our wish list. There were certainly signs of the fire present in blackened tree trunks and scorched underbrush. What struck me was that you’d have very defined areas that were burned with others seemingly untouched right next to them. Some of this was certainly due to the valiant effort of our firefighters, but some had to be due to the whimsical nature of fire.
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Washington Pass
In addition to the fires, we encountered quite a bit of blow-downs as we headed up towards Jefferson Lake. Patches of snow were also present in the spots that never receive sunshine. Despite this, I was anxious to see if we couldn’t get over Washington Pass and down into the Lake Cushman drainage.
I had noticed this web of Forest Service Roads on the topo maps some time ago but never had the chance to get up in the thick of it till now. Matt was game so we headed up. It was a long bumpy ride, but the view from the actual pass was worth the time and we paused to get out of the rig and soak it up.
The only moment of real concern was as we made our way down towards Lake Cushman and had a FedEx truck come barreling and sliding up the dirt road. I gave him a wide berth and he flew on by. Guess it was just getting in touch with his inner rally racer.
