Port Crescent - Now and Then
I’ve been coming up to camp and explore in the area west of Port Angeles for over thirty years and I still am finding new things every time. An area that’s popular with surfers and where I’ve launched my kayak is Crescent Bay. It’s a long stretch of moon shape beach. A county park bookends the east side with private property on the west side. In the middle is an old cemetery which is all that’s left of the once-thriving community of Port Crescent.
Port Crescent was first envisioned as a deep-water harbor for ocean-going vessels, particularly for timber cruisers for the loading of logs to be shipped to foreign ports. There was news of railroads building northwest from Tacoma into the Olympic Peninsula, which fanned rumors of a coming boom for the area.
A promotion company was formed in 1892 and laid out an ambitious townsite consisting of 20,000 lots on 166 blocks in a neat rectangular pattern. The town had two saloons, the Markham House, a modern hotel at the time, the Port Crescent Hotel, stores and all the amenities of a frontier town. The town had a few more ups and downs during the early 1900s until the late 1920s.
The hoped-for railhead never appeared and when the highway was placed south of the community all the residents eventually moved toward the commerce. Once abandoned the Army razed the town during WWII as part of its coastal defense system against invasion.
The old cemetery is all that is left, but it’s worth a visit. Some of the graves are dated back to the mid-1800s before Washington was granted statehood.
coaast surveys resume
We're back in the field collecting data for COASST. After being absent for 3 months we weren't sure what to expect at our beach and I was a bit intimated with the thought of hiking over Scott's Bluff once again.
I invite you to follow our updates from the field on twitter.
Lake Crescent - North Shore
Another wonderful area to explore is Lake Crescent which is nestled in the Olympic National Park. This area is full of waterfalls, old forests, and enough trails to get truly immersed in all of the above.
One of our favorite places to visit is the old Spruce Railroad trail which runs along the north shore of the lake. As I write this there is a notice on the Park’s website about the closure of the trail from March 2020 through November 2020 for maintenance.
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The waterways surrounding Fort Clatsop in Oregon. They have a replica fort build by the Corp of Discovery based on plans found in Capt. Clarks journal.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Just one of the peaks you’ll find in the stunning North Cascades. From this vantage it’s hard to believe this was taken at the height of summer. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Just one of the view from Artist Point in the North Cascades. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Ventured out and met some friends to catch up down at Budd Bay in Olympia. It was great catching up with them and the day showed some blue sky now and then. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
A fine place to have a picnic on the North Fork of the Nooksack River. Recently we spent a week exploring the North Cascades. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Looking down at Crater Lake on a fall day two years ago. Later that same trip had a incredible night session on the lip of the crater. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - "A Quick Peek at Mt. Baker"
We had fog the entire time during our #COASST survey. It got a bit down right spooky when we were in the section of woods on top of Scott’s Bluff. The fog plus the fact that there wasn’t a sound felt a bit spooky. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored
Our view from camp on the Sol Duc River. I just love fall on the Washington Coast. Tomorrow we’ll hike out to our #COASST survey beach. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored
Sunset over First Beach in La Push. Our base of operations when we conduct our #COASST surveys. We’ll be heading out again this weekend. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored
Just one of the stunning views to be found in the North Cascades. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #explore #hike #cascadiaexplored #pnwonderland #northcascadesnationalpark #pnwcollective #seattle #pnwdiscovered #diablolake #hiking #optoutside #nature #naturephotography #cascades #travel #washington #adventure #pacificnorthwest #washingtonexplored #washingtonstate #explorewashington #thatpnwlife #upperleftusa #pnw #pnwadventures #mountains #pnwlife #nationalpark #wanderlust #backpacking
Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - Brave New World in the North Cascades
Out on the Oregon coast near the mouth of the Columbia. Rode our Rads to check the wreck of the Peter Iredale. She’s been on the stretch of beach since 1906. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #karanjohar #pnwisbest #pnwlife #nature #tiktok #columbiarivergorge #cascadiaexplored #funnyshit #optoutside #naturephotography #bendoregon #hiking #pnwonderland #oregon #outdoors #explore #thatpnwlife #pnwwonderland #washington #mountains #pacnw #pacificnw #upperleftusa #pacificnorthwest #washingtonstate #oregoncoast #centraloregon #seattle #camping #pnwcollective
The smoke chased us off the mountain but it did make for some nice lighting while we were there. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #findyourpark #purewyoming #sunset_madness #sunsets #sky #northcascades #sunset_ig #sunriseporn #sunsethunter #sunset_stream #landscape #rockymountains #ig #sky_captures #landscapephotography #dontgochasingwaterfalls #peakbagging #pnw #sunrises #wanderwashington #sunrise #mtrainier #ig_sunset #sunset_vision #sunrise_pics #olympicnationalpark #oregonstateparks #explorewashington #nature #sunset
Ran up to Mt. Rainer to camp for the weekend in an effort to beat the forest fire smokes. Only partially successful but it is a much cleaner air up here then in the valley. Just not sure what to do with the weekend?? ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #karanjohar #pnwisbest #pnwlife #nature #tiktok #columbiarivergorge #cascadiaexplored #funnyshit #optoutside #naturephotography #bendoregon #hiking #pnwonderland #oregon #outdoors #explore #thatpnwlife #pnwwonderland #washington #mountains #pacnw #pacificnw #upperleftusa #pacificnorthwest #washingtonstate #oregoncoast #centraloregon #seattle #camping #pnwcollective
A look down river of the North Fork Nooksack River during low water. It will look much different come spring. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #explore #hike #cascadiaexplored #pnwonderland #northcascadesnationalpark #pnwcollective #seattle #pnwdiscovered #diablolake #hiking #optoutside #nature #naturephotography #cascades #travel #washington #adventure #pacificnorthwest #washingtonexplored #washingtonstate #explorewashington #thatpnwlife #upperleftusa #pnw #pnwadventures #mountains #pnwlife #nationalpark #wanderlust #backpacking
We’ve hiked the trail from its east end many times, but have never had the time to explore the trail from end to end. That changed this time due to brining along our Rad Power Bikes. I love the range and mobility that these bikes give us and this was trail played to their strengths. We were able to explore the trail’s west end which as a real treat. I’d highly recommend a visit if you’ve never had the chance.
