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| We drove the short way this time to the Lake Quinault Lodge, a 3.5 hour drive from Seattle taking the southern route around Tacoma and Olympia onto the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic Rain Forest. We arrived before the rest of the family so we needed to get out and stretch a bit anyway so we took advantage of the time to hike the Cascade Falls Trail. The entrance is located just across the street from the lodge and is only 1.5 miles long. |
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You walk just a few yards from the road and you are immediately immersed in the Quinault Rain Forest
The Quinault Rain Forest is one of four rich temperate rain forest canopies that lie within the west side of Washington’s Olympic Mountains. It begins in the Mount Anderson drainage to the east and the Low Divide drainage to the northwest. This majestic forest follows the paths of the North and East Forks of the Quinault River. These forks meander down the valley and merge into one Quinault River, which enters beautiful Lake Quinault. The Quinault Rain Forest completely surrounds Lake Quinault, bringing its unique biological community to the shoreline.http://www.quinaultrainforest.com/pages/rainforest.html |
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| The moist forest floor provides perfect habitat for a host of peculiar species. Banana slugs averaging six inches in length thrive in the Quinault Rain Forest. They are found exclusively in moist, shady habitat. They are actually snails that do not need the benefit of the shelter of a hard shell during dry hot conditions. The slug will get under cover of leaves or the dirt during extreme heat or cold. Slugs are famous for their slimy tracks and sticky slime when touched. The slugs eat a wide variety of fungi and plants. |
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| Is that a Cougar Den? |
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| We know God is Everywhere.... |
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| An incredible Life Force is Surrounding you and you immediately feel its Qi, the life-process or flow of energy that sustains living beings. |
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| The last time we were here it was the Big things that got the attention of our camera but this time we focused on the small things. |
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| A little Irish Clover for Luck. |
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| The Trees that fall due to old age or Hurricane force winds become nurse logs and ar host to a essential part of the Forest Ecosystems. |
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| The free running streams and river, and Lake Quinault provide habitat for the life cycle of salmon to be played out. Salmon and steelhead come year round to spawn: Chinook and Coho, winter and summer steelhead, chum and sockeye. The sockeye spend up to 10 months in Lake Quinault before heading up the river to spawn and die. Their death fuels the nutrient base of the rivers for the benefit of the upcoming egg hatch. The entire rain forest community is dependent upon the fish runs. This amazing interaction connects the high mountain country to the rain forest upper canopy, to the understory and then to the ocean. |
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| The free running streams and river, and Lake Quinault provide habitat for the life cycle of salmon to be played out. Salmon and steelhead come year round to spawn: Chinook and Coho, winter and summer steelhead, chum and sockeye. The sockeye spend up to 10 months in Lake Quinault before heading up the river to spawn and die. Their death fuels the nutrient base of the rivers for the benefit of the upcoming egg hatch. The entire rain forest community is dependent upon the fish runs. This amazing interaction connects the high mountain country to the rain forest upper canopy, to the understory and then to the ocean. |
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| We declined hiking down this steep bank to the creek below ...maybe next time. |
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| A common site in the rain forest is the colonnade, where large trees grow close together in a straight line. These trees originally grew on a nurse log, which has long since decomposed. |
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| See what the world is like when you Do Not Mess With Mother Nature? |
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| The rain forest is also characterized by fallen trees which litter the forest floor. These fallen logs may last for a very log time. It may take 150 years for the nutrients of the wood to be recycled by the organisms which are responsible for decay. It may be 250 years for the log itself to be incorporated into the forest floor. The Douglas fir may take 3 to 4 centuries to decompose. This Nurse Log is just getting started. |
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| The logs that fall into the creek have a good chance of making it all the way to the Pacific Ocean in the winters Rains. |
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| Maybe Cedar Bog Next Time. |
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| Our Kids made it and we met out on the Big Lawn at the Lodge overlooking Lake Quinault |
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| Perfect for city Kids. |
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| The next Morning after a fine Loggers Breakfast we hooked up with the resident naturalist for a birding walk along the Cascade Falls Trail |
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| Mary said that Birding in the Rain Forest is done primarily by Sound since actually spotting a bird in the dense growth is difficult at best. So she can readily recognize a lot of the bird visitors and resident birds by their song. |
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| Mary said there is over 5,000 different types of fungus in the Quinault Rain Forest. Lynn asked her what the little ones were in the lower right pic, She Said " LBM, Little Brown Mushrooms" Haaa Haaa Haaaa. |
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| Not easy to remember over 5,000 different fungi types. |
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| If you like a wide variety of ferns..... |
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| 4 little children came running down the trail, no adults insight. Mary stopped the children and said " Do you know there are Cougars in the Forest and they eat Children?" The kids, all about 4 years old suddenly got very close together and their eyes got big. Then their parents lollygagged along. They all went merrily off but the children seemed to be staying closer to their parents. We were not sure of Mary's intent and did not ask her but later saw this sign posted on one of the park trail heads. |
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I kept seeing this tine bit of foam on stems and leaves and asked Mary what it was from.
