Forum Index > Trip Reports > Quinault, Moclips (Dec 22-24)
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 8:26 pm 
Big surprise, I visited the coast this past weekend. JimK joined me in the exploration of the Washington coast. I was also interested in tucking in a bit of the Quinault Rainforest, so the best choice was Moclips, an old resort town. We didn’t have enough time to delve into the history of the south coast and the heyday of resort-touring; but that only means another trip to Moclips is in the future. We stayed at the Ocean Crest Resort; a wonderful little place. Charming as hell, too. Don’t judge it by the outside (god-awful architecture). Great place! The deck and 2 windows overlook a slope forested with sitka spruce & fern, and a great view of the roaring ocean beyond. I slept on the pull-out sofa so I could have the winders open and listen to the ocean all night. The water and foam on the beach was a weird greeney-brown. Turns out, it’s an annual migration of a certain algae that comes down from Canada (thanks, guys). But still, it was a delight to walk, and a feast for the eyes. It was razor-clam digging season!
Moclips - The Clam Diggers at work
Moclips - The Clam Diggers at work
Wonderful things to see on the beach when the sun is sinking.
Moclips_sand ripples and sunglint1
Moclips_sand ripples and sunglint1
Moclips_sand ripples and sunglint2
Moclips_sand ripples and sunglint2
Moclips_red grass clump and black sand4
Moclips_red grass clump and black sand4
Moclips_Shell, sunglint, water and sand bars
Moclips_Shell, sunglint, water and sand bars
Moclips_razor clam hole and algae globules and sunglint on them
Moclips_razor clam hole and algae globules and sunglint on them
Moclips sand dollar1
Moclips sand dollar1
Moclips_ Shell, sunglint
Moclips_ Shell, sunglint
Moclips_razor clam and ripples and sunglint on them
Moclips_razor clam and ripples and sunglint on them
Moclips_razor clam digger
Moclips_razor clam digger
Lots and lots of folks out. A few here and there at first, then more and more arrived. The sun was out! A gorgeous evening and the promise of a pretty sunset. A marine layer moved in, and the clam-diggers took on a ghostly air, silently moving in and out of the haze…
Moclips_razor clam diggers at dusk
Moclips_razor clam diggers at dusk
Beautiful sunset...
Moclips_razor clam diggers4
Moclips_razor clam diggers4
Moclips_razor clamdigger and child
Moclips_razor clamdigger and child
It rained like hell on Sunday. Boy, did it ever rain. It was fitting, since after breakfast in the restaurant, that was the day of the rainforest visit. I mean it rained. We took a jaunt to the little loop trail at Willaby Creek. This is old growth forest at its best. Big, big trees all around, and the windstorm a couple of weeks ago sent many of these grandsires and granddames crashing to the ground far below, their root systems prying up the top layer of the forest creating deep divots. New wetlands will be created here, and the forest canopy will open and create, for a window of time, a place for trees and plants that thrive better in the open. There are a few places that give one pause – not only the magnitude of the blowdown, but to find one’s way around them. I felt guilty stepping around off-trail and will wait for the trailcrew to clear and re-route before returning.
Quinault huge snapped snag_see hiker for scale
Quinault huge snapped snag_see hiker for scale
Quinault blowdown detail
Quinault blowdown detail
Quinault blowdown and scar it caused - see hiker for scale
Quinault blowdown and scar it caused - see hiker for scale
We went see the Worlds Largest Sitka Spruce, just beyond Quinault. Cool, but odd - it's not in an old growth forest, but on private land (a resort).
Quinault_World's Largest Sitka Spruce
1 label
Quinault_World's Largest Sitka Spruce
We then headed to Ruby Beach to see a rockier, craggier part of the coast (Moclips and southward are smooth, sandy beaches). The rain continued, then lessened, and at one point stopped altogether. That was weird. There were other folks strolling this beach in the rain - I'm always proud to see so many people out enjoying what Ma Nature offers.
Ruby Beach_An Intrepid Photographer, or, Doesn't that Idiot Know When to Come in Out of the Rain
Ruby Beach_An Intrepid Photographer, or, Doesn't that Idiot Know When to Come in Out of the Rain
Ruby Beach_reflection of alder in tidepool
Ruby Beach_reflection of alder in tidepool
Ruby Beach_Golden grasses, stones, logs, River
Ruby Beach_Golden grasses, stones, logs, River
It was JimK’s birthday and we had a celebratory dinner at the Ocean Crest Resort. It was a wonderful dinner; great food, excellent service. Drove back via Hood Canal and Port Orchard where we had a bodacious Christmas dinner with JimK’s delightful, raucous and fun-loving mom. It snowed a few inches on Christmas – beautiful big soft flakes all day. Thanks to JimK for doing all the driving, and stopping at my many requests (food stand to purchase locally made stuff; wetlands, etc.).

