The Intensity of Regrowth

Wherever light can penetrate the canopy, the nutrients in the soil left by decayed trees and plants feed intense regrowth.

Death and Decay

Images of the unending cycle of death, decay, and regrowth on the forest floor of the Sol Duc Valley. Ever since I started photographing and looking at landscape photographs (mainly in books published by the Sierra Club) I had wanted to visit these places. Finally I've made time to do so.

Sol Duc River

The Sol Duc River and Falls has been an important route for salmon migration and spawning. Recently, however, low water levels have made it difficult for salmon to make this run. These photos show both the beauty and the difficulty of the terrain.

Sol Duc

The Sol Duc (pronounced "Sole Duck") Valley is one of the key areas in Olympic National Park. As the National Park Service web site explains, "Old-growth forest, subalpine lakes, and snowy peaks populate the Sol Duc landscape, while the Sol Duc River serves as a key highway for coho salmon, running through the valley and ascending to the lakes and headwaters in the surrounding mountains." Not far from Port Angeles, it is one of the most visited regions in the Park.

My strongest reaction to the Sol Duc was of the tremendous density and intensity of tree and plant growth. The three photos in this blog post try to capture this reaction. The first two photos are examples of how virtually every square inch (or maybe cubic inch) is occupied. The third photo shows how even when space is occupied by a big old tree, another tree can't wait to take its place.

Decaying Wood and New Flowers

The steep hiking trails on Hurricane Ridge are rich with examples of growth and decay, and the special niches of mountain plants.

Trees on Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge provided our first views of the life cycle of trees in Olympic National Park. The three stages below are in no particular order, just the order in which we encountered the scenes: death and decay (returning nutrients to the soil), new growth, and colonization by Spanish moss.

Mist on Hurricane Ridge

In the morning, clouds lay low on Hurricane Ridge (5242 feet elevation), giving a distinctive atmosphere to the scene.

Deer on Hurricane Ridge

Leaving Vancouver after lunch, we drove for about four hours (including a long delay in a rain-burst- caused traffic tie-up involving about five crashes) to the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, to the town of Sequim (pronounced "Skwim"). The excellent Lost Mountain Lodge would be our base as we explored the Olympic National Park and nearby sites.

The next morning we set out for Hurricane Ridge, according to the National Park Service "the most easily accessed mountain area within Olympic National Park." Before we even got a chance to explore the spectacular scenery, we encountered a couple of deer, one by the side of the road and the other on a ridge overlooking the parking lot. As we were to discover, deer are very common in this area, and we suspect they're a nuisance to homeowners trying to maintain gardens. However, the mountain goat population is an even bigger problem in the Park, and parts of Hurricane Ridge were closed for goat-relocation efforts involving helicopters.

Waterfront Color

Vancouver's waterfront is not all monochrome rocks and water. There was some attractive color in the bar of the bistro where we had lunch, colorful vegetation along the waterfront promenade, and a pleasing pink-snd-blue early afternoon sky.

Vancouver Waterfront

Vancouver fronts on the Columbia River, which divides Oregon and Washington, and its waterfront has recently been attractively refurbished.

Bridges to the North

About a week ago my wife and I set off on a brief driving trip to the north: from Portland, Oregon to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Our first stop was Vancouver, Washington - just across the I-5 bridge from Portland. Despite having lived in Portland for about 5 years now, this was our first time in Vancouver. The next few posts will be from the recently revamped Vancouver waterfront, along the Columbia River.

The riverfront is flanked by two bridges: the I-5 highway bridge to the west (the first four photos), and the I-205 bridge to the east.

Surface and Space

Office Buildings

Portland office buildings, reflecting light and greenery.