These families are best known for the nymph stage, which produces a cover of frothed-up plant sap resembling spit; the nymphs are therefore commonly known as spittlebugs and their froth as cuckoo spit,frog spit or snake spit. |
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The Spittlebugs create the foamy substance, they are a invasive species here but they are not doing any harm since the Rain Forest ecosystem keeps them at bay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Froghopper |
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| Big Douglas firs, western red cedar and pacific silver fir dominate themain forest upper canopy. Adding to this rich dark green are the moisture dependent Sitka spruce and the western hemlock. The forest canopy is open, allowing streams of sunlight to reach the forest floor. These huge conifers along with the big leaf maple and alder along the river bars comprise first impressions for those visiting the Quinault Rain Forest. |
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| White Crowned Sparrow |
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| Mary said these little guys make for great fishing. |
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| Yummm...Salmon Berry Bush. Mary said to the Native children thes plant was like Candy. |
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| Mary sighted this Rufas Hummingbird bird far away on the top of a tall old dead tree. I could not see the bird but with the Admiral's camera zoomed all the way I managed this shot before he flew off. I think we had maybe three attempts at actually seeing a bird in 2 hours and got two pics. |
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| Another Banana Slug on a nurse log. |
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| Mary took us to find a Dipper Bird along this creek that she sees often here, and we looked all over for a long time.... |
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| ..., but God Lives Here |
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| We looked all over for the Dipper Bird but only saw a cool little Douglas Squirrel but he was to fast to snap a picture. |
Back to The Quinault Rain Forest Hiking the Cascade Falls Trail
Our Daughter' family scheduled this trip almost a year ago and we at the time did not think we would still be in Seattle so we all looked forward to returning to the Quinault Rain Forest.
It was Memorial Day weekend so we got an early start on Saturday and as soon as we arrived we went directly to the Forest Rangers which is right next door to the Lake Quinault Lodge. We got some info to make sure it was all safe and walked perhaps 30 yards to the entrance of Cascade Falls Trail, a 1.5 mile trail that takes you into the most dense rain Forest in the world, there is more life here than in any other rain forest on the planet. If you have any senses at all you immediately know you are in a very special place that has no equal to any other experience you may have ever had.When natural life and beauty is this intense there is an incredible peace and wonderment that overcomes your being. The first time we were here we just kinda of looked at each other and searched for an answer to what we were feeling. The only other time I have felt this was being 100's of miles offshore in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico with nothing but the life of the ocean surrounding you.
We had a great family evening on the lawn overlooking Lake Quinault then the next morning the Admiral found Mary, a naturalist who in conjuration with the forest service guides free tours. The Admiral was interested in getting a little birding in so being the only two on the tour Mary gave us a great three hour round of birding and discovery in the Quinault Rain Forest.
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