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Rialto Beach by La Push
and Lake Quinault, Washington
click on photos to enlarge
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| Sea stacks by Hole in the Wall, Rialto Beach |
A beautiful sunny autumn day inspires us to drive out to
Washington's northern coast for the weekend.
Hwy 12 takes us to Aberdeen, and then north on Hwy 101.
Stop at a small store by the Rain Forest, advertising
"Fresh Chanterelles" for sale, and we buy a couple of baskets of
the light brown trumpet shaped delicacies.
The oft misty forests along the coast are famous for wild chanterelles,
which are shipped in season all over the world.
We arrive at Rialto Beach just in time to watch the setting sun
over the frothy waves. Many hikers are camping on the beach.
At dusk we too make a driftwood campfire, and watch the stars.
Later drive into Mora Campground, just a few miles down the
road. A quiet wooded campground on the Quileute River,
part of Olympic National Park.
Prepare dinner in the westy kitchen.
Menu: Wild chanterelles with scrambled eggs, baguette, hot chocolate.
Recipe: Sautee the chanterelles in some butter for 30 seconds.
Add beaten eggs, bit of salt. Cook a few minutes, while stirring. Enjoy.
Next morning: Hike 1.5 miles along the sandy and rocky beaches
to "Hole in the Wall", a tunnel carved in the cliff by ocean waves.
Many tide pools to explore at low tide.
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| Setting sun reflecting on the frothy waves of Rialto Beach. |
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| Sea stacks by Hole in the Wall. |
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| Distant coastline in the misty evening. |
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| View through Hole in the Wall. |
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| Driftwood strewn beach. La Push, Quileute
native community in the distance across the river. |
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| James Island off the coast by La Push. |
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| Parking area surrounded by driftwood. |
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| Regal mushroom growing by campground. Don't eat this one! It's undoubtedly poisonous, but quite photogenic. (Received an email from Charles, fellow wetwestie, and he identified it as fly amanita or fly agaric (amanita muscaria) and is without question poisonous.) |
On the way back home, a short break at Lake Quinault.
Browse through the lodge gift shop and lobby. The elegant lodge
was built in 1926, and has a expansive view of Lake Quinault.
For westy campers, there are several campgrounds close by.
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| Lake Quinault. |
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| Historic Lake Quinault Lodge. |
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