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 8:30 pm 
O yeah, when's the last time you saw these logos?
BankAmericard_master charge sign
BankAmericard_master charge sign

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Randy
Cube Rat



Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics
Location: Near the Siamangs
Randy
Cube Rat
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 8:35 pm 
Very cool. Moclips is a great name!

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oldwhiner
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Jun 2007
Posts: 279 | TRs | Pics
Location: when not on a trail - S. Puget Sound
oldwhiner
Member
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 8:38 pm 
nice pictures Quarkness! The beach ripples and razor clam patterns really dazzle my remaining brain cell. Thanks!

Dreaming - a wistful dilemma between hope and disappointment, perpetuated by occasional bouts of happiness.
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pimaCanyon
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Joined: 13 Jul 2007
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Location: at the bottom of the map
pimaCanyon
Member
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 9:02 pm 
So... did you flirt with the big bull Sitka?

It's never too late to have a happy childhood
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 10:00 pm 
Damn, Shack, you caught me. We did fly to the moon - those are pics of Olympus Mons. But I was so excited about the photos I wanted to share. Alas, this is a hiking site, so I had to make up the part about going to the Coast. I would never go to the Washington coast. Especially in winter. It's ugly. Larch - alas, it didn't work out between the sitka and me. Some dopes cut down all his freinds and he's not in an old growth forest any longer; he's in a field at a resort. It's not his fault, though. From the looks of a few sitkas immediately around him, they'll grow to be that same size someday - their buttresses are big. Many sitkas (at least that I have seen - I'm no expert) have straight trunks, but these are definately buttressed - in anticipation of being the next Largest in the World.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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More Cowbell
Warrior Princess



Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 5657 | TRs | Pics
Location: Alive on Earth
More Cowbell
Warrior Princess
PostWed Dec 26, 2007 10:01 pm 
Shacknasty Jim wrote:
This TR sucks and the pictures are fakes (Quark lifted those beach closeup photos off NASA's website - they're lunar satellite shots). She couldn''t even spell wierd correctly. What a joke.
Snackhasty, you obviously do not own a copy of the Quarckien Dikshunery of Speling. I think she only gave copies out to her wierdest of freinds. Mine is autograffed.

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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greg
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Joined: 23 Jun 2003
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greg
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PostThu Dec 27, 2007 7:40 am 
Wonderful pics Quark, but them ain't razor clam holes, or "shows" as we call them. Those are holes made by sand shrimp, typically higher up on the beach than razor clams. Razor clam shows are more doughnut shaped, they don't have the tiny little hole in the center. They look like this:
Razor clam "show"
Razor clam "show"

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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 9:07 am 
Wow, greg, that's neat information. There were tons of folks out in the water - I guess those were the clam-diggers. I wondered why they don't just stay upshore a little and hunt the clams up there where tons of what I know know were shrimp holes. It was cool - one of the old timers there stopped and talked to us a bit; I guess he knew we were from out of town - we didn't have clam huntin' tubes or nets, just Gore Tex and cameras. tongue.gif

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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yukon222
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Joined: 12 Mar 2007
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yukon222
Member
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 9:13 am 
Your pictures are alive. Excellent job. Hard to believe the sunset beach shots are from December!

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Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
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Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 4:48 pm 
I love the Ocean Crest Resort. It's kind of out there, not very close to anything. Big trees surround it, and one can see the unmistakable signs of rust from the sea spray. There is a great pool and hottub across the street for guests to use. The food is amazing! We didn't have dinner, (my wife won't eat that fancy) but we came back about 9:30 pm and went to the upstairs bar. hungry.gif The staff proceeded to bake us a fresh berry cobbler, and hand me a slice of chocolate no-flour torte. Hmmmmmmm.... slobber.gif Oh yeah, breakfast was also delish! Pretty romantic, also. wub.gif It just a ways to the north beaches.

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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!



Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics
Location: Land of many waters
Flora
Enjoying the Sun!
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 5:48 pm 
Glad to hear and see that you had a fine trip, Quark! I haven't made my way north to Moclips yet, but your TR is inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

Flora
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 8:43 pm 
Hi, Flora! We were tempted to stop at any place in Copalis Beach and ask for the newcomer who likes flowers. Chances are, someone would have directed us to you! The funny picture of the trip was at Copalis Beach. I think JimK stole my point & shoot, so he has the picture I took. Magellan, I really liked Ocean Crest Resort as well. At first I was a little deflated because as I mentioned, the building doesn't look very nice; ugly architecture, mold, drapes over the windows...but it really was one of the most pleasant places I've stayed. I'd show you pictures of the little details, but JimK stole my point & shoot camera. Again, I was glad to have my camera in the bathroom. I swear, I have the best bathroom photos. I encourage everyone to take cameras into bathrooms. You never know when you'll have occasion to snap a shot. If JimK coughs up that camera, I'll prove it. What I like is that although Ocean Crest is pricier than some of the other places around there and is considered swank, it's not. It's homey. Professional and clean as heck, though. The fireplace takes DuraFlame logs only; but that's alright - the last 2 places I have stayed at that have a woodburning fireplace - I couldn't get the thing going, so no fire to enjoy. frown.gif But a DuraFlame - wellsir, you're guaranteed a nice fire. At first I was disappointed at the restaurant. We went for breakfast on Sunday. The waitress, in a long black apron appeared, said "hello," and proceeded to formally and politely recite the Special of the Day, tripping over some words, and having to start all over again, in order to recite the whole thing. I hate it when they do that. It's so cold. But after that crap was done, she became human again, and we chatted a bit. Great meal, and the best coffee I've ever had. The restaurant owner or manager came along, and we had a great conversation about the recent storm, 122 mph winds, and business interruption insurance. On our way out, I noticed a display that included an old newspaper article of the Resort's opening day, and the very first menu at the restaurant. The owner/Manager came up and said his mom was the first cook at the place. Stuff like that is cool. Sunday night we ate dinner, and the waiter was a kick. Damn, that food was good. Sheesh! I had halibut & JimK had some sort of shrimpy thing. We had a good time with the waiter, and Monday at breakfast, the owner/manager remembered to ask us if we had got to Ruby Beach after all that rain the day before. I like it when people who are supposed to act swank and formal can't hide their personalities. It's easy to roll 'em over and tickle their bellies. Some places, you can't crack open the waitpeople. I guess they're too afraid to make a mistake, so they can't relax. Maybe it's not their fault. I'm sure many customers don't have a sense of humor; or a sense of humanity.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Flora
Enjoying the Sun!



Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics
Location: Land of many waters
Flora
Enjoying the Sun!
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 8:54 pm 
I don't actually live in CB; I live in Hoquiam. But, glad you enjoyed the weekend. Our weather has been challengingly gray, wet...and dripping with ice showers. Thank goodness the winds haven't been bad. People are still wincing around here when the gusts top 40 MPH. A lot of trees came down. Great that you witnessed the razor clam-digging. Folks around here really enjoy getting out and doing stuff like that. Good family fun. I love the Sitka Spruce, too. I fell in love during my visit to the Hoh. Whenever I see spruce I remember those giants. I walked around that loop near the Quinault Lodge. Big, big trees. A lot of them came down in the December wind storm. It will take awhile for the Forest Service to repair the trails. Sigh. Change is evitable, but it's hard to see those big guys fall. There are so few old stands left around here. Still, now the babies have a chance to thrive... Enjoy the snow in Seattle. We had a touch even here.

Flora
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captain jack
Serving suggestion



Joined: 25 May 2004
Posts: 3389 | TRs | Pics
Location: Upper Fidalgo
captain jack
Serving suggestion
PostThu Dec 27, 2007 8:56 pm 
Quark wrote:
Damn, Shack, you caught me. We did fly to the moon - those are pics of Olympus Mons. But I was so excited about the photos I wanted to share. Alas, this is a hiking site, so I had to make up the part about going to the Coast. I would never go to the Washington coast. Especially in winter. It's ugly.
OMFG ! More lies ! waah.gif Olympus Mons is on Mars , not the moon. strange.gif So you secretly went to Mars ! eek.gif How come you went with Jim, is he a Martian? :littlegreenman: I have so much reconnoitering to do in the Quinault area. The Willaby tree, the big Dougs, the Mulkey shelter, the bears at Three lakes, I hope everybody survived the floods.

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