After days being shut in due to rainy weather, it felt good to be outdoors, especially on Elk River Road going up a mountain. While not technically a rainforest, it has many of the characteristics of one. Lush ferns grow prolifically, and moss grows everywhere, Most of the trees up here are covered with moss, and there seems to be several varieties.
I found dozens of waterfalls streaming into the river, many small and temporary, but some large enough to warrant a photo.
There were some interesting plants, as well, including the odoriferous Western skunk cabbage with its pretty yellow bloom. Despite its name, the skunk cabbage is poisonous to humans and most other mammals. I believe the plant with red clusters is the King Edward VII flowering currant.
I expected to see wildlife in this forest, but only saw a few birds, such as the dark-eyed junco and a varied thrush. The thrush was a first for me and I had to go to the book for an ID. No wonder I've never seen one before as they spend most of the year in Canada and Alaska, coming to coastal areas of WA, OR and Northern CA in Winter.
After turning around at mile 20, I did see a bald eagle lift up from the river with something in its talons, presumably a fish. Trees blocked my view of his flight, but I found him again, perched in a tree across the river. Now it looked like a plastic bag he had, and he was eating on it. After enlarging the photo, it now appears to be an old rag. Ugh.
I regretted not having time to go farther on this road. Since then, however, a local hunter told me the road has been closed by a rock slide a short distance from where I turned around. He also told me one of the other forks leads to a nice lake, so I may have to return and follow that road.
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