Big Trees!

Sitka Spruce in Olympic National Park

In the Hoh Rainforest the trees were impressive, but the rain was even more impressive.  It pressed down on me.  I thought I was in the shower at times.  The droplets were fine, yet there were so many of them, so close together, we got a soaking.  Constant water. Everywhere. Our first night in the tent I must admit I felt fear.  The rain was so heavy, I thought it might pound our tent to the ground.  Or else the floods would lift us up and carry us out to sea.  I wanted earplugs to stop out the sound of that rain.  But morning finally came and only one out of three sleeping bags got wet, not bad odds.  Drippy moss, rainy leaves.  Photography was difficult, the lens was splattered with droplets.  There was a beautiful green glow.  So much life, from the tiniest square inch to the towering trees, everything was growing.  Native salal was everpresent, up to my eyes with it’s lovely dark green leaf.  Evergreen huckleberry was huge as well, just starting to show off it’s little, still green, fruits.   But the big trees were a sight to behold.  Unimaginably wide, unbelievably tall.  Outlasting us all.  Luckily, the park has signs directing visitors to some of the largest trees.  My kids asked ‘do we have to stop at every tree?’  Yes, we had to, and here they are!

Western Red Cedar with a thin strip of living bark.

Western Red Cedar Near Lake Quinault

Inside a still living Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar near Kalaloch

Western Red Cedar….So Big!

Hoh Rainforest

Sitka Spruce, Can’t see the top, it’s too far away!