Lake Sylvia Fall Colors
Last year during our first visit to Lake Sylvia State Park I was intrigued by the large population of deciduous trees surrounding the lake. It’s always hard to tell if you’re going to get a muddy color or something that really pops, but we knew we needed to come back in the fall and see what the lake had to offer. Finding our self’s at Wynoochee Dam was the last place we expected.
And so we did. Unfortunately, I think we mistimed the change and arrived a bit too early to really get that explosion of color. The cool air combined with the calm waters gave the place that characteristic charm of fall. The leaves were indeed changing but we weren’t getting the brilliant colors I had hoped for.
Wasn’t what we had planned, but there was still plenty to explore which is exactly what we did.
Costa Rice
We're currently in Costa Rica documenting the nesting activities of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles as well as capturing as much of the rich bio-diversity we can of the exotic Central American country.
While we're in the field you can follow our updates over on our Twitter account and once we've returned look here for our reports.
Finding a Lost City
To be honest, we didn’t actually find a ‘Lost City’…actually, I doubt we were the first to find these structures either. We headed off on a couple of trails we hadn’t had time to follow our last visit.
The trail snaked over hills and down into gullies as it followed the creek draining Lake Sylvia. It was on the return portion of the loop that I noticed all the brickwork near the tail. After seeing multiple patches. I released this had to be part of some lost structure which had been reclaimed by the damp forest.
Looking at the surrounding area more closely I realized I was looking at a trestle of some sort. Just as I was congratulating myself on my keen archeology skills Theresa noticed the reader board which explained this was the site of an old sawmill from the first homestead in the area. Oh well…..
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Our first morning in Costa Rica. The drive to our villa was incredible but I had to concentrate on the wheel; photo had to wait. Already seeing new sights. We have a cute agouti with 2 young around the place.
The sun makes a surprise showing just at sunset on the storm tossed Washington Coast.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnw #washington #washingtonstate #pacificnorthwest #pnwonderland #nature #optoutside #washingtonexplored #science #upperleftusa #olympicpeninsula #beach #cascadiaexplored #wildlife #explorewashington #conservation #pnwlife #washingtonweed #wacoast #washingtonstatefair #naturephotography #washingtonnationals #washingtontrails #wander #hiking #olympicnationalpark @washingtondiscovered #WildOlympics @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Weather has been typical Pacific Northwest overcast but we got a short break while we were riding our Rad Power Bikes at the Point Defiance Park.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #tacoma #urbangrammers #bridge #devilspulpit #253 #shotzdelight #kdmnation #upperleftusa #trappingtones #rainydays #tacomawa #moparornocar #perthcity #cityofperth #washington #lakemendota #pugetsound #artofvisuals #392 #pnwonderland #raw #upperleft #moparmuscle #musclecar #pnw #narrowsbridge #citykillerz #nothingisordinary #citygrammers #musclecarsonly
Morning sunlight streaming into Iron Creek near Mt. St. Helens. Great way to start the day.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnw #pnwexplored #pnwonderland #giffordpinchot #wa #washingtonstate #giffordpinchotnationalforest #wanderlust #wanderful #wildernessculture #optoutside #fairy #pnwphotographer #sheisthewild #girlswhohike #wordporn #poetry #natureporn #pnwphotography #waterfall #waterfalls #negativeions #negativeionsociety #hikingadventures #hikingbangers
We made it to Appleton Pass Trailhead during our explorations with #RadPowerBikes. Luckily we had @kayakthecoast with us to show Brad and me the ropes with the incredibly fun and useful bikes. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #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
Shoreline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca just west of Port Angles. Just one of the many incredible sights to be seen on the Olympic Peninsula. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #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
Here's the latest on our website | "Glines Canyon Dam" https://buff.ly/2qTCI6F
Sunrise over the Strait of Juan de Fuca just west of Port Angeles. Living in Washington we have a lot to be thankful. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #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 #WildOlympic
It’s been a blustery and stormy weekend but just at sunset we had this spectacular moment on the Washington Coast.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ # #explore #explore #storm #stormchasing #stormchasers #stormchase #stormchaser #stormy #lightning #washington #wildolympics #nebraskaphotographer #visitusa #visittheusa #beautiful #nature #photography #journey #photo #travelphotographer #travel24
Looking through the clouds down at the Washington Coast. We had to scrub the survey but that didn’t stop us from enjoying nature at its rawest.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #oregonexplored #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #coasst #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #oregonnw #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #jj_oregon #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored
Out at First Beach on the Washington Coast for our volunteer beach survey. Weather is a bit rough; have to see if we get a break at low tide.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #forest #forks #explore #olympicnationalforest #olympicpeninsula #pnwlife #naturephotography #seattle #hiking #pnw #westcoast #pnwwonderland #nationalpark #washingtonstate #travel #hikingadventures #adventure #washingtonexplored #pacificnorthwest #upperleftusa #nature #olympicnationalpark #washington #pnwonderland #rainforest #trees #roadtrip #wanderlust #mountains #coasst
Exploring Cape Disappointment on our Rad Power bikes. We’re loving the range they’re giving us and they also just plain fun to ride.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #firstgentacoma #roadtrip #gravelroad #ebikereview #radpowerbike #pacificnorthwest #getoutside #radpowerbikes #ebike #ebikelife #radcity #foldingebike #powerbike #foldingbike #foldingelectricbike #radmini #radpower #radrover #ebikereviewer #wastateparks
Recently we spent a day traveling the Forest Service roads to the west of Hood Canal. While doing so cane across Spoon Creek Falls.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #nature #travelphotography #love #beautiful #washington #naturephotography #oregon #photography #photooftheday #pnwonderland #hiking #adventure #seattle #picoftheday #pnwlife #waterfalls #naturelovers #upperleftusa #landscape #outdoors #pnw #travel #wanderlust #explore #pacificnorthwest #getoutside #mountains #waterfall #optoutside #wildolympics
The Elwha River is a 45-mile river on the Olympic Peninsula. From its source at Elwha snowfinger in the Olympic Mountains, it flows generally north to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and recently had its natural flow returned with the removal of two dams.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #lakemills #elwhavalley #olympic #washington #olympicpeninsula #olympicnationalforest #fall #pnwonderland #pnw #washingtonstate #salmon #elwha #mountains #olympicnationalpark #nationalparkgeek #olympicnps #nationalparkphotography #national #pacificnorthwest #river #portangeles #elwhariver #photography #ocean #nationalpark #hiking #glinescanyondam #wildolympics
Looking into the Glines Canyon from atop the remains of the Glines Canyon dam which was removed in 2014. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #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
Here's the latest on our website | "Off Season at the Wynoochee Dam" https://buff.ly/372trt4
Wynoochee Dam
Lately, dams have been getting a bad reputation and I understand the reasoning behind that. However, the boy in me still wonders when I come upon one and look at the engineering behind it. Visiting Wynoochee Dam in the offseason is just one of the moments of wonder.
The Wynoochee Dam was built by the Army Corp of Engineers in 1972 to help control floods in the area. It wasn’t until 1994 that Tacoma Power added a 30MW hydroelectric generating plant downstream from the dam. Although access to the dam has been restricted since September 11, 2001, tours are available by appointment.
We also explored the Coho Campground on the west shore of the lake. It’s a beautiful campground with 45 campsites available as well as some yurts and walk-in sites. Be warned that there didn’t appear to be any cellular service and as it’s about 30 miles north of Aberdeen you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of gas to make it back.
There were few campers when we drove through but I imagine that’s not the case in the summer season. I think we’ll be back to try it out as a base camp and explore more of the Olympic National Forest in this area.
