05/01/16 - The Mouth of the Elwha

Now that the dams are down we returned to the mouth of the Elwha for the first time in years. Place Road leads north from route 112. It heads down towards the Strait. At the base of the descent, we took a left turn and found a place to park. Not much seems to have changed, though there were more cars parked there than last time.

We headed north along the lagoon. We could see Striped Peak across Freshwater bay to the west. Then we noticed our first change. There was a lot more beach here, and not just because it was low tide. The Elwha has been depositing silt and growing the beach about the river’s mouth. We walked out onto the beach. It reminded us a lot of Dungeness Spit, a great place for a picnic and exploring driftwood.

We followed the beach. There were gentle breakers as we headed north, then turned east. Then we met the Elwha, a big swift river now, riding out to the strait and meeting it with a wall of breakers. We turned south and followed the beach alongside the river. The freshwater flow was brisk and powerful. The Elwha has definitely changed since the dams were taken down.












Keywords: elwha, striped peak

11/09/09 - Return to Striped Peak

We hadn't been up Striped Peak in years. For some reason, we remembered the trail having been turned into a hard packed lumbering road, and with our tender feet we avoided it. Well, there has been some lumbering, but it doesn't seem to have affected the trail much. Yes, they have paved the little parking lot and put in a new sign. Yes, the Scotch broom along the main incline seems bigger and sturdier than ever. Otherwise, the trail is not much changed, and that goes for the mud, and for the spectacular views.

The new sign at the trailhead

The same wonderful views

North to Victoria

The trail

Rain forest wall

Keywords: striped peak, trails

05/14/09 - Flight To Tacoma

We just got back from Tacoma. We'll post more in a bit. For now, here's a photo of the view west from our takeoff at Fairchild Airport (CLM). You can see Striped Peak and probably out past Clallam Bay.

The view west from Port Angeles

Keywords: port angeles, tacoma, striped peak

08/30/06 - Trail Closed at Salt Creek

The Vista trail heading east along the coast from Salt Creek Park is closed. According to the signs there was a big landslide that wiped out the trail completely. This has always been a very pretty trail, heading up and down along the bluffs and headlands, and you know what that means.

On the positive side, the trail up Striped Peak is still open, and, as you can see in the pictures below, there is still some spectacular coastal scenery to enjoy and explore. Can you believe that this is a modestly priced, county run campground? The remodeled, now glassed in grange kitchen looks great.

Salt Creek is not a serious rival to Olympic National Park, but it deserves a bit of public praise now and then.

Keywords: salt creek, striped peak

View From Striped PeakNew Road At Striped Peak

02/10/05 - Logging at Striped Peak

We had heard that there had been some logging at Striped Peak, so we weren't surprised to see the old trail out of the Salt Creek parking lot is now a full fledged, full width logging road. They've followed the old right of way, and it is still a steep ascent, about 960', from the playground to the high point of the trail.

It may not feel as wild as it used to, and if they do a lot more logging, it will feel even less so, but the views  are still spectacular. We figured we'd better enjoy Striped Peak for now, and hope it doesn't get changed beyond recognition. At least they haven't found any shallow mining coal.

Keywords: trails, salt creek, striped peak