SUNRISE AREA AT MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK

Campsites at the 4500 ft high White River near Sunrise were first come, first served, so we felt optimist as we headed there that we would get a site – mistake – glorious day 25oC, weekend! So we were not hopeful as the Ranger said there were only a few sites left and we were quite big! We went round loop A and C then as a last resort looked up B loop and there was a small pull through. Not a pull through for us though, Roy shunted and backed and after about half an hour we were in!! What a driver my man is - a couple walking past said A+ for that – there was no way he could have got in there! Hope we get out – still that's another day.

ROY LEAPING FOR JOY AT SUNRISE POINT

VIEW OF MT. RAINIER FROM OUR CAMPGROUND

THESE PHOTOS DON'T REALLY SHOW HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO GET INTO BUT EASY PEASY TO LEAVE

We drove the ten miles up to Sunrise, at 6400 ft, and planned which walks we would do. Mt. Rainier looked amazing in the late afternoon sun but as the name suggests this area is best at sunrise – we had contemplated getting up to see it at sunrise but Ranger lady said we would have to be at Sunrise Point by 5-15 – I don't think so.

LEWIS WOODPECKER

SUNRISE LAKE FROM SUNRISE POINT

SNOQUALMIE FALLS, WASHINGTON

We left Olympic National Park and retraced our steps along the Hood Canal, looking for a waterwheel we had missed on the way up – so we missed it twice more before finally spotting it, hidden at the side of the road, pretty and after driving up and down the narrow canal road with few places to turn round – there was no way we were not going to get the photo!

LOOK FOR THE VERY SMALL WHITE BLOB ABOVE ROY'S FOREHEAD - MT. RAINIER

THIS IS THE BLOB ON ZOOM!

We stopped for lunch at an inlet on the Puget Sound and while sat on the beach spotted the top of Mt Rainier above the trees and thought about our friends Terry and Sally who were probably at that time landing in Seattle just over the hill.

On to Fall City and a lovely campsite at the side of the Snoqualmie River then drove back the 3 miles to see the spectacular Snoqualmie Falls, cascading 268 ft over granite cliffs. We walked round the different viewpoints and down to the steep trail to the lower viewpoint.

STAIRCASE - GOODBYE OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK WASHINGTON

Our last day spent in Olympic National Park - we drove up to Staircase and did three hikes totaling about 6 miles. It was good to get out walking again, the weather was fine with some sunshine around 17oC.

WESTERN CEDAR - 14FT ACROSS - SEE HOW ROY HAS JUST PUSHED IT OVER!

WESTERN CEDAR AND ME

LOST IN ROOTS!

STAIRCASE RAPIDS NOT EASY TO ACCESS!

LOST IN THE FOREST!

GOODBYE OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST YOU ARE AWESOME!

THE HIGH STEEL BRIDGE NEAR HOODSPORT. WASHINGTON

These gorgeous Black tailed deer are wandering around our campsite, almost coming into the trailer before I shooed them.

Having seen the forecast was rain in the afternoon we decided to find the high steel bridge and do our hike tomorrow.

Up into the forest roads we came to said bridge, built as a railroad for logging in 1929.

There was no way down the steep gorge to get a side view and the views looking down made me feel quite dizzy! Had to make do with a shadow of the bridge profile.

On the way back we picked brambles then called at a farm stand and picked our own green beans, beetroot, courgettes and got carrots and delicious beef tomatoes.

RUBY BEACH TO OCEAN CITY AND BACK TO HOODSPORT

Headed south down the Pacific coast we walked along this pretty beach, tide pools full of starfish and sea anemones.

RUBY BEACH

RUBY BEACH WITH ROY

We stayed three nights at Ocean City as it was Labor Day weekend and felt it best to book – of course you can't just have Saturday and Sunday had to book three!

We woke up Saturday morning to RAIN! The first we've had since arriving but thankfully it was still warm and the skies cleared by lunchtime. Caught up with the washing and some of the family and friends on wifi, walked on the beach, saw a beached dead whale and generally lazed around.

Left on Labor day and decided to retrace our steps - just a little! We went back to Hoodsport, staying a couple of nights so we can do a hike tomorrow back on the road to Lake Cushman, we didn't have time before but we wanted to hike at the Staircase, which is at the end of that road, so tomorrow we go!

Just to mention poor Roy has hurt his back - no idea how it happened but its not like him to complain about anything, so while I'm catching up with blogs and everything wifi at this superb site - Roy is in the hot tub! I did suggest he could put an ice pack on it to see if it helps but he's gone with the site owner's suggestion! Wimp!!!

HOH RAIN FOREST IN THE OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

We headed south and stopped the night in Hoh rain forest at the National Park campground - $6 a night – Roy's idea of a good price!

There are only four temperate rain forests on the planet (info says). Drenched in over 12 feet of rain a year, the Hoh, Quinault and Queets Rain Forests, located in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains are North America's best examples.

We spent the afternoon wandering round the two trails, Spruce trail and Hall of Mosses – both superb, especially in the sunshine! Fascinating to see all the club mosses, ferns, huge Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir, Western Cedar and Red Alder. There are about 400 Roosevelt Elk in the Hoh rain forest, we saw none but did see a pair of Black tailed deer.

In the evening we attended a fun Ranger talk about the Roosevelt Deer and the Cougar, who live side by side in the forest.