Hole in the Wall

With a degree of trepidation we set out this morning to hike to Hole in the Wall from the Rialto Beach parking lot, in Olympic National Park on Washington State’s Pacific Coast. It’s only two miles each way. Oh yeah, it’s through beach rock and sand. How will the knees hold up? And there’s the Ellen Creek crossing at the halfway point. Will there be a log bridge? Will we get our feet wet? Will it rain? Will the tide be low enough to allow us to climb over the rocks to get through the hole to the tide pools on the other side? Let’s just say it’s more than an E Ticket experience. It was a pretty rigorous hike even though it was more or less on the level, the shifting rocks and sand took their toll. The creek crossings were memorable. The first time we removed our shoes and socks and waded through the cold water. The second time we attempted to time it and walk through the shallows as the waves receded. We both got wet shoes! It did rain. Briefly. Those giant drift logs can offer a small degree of shelter! Our rain jackets performed well. Duluth Dry on the Fly pants dry faster than denim jeans! We did have to wait a little while for low tide but we had the opportunity to scramble through the hole and marvel at the anemones, and mollusks, the barnacles and seaweeds, the shy little hermit crabs, and all the wonders lurking in the tide pools, not to mention the sea otter we saw frolicking in the surf, and the back country camper who set up camp amid the drift logs. It’s a glorious hike snd now we’re off to treat ourselves to lunch at The In Place in Forks.