September 2022October 2022 November 2022

10/24 - Elwha to Altair - After the Rain

At long last, it has rained. We had a long dry stretch, all of September and most of October. Hurricane Ridge Road was closed for repairs, but they promised to re-open it on the 21st. Naturally, we expected the rains to come on that date and the road to the Ridge to be closed due to snow. Our forecast was accurate. On the 21st, the rains came. It snowed on the Ridge. Hurricane Ridge Road did not reopen, but we, down near sea level, had lots of long awaited rain.

We decided to head out from Madison Falls and check out the Elwha River as far as the Altair Bridge. There were wonderful puddles, wet dirt and wet pavement. We weren't the only ones enjoying the puddles. We spotted a frog beside one. Even the park service mules looked happier, though we can't be sure. The river looked a lot less tired. It seemed like the foliage was waiting for the rains to change to its autumn colors, and now that the rain had come there were browns and reds and golds. The colors were muted by the drought, but they were there.


At the start of the trail

Autumn color

A glimpse of the river

A proper view of the Elwha

Wet pavement never looked this good.

Still plenty of green

Park service buildings

The Elwha from the Altair Bridge

Another view from the bridge

A log caught below the Altair Bridge

More of Olympic Hot Springs Road

Another view of the river

Autumn color and misty mountains

Autumn fields

Mist and color

More of the wet road

The green forest thinning

A bit of trail

A dramatic bit of trail

That frog by the puddle

Another view, same frog

Mules in the field

The river at the parking lot

Keywords: autumn, elwha, hurricane ridge


10/22 - Little River Trail With Woodpecker

It rained. At long last, autumn has begun. We celebrated with a walk along the Little River Trail. The leaves are thinning, others are turning bright yellow. The river is running more briskly. We saw slugs and snails and many mushrooms. We also saw a woodpecker hammering away oblivious to any audience.

An old stump in the forest

The trail accented with gold

Another bit of trail

Little River and a log

More of Little River

Cool water

Less clumsy people could cross on those logs.

A snail

A shroom

More mushrooms

And even more mushrooms

The green skull - Halloween is coming

Slight mist on the trail

Woodpecker

Woodpecker

Woodpecker

Woodpecker

Woodpecker

A golden bowl

A freshet

Little River again

Keywords: autumn, little river


September 2022October 2022 November 2022