Day Nine – June 4th, 2021 11:54 Pacific Time
Absolutely shot from today, but well worth it. We headed towards Olympic National Park to hike Mount Storm King, see the Pacific at Ruby Beach, and see the mossy rainforest. Along the way, we drove through Port Angeles, which was a small harbor town. We also drove along Snug Harbor and the water was green and pretty.
For the Mount Storm King hike, we parked near the Storm King Ranger Station which was adjacent to Lake Crescent. The lake had deep blue and turquoise hues. The hike had trees bigger than I have ever seen, some over 200 feet tall. The trail included a lot of dark green moss accented by lighter green ferns.
It was a very steep hike and it got dicey after the “End of Maintained Trail” sign. Using the old ropes to get up the steep incline over loose dirt and pebbles was interesting. One mistake could definitely prove disastrous.
The scramble to reach the lookout was more like a short rock climb on a knife edge. I made it first and talked to the bearded man up there while I waited for Tom and Alex. Alex made it, but Tom decided not to go further after finishing the ropes. Alex and I took our photos and videos and then descended as the Mount Storm King Outlook was getting crowded.
After rappelling down the old, dirt-covered ropes, we stopped at a lookout. A young girl about my age with her man gave me peanuts to hold so a Grey Jay would land on me. It worked! Tom’s face was priceless as he descended and saw a bird landing on Alex and I. I captured some awesome photos of the Grey Jay on my hand with Lake Crescent in the background.
Once back on the trail, we stopped at a large fallen log where Alex and Tom took photographs of me on top of it. Back where the trail split there was a stream where I dunked my head in. The water was cold and refreshing. I did the same at Lake Crescent.
We hit Ruby Beach after and I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. I took a bunch of videos and photos. I took off my boots and socks and went in the ocean water just over knee deep. I splashed water into my face, hair, and hat. There were rock formations with their own ecosystems, large pieces of driftwood, and a couple having a small fire. The burning driftwood smelt pleasant.
Lastly, we hit the Hot Rainforest Visitor Center in Olympic National Park. The 200 foot tall trees, the enormous tree trunks, and everything being covered in moss was overwhelming. I have never seen anything like it and it was beautiful. We walked along the Hall of Mosses Nature Trail taking plenty of photos and videos along the way.
It was definitely sensory overload, but peaceful at the same time. I would definitely like to go back to explore more of the longer trails in the park. We drove around the remainder of the Olympic Peninsula to get us back to our Holiday Inn in Sea-Tac, WA.
I’m exhausted as we got back at 11:40 PM and wanted to get this journal in. Tomorrow is Mount Rainier National Park and although the weather looks rainy all day, I am just hoping to get in the park to snag some photos. We shall see, I’m hoping for the best.
Stats for 6/4/2021
- 21,828 total steps
- 10.94 miles total distance
- 193 flights climbed
- 1,875 calories burned
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RTW Note
Well, this was one of the most WILD hikes up a mountain I have ever done my fellow Warriors!! Mount Storm King was no joke! The hike is steep, dangerous in spots, and popular (making the dangerous spots difficult to maneuver). I do not recommend this hike to newbies or those afraid of some exposure! For those looking for a wild adventure and view, this hike is for you! If you enjoyed this post or the photos, please share it or check out the other posts on the website! Like always, we have big things coming! Stay safe and keep on adventuring!
-Ant
