So here it is, my first post. Being an engineer I’ve typically been an introvert when it comes to strangers, so I’m just assuming that when you are reading this we are old friends. Anyways here we go. The photo is “Point of Arches” taken along the Washington state coastline as part of the Olympic Wilderness. Access is by foot only, either from the south by way of the Ozette Indian Reservation or from the north from the Makah Indian reservation. I chose the north for several reasons, the first is that I had planned to wilderness camp on Shi Shi Beach (pronounced shy shy) for the first 4 days of the trip. Point of Arches is located on the southern end of Shi Shi. My wife was supposed to come with me on this photography and camping adventure, but was just getting over being sick combined with one of our dogs started having seizures, so we decided she was going to skip this one. Things you should know about hiking in. If you plan on staying after dark, don’t leave your car at the trail head. The rangers told me that there had been quite a few break-ins to cars left overnight at the trail head. (Probably the same folks that you pay to park in their yard). There are a couple houses along Hobuck Road about 1/2 mile before the trail head where you pay to leave your car in their yard, I think it was $10/day when I went. Also don’t forget to stop and get a “recreation pass” from the Makah Indian Tribe since a majority of the trail is on their reservation and a requirement.
From the the trail head its about 2 miles to the beach. I recommend you don’t do what I did and head off down the trail just after sunset with about 85 pounds of camping and camera gear. I made it to the beach around midnight and I thought I was going to roll head over heals the whole way down the bluff. It seems like its a couple hundred feet elevation change over a horizontal distance of about 20 feet. Treacherous in the dark to say the least, even with a headlamp. Although it was probably better that I couldn’t see how steep it was or I might have actually been worried (ha!). It was definitely one of those times that I knew if my wife could know the whole experience I’d be in trouble for taking unnecessary dangers (once again). Point of Arches is another 2.3 miles once you get to the base of the bluff. This photo was taken at sunset of the second day. I went black and white because quite frankly mother nature just didn’t want to cooperate those first 4 days so I felt the black and white treatment gave a more dramatic effect.
- Canon 50d, ISO 320, Canon 17-55 IS USM set at 17mm, f16, 1/3 sec, Manfrotto Tripod and head
Good post babe! And yes, if i had been there watching you climbing down that ridge and you hadn’t fallen and died, i would have killed you once we got to the bottom! (and once i recovered from the heart attack you would have given me)
What an adventure for this great shot!
The scene has an odd likeness to our plowed farm fields with mounds of dirt piled up from our 24 “landscape barkitects” aka dawgs 😉
Cool picture! I doubt any of mine will ever be quite so artistic as I don’t think I have an artistic bone in my body. I can only imagine what I would be thinking on that trail…probably something like, “Man I’m stupid for doing this…”
Well I have to say, that the first time that night I was on all fours crawling between a couple fallen trees on the trail that was more like a muddy stream bed, I was thinking the same dam thing!! “what have you gone and got yourself into now, how typical!” Way worth it when I got to the end though….at least the next morning when I could actually see where I was.
Here is base camp:
