Olympic National Park
- Clint & Rebecca Heath
- Jun 18, 2016
- 4 min read
Of the many places we have camped in the past, one of my favorite memories is camping in the Olympic National Rain Forest in the summer of 2010. That summer, we camped in the Quinault Rainforest with the kids and the grandparents. I am not sure if it was the wine, the scenery, the company or a combination of all 3, but looking back, it is one of my favorite camping trips ever.
This summer, we decided to head back to Washington and camp once again in Olympic. This time, we would be on the north side. The campsite we found was a small site located on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Crescent. It was freaking cold this summer though. One of their coldest summers they have had. And although I had packed us jeans, hoodies and jackets, I spent the majority of the days shivering from that damp all over chill that only a rain forest can bring. The kids, however, were not bothered a single bit by the cold. They spent their days down by the lake, shoes off ,wading in the turquoise blue, icy cold water and fishing. Each day they caught enough trout for us to eat for dinner. If ever the Zombie Apocalypse comes, I am not worried. My kids know how to survive out in the wilderness.
Lake Crescent is one of the deepest lakes in Washington and is the most beautiful, blue water lake I have ever seen. Due to the lack of nitrogen in the lake, algae is unable to grow, therefore the clarity of the water is astounding and you can see clearly 100s of feet deep. Though a popular swimming hole on hot days, due to the cold weather and the creepy ghost story that accompanies the lake, the kids (and parents) felt quite comfortable staying dry on the shoreline and admiring the beauty from there.
The history of Crescent Lake is actually quite intriguing and kind of draws you in to the mystique of the lake. Crescent Lake was once actually two lakes that was split by a road that swerves and curves between the 2. Native American's believe that 2 rival tribes once lived around the lake (it used to be 1 great lake). Their God grew tired of their fighting and bickering and threw a great boulder down to earth to split the lake into two. The tribes were separated by the division of the lakes and have lived peacefully from then on.
But, it was the Lady of the Lake that really got our attention. Apparently the Lady of the Lake was named Hallie Illingworth and in the 1940's she was murdered by her husband and her body was dumped in the lake. Due to the icy cold condition of the water, the body had not decomposed or decayed. The cold waters of the lake had preserved the body and the calcium and salt in the water had turned the tissue of the body into substance similar to soap. Because she was so well preserved, law enforcement was able to determine who she was and the cause of death. It took authorities over 4 years to convict her husband of the crime and he served only 9 years in prison.
Even though Hallie is no longer in the lake, you could totally feel her presence. There was one day when we spent a good portion of the afternoon kayaking around the lake. As we kayaked out to the middle, you couldn't help but peer over the edge of your kayak and just picture Hallie down at the bottom of Crescent Lake, still tied up, just peering back up at you. It made for great stories that night around the campfire.
If you want to read more about the Lady of the Lake, check out this link.
http://www.myolympicpark.com/the-lady-of-crescent-lake/
Speaking of kayaking the lake, this was one of our favorite lake adventures ever! It's hard to fathom sitting on top of a glassy turquoise lake surface with approximately 1000 feet of water below you! It's almost like floating over the Grand Canyon in a balloon. Exhilarating and creepy at the same time, it truly makes you feel small and vulnerable. All that being said, there is not a moment on that pristine body of water that you are not in awe of your surroundings, both below and above! Surrounded by heavily forested ridges on all sides and little artist cabins scattered delicately on the remote shores of the lake. Your mind cannot help but wonder what it would be like to sit on the wooden balcony of one of those cabins and stare out for days over the unfettered beauty of the natural scene in front of you. What serenity could be found there? What books have been written or art created by the people who have spent time on those seldom traveled shores? There are few places on earth that penetrate your very being with a sense of such escape from the modern world. Soak into you with an overwhelming quiet that beckons you to another way of being. Sitting there in a tiny plastic kayak, devoid of the noises, sights, and trappings of our busy, connected, high tech world, it's hard not to lose yourself in the moment and understand why the native inhabitants of this great land felt one with Mother Earth and appreciated her so much more than we do now.
The next day, we traveled about an hour by car, up to the top of Hurricane Ridge (5242ft). One of the highest easily accessible points in the park where an amazing hiking trail takes you a few steep miles up to a 360 degree view all the way from Victoria, BC to Mount Olympus. It's truly breathtaking. Such a rewarding hike. On top of the views, we also encountered multiple wildlife, like large deer who just sat or walked around without concern for the humans. This hike gave us a whole new perspective on a park that we had previously assumed was all rainforest. From here, you can see that Olympic is much more complex then that. The landscapes, climates, and variety this amazing treasure holds are paled in comparison only by the secrets she holds.
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