Dropoff

Laurence · Mar 9, 2008

I was out hiking an old, overgrown trail and came to a fine waterfall. Decided to scramble up beside the falls to see what was on top.

After the steep climb, I stopped to rest and the sun broke through, lighting up the abyss below.

I felt that this scene gave a nice impression of the isolated deep woods in this pristine area.

abraxas · Mar 9, 2008

Gorgeous shot.

LaFoto · Mar 9, 2008

Oh yes, it does! Very, very beautiful!
And the sunrays highlighted by the bit of fog absolutely make this photo.

Laurence · Mar 9, 2008

Thank you very much, you two. It was a very cool morning, and the mists were swirling around. I finally found a little patch of sun and had my lunch with the sun warming my face.

93rdcurrent · Mar 9, 2008

Excellent shot. I really like the ancient feel to the forest. Good capture.

Tennessee Landscape · Mar 9, 2008

where do you live where it is that green right now......Love the shot

93rdcurrent · Mar 10, 2008

Pretty much anywhere in the Pacific NW right now I'm guessing.

Laurence · Mar 10, 2008

GREAT guess 93rdcurrent! This is the headwaters of the Wynoochee River, flowing out of the southern Olympic Mountains. The logging roads and spurs in the upper part of the valley finally have to give way to the Olympic National Park boundary. Once the boundary is crossed, then the pristine forest is unbelievable.

There is a "trail" of sorts here, but you have to know which spur road to take to get near the trail, then you have to take a compass heading across cutover lands to intersect the old trail. Once on the trail it isn't too bad, except for blowdowns. This trail eventually winds its way up to a pass that take you into the upper Quinault Valley drainage.

This is WILDLIFE country galore! Elk, bears, deer, cougars are plentiful here. The name of the game here is WATER -- everything oozes water -- and the hillsides retain this water in a sort of "time release" state, so that in the driest summer months there is still a steady flow. This has resulted in many huge trees, as well as two of the World Record size trees for the species of Mountain Hemlock and Pacific Silver Fir.

It is a phantasm of isolated charm.

93rdcurrent · Mar 10, 2008

Not too much of a guess since I've lived in Oregon off and on since '93. But it is an awesome shot and however did you find the location?

Laurence · Mar 10, 2008

93rdcurrent said:
Not too much of a guess since I've lived in Oregon off and on since '93. But it is an awesome shot and however did you find the location?

I see, 93rdcurrent! Oregon is also a beautiful place.

I knew of the location because I spent so much time as a young guy roaming the southern scarp of the Olympic Range. Before the logging terracide of the 70's, the deep forest was extensive on Forest Service lands, but when Reagan allowed for the cutting of the remaining 12% of old growth on unprotected lands, it pretty well cut the area up with logging remains.

So, even though the approaches changed, the integrity of the National Park certainly did not change.

Thanks again.