Paris and Beyond

Olympic ~ Lake Crescent

After a day in the mountains, it was time to head to the lake — Lake Crescent that is. Conveniently located about 30 minutes west of our Port Angeles abode in the opposite direction of Hurricane Ridge, lies this gorgeous “Tahoe-esque” lake. While it possesses nowhere near the depth and size of the famous Cal-Nev icon, Lake Crescent presents a similar aura with its clear, deep blue waters backed by a stunning set of glacially-formed peaks. At its deepest, it measures 624 feet (as opposed to Lake Tahoe’s 1645 in case you’re curious) and is officially the second deepest lake in Washington (after Lake Chelan). It contains very little nitrogen, thereby limiting the growth of small plants like algae that typically grow in lake waters which contributes to its clarity.

Upon our arrival at Lake Crescent Lodge, we were immediately drawn to the small pier extending out into the lake. While the Storm King Ranger Station is located nearby, it’s a basic affair and the lodge facilities provide a much more inviting atmosphere for exploration of this section of the ONP which is comprised largely of old growth forests. As you can see, we practically had the place all to ourselves.

As waterfalls are one of our favorite photographic subjects, we are always attracted to any hikes that will lead us to one. While we have seen some of the tallest and most spectacular falls, we still won’t pass up an opportunity to add another to our list of conquests. Just a short walk from the lodge we joined the Marymere Falls Trail meandering through a dense forest where you can easily imagine dinosaurs might have once lived. Everything is really old and BIG! It makes you realize what a small part of Earth’s historic record we are.

Barnes Creek runs parallel to the trail. Crossing a bridge or two and leaving the creek behind, we began a slight uphill climb toward the falls.

After working our way around a loop and climbing a few stairs, we arrived at a very convenient platform with a view of the lovely 90-foot Marymere Falls. This is considered an easy trail, but it takes a bit of effort with all our equipment. Norman always manages to put a smile on it!

It may look like I’m just checking my messages, but I’m actually controlling the camera with my phone. Attached to the top of the camera is a device called a CamRanger. When in use, it creates a wifi connection between the phone and the camera (referred to as wireless tethering) allowing you to access all the camera’s settings and frame your shot much more easily than if you were simply looking through the viewfinder. This is especially helpful when your eyesight is not what it used to be and you wear progressive lenses like I do. It also interacts with my iPad which makes an even better monitor for shooting.

And here are the results…

Upon our return, we were able to sneak in a very nice lunch at the lodge. Operating at only 25% seating capacity due to the pandemic, we were fortunate to get a table. We even bought souvenirs at the gift shop — something we rarely do… a true old-fashioned vacation experience at a very quaint lodge from another era.

We enjoyed this location so much that we felt it merited a second visit. The following day was a transition to our next stop with some time to kill before we could check it. So I suggested heading back to Lake Crescent Lodge which just happened to be on the way. Norman decided he wanted to hike out and shoot again for awhile. I found a comfy corner with a gorgeous view of the lake where I spread out my things and spent some time reading and knitting while enjoying a local beer. One couldn’t ask for more!

And, if you haven’t seen enough of the falls… we never do — here’s a parting video for you. Enjoy!