Winter at Lake Crescent Lodge

Roosevelt Cabins offer Historical Getaway

By Carolyn Price

Photo by Carolyn Price

The Olympic Peninsula and I are like comfortable friends sharing stories of summer hiking in the Olympics, biking and running along the North Olympic Discovery Trail, visiting lavender farms in Sequim and taking side trips to Victoria on the Blackball ferry from downtown Port Angeles.

I had my favorite places, my routine, and like slipping on that soft favorite worn shirt, I was content.

But this year, my “old friend” tossed me something new in the form of an invitation to Lake Crescent Lodge for New Year’s weekend, with a stay at the famous Roosevelt Fireplace Cottages.

Curiosity got the best of me, so with family and friends in tow, we plowed forward — and with great reward. With daytime highs hovering in the mid-20s, we saw the Peninsula in rare form as snow and ice transformed it into a frozen wonderland.

Snowshoes, bagels and icicle rivers

Arriving in Port Angeles from Seattle on our first morning, we fueled up with a hearty breakfast at local favorite Chestnut Cottage Restaurant on Front Street and then were on our way to a blue-bird day at the top of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.

Our three school-age girls got in plenty of grins on an 8-and-under sledding hill before we headed out on a 90-minute guided snowshoe nature talk led by an Olympic Park Ranger.

This tour is one of the better recreational deals around. We met up at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor’s Center, paid a $5 donation (snowshoes included), and from our 5,100-foot base, were guided to views of the glaciers on Mt. Olympus, the Straits of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island and even Port Angeles.

The route was long enough that we felt like we were deep in the woods, but short enough, with plenty of breaks for guide talks, that our girls stayed entertained and interested.

Calorie-deprived after a day of play at the Ridge, we stopped to fuel up again before heading to Lake Crescent, this time for a bag of bagels at Olympic Bagel Co. on East First Street in Port Angeles. My sack teemed with sesame seed, gingerbread and garlic bagels and a comforting cup of steaming coffee. Also known for its omelet breakfasts and fresh ingredients, this place is a must-go if you’re in the area.

Venturing out of my well-known haunts, we then headed east 30 miles on Highway 101 to our destination. Along the way, we were surprised as we became magically enveloped by frost-covered trees, icicle rivers and solitude for several miles driving through an area known as Indian Valley.

Finally, we turned into the nearly empty parking lot at Lake Crescent Lodge and loaded into our two-bedroom cabin.

Rockin’ in the New Year

The Cottages, which can sleep from 2– 6 people each, are without kitchen facilities, except for a small microwave, coffee pot and half fridge. But we knew this beforehand and came prepared with our two-burner electric appliance, Coleman stove and oversized ice chest.

There were raves all around for our “one-pot” rice and bean dish, cooked under a starlit night on the porch in 20-degree weather on the trusty Coleman. Back inside the glowing warmth of the cabin, there was plenty of room for New Year’s Eve games and dancing, and we did both.

Our friend Niki brought her fiddle and our three girls and one cute Corgi rocked in the New Year prancing around in front of the roaring fire in the stone fireplace.

The resort is located within the Olympic National Park boundaries and we were greeted by huge old growth firs and cedars and the gurgling of nearby Barnes Creek.

The cottages were so-named as a tribute to President Franklin D. Roosevelt who stayed here in 1936 and quickly introduced legislation to preserve the area by turning it into a national park. Today, Olympic National Park is the country’s largest national park offering one million acres of hiking trails and boundless recreation.

Of many to chose from, we chose the popular Marymere Falls hike, which practically left right from our back door. We followed the creek along the mostly flat trail, taking in a cedar so massive at its trunk that six of us touching fingertips made it only halfway around. We marveled at the fascinating ice sculptures in the river that formed around decaying logs and branches and the 90-foot falls were made all the more spectacular as they crashed and splashed through the middle of icy columns frozen from the spray.

The walk back intersected with the lakeside trail, Moments in Time, and we strolled leisurely through this half-mile section of lush woods, ferns and mosses, enjoying the informational guide posts along the way. This trail is great for any age, however, as with most Olympic National Park trails, no dogs are allowed on the trail, so our cute Corgi stayed warm back at the cabin.

The Roosevelt Cottages offered a two-day respite from phones, email and crazy New Year’s frivolity in the city, and I even took a nap on New Year’s Day. We left with a sense of calmness and the sweet smell of cabin fireplace smoke in our clothes.

I’ve added Lake Crescent Lodge to my growing list of amazing places — summer or winter — in the North Olympic Peninsula and can’t wait to come back.

If You Go

Tourism: Olympic Peninsula Visitors Center: www.olympicpeninsula.org/
Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce: www.portangeles.org/
Lodging: Roosevelt Cottages at Lake Crescent Lodge, http://www.olympicnationalparks.com;
Red Lion Hotel, beachfront and trailside to North Olympic Discovery Trail, (360) 452-9215; Olympic Lodge: mountain views, (360) 452-2993.
Eats: Chestnut Cottage Restaurant, (360) 452-8344; Olympic Bagel Company, (360) 452-9100.
Olympic National Park: The road to Hurricane Ridge is open 24/7 this winter; Park Fees: $15 per vehicle; individual (foot, bicycle, motorcycle) $5; annual pass costs $30 and is good at any Olympic National Park entrance station for one year from the month of purchase, www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm
Guided Snowshoe Walks: www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-hurricane-ridge.htm
Shuttle: All Points Charters and Tours runs twice-a-day shuttles from downtown Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge. www.goallpoints.com/index.html,  (360) 565-1139, (360) 460-7131.
Marymere Falls: www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/marymere-falls

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