I love to go a-wandering off the beaten track,
and as I go, I love to sing, my knapsack on my back.
Val-di-ree, Val-di-rah,
Val-di-ree, Val-di-rah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Val-di-ree, Val-di-rah,
My knapsack on my back.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Hike to Deer Lake in the clouds, July 24, 2015

Guy and I hiked 4 miles through the clouds to Deer Lake in Sol Duc Valley. Eight miles total and about 2,500 feet of elevation gain.
Deer  Lake

We drove to the Sol Duc Road on Thursday night, arriving about 8 pm to find a sign saying "Campground Full." We turned around and found the last campsite in the Fairholm campground. It was lovely hearing the voices of children and smelling the wood smoke of campfires as we set up camp and ate Dinty Moore beef stew.

In the morning we drove to the Sol Duc trailhead and started hiking at 8 am. Our original objective was Bogachiel Peak, but the mist and clouds would have obscured any views we would have had, so we opted to just go to Deer Lake.

Sol Duc Falls

The bridge below Sol Duc Falls

Despite the drought and low stream flows, Sol Duc Falls was truly lovely. We got some photos of the log bridge that spans the gorge below the falls. What a photogenic site.

On the trail up to Deer Lake

We pressed on up the trail to Deer Lake. It's a steep trail with lots of rocks, but we made good time and got there by 10:30. It was misty and drizzly, but we stayed warm by hiking steadily

Deer Lake

The lake itself was really charming. There are many campsites scattered around the lake, and we kept seeing people in their camps. We scouted out the area in case we might come back camping. There's a meadow in the upper end of the lake that is quite lovely. Half a dozen deer were grazing as hikers passed by.



After a good break and devouring some trail mix, we started down at 12:30, arriving at the trailhead at 2 pm. We passed lots and lots of backpackers huffing and puffing their way up to Deer Lake, and the trail below Sol Duc Falls was a highway of day hikers going to the falls. One family had two little boys, the youngest of whom insisted on carrying their day pack which hung almost to his knees.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Into the misty mountains: Duckabush River, July 10-13, 2015

Criag Vocelka took the Sunday Eucharist for me, so I decided to take four days to go to the headwaters of the Duckabush River in Olympic National Park. You can see a Google Map of my trip here. Forty six miles and four thousand feet elevation gain.

On Friday I drove to the trailhead on the Duckabush river and started hiking by 8:10 am. The day was cloudy but I expected it would clear off by afternoon.


By 10:40 I had panted my way to the top of Big Hump, a 900-foot gain followed by a 400 foot descent back to the river. It's a grind, but the trail is good with lots of switchbacks.

Switchbacks up Big Hump. It was burned a few years ago and there are lots of standing dead trees.

I continued up the trail, making good time. I passed Ten Mile Camp at 3:10 and decided to push on to Crazy Creek Camp, arriving at 5:20 pm. The clouds of the morning gave way to sunshine in the afternoon, brightening my mood considerably. The trail above Ten Mile Camp goes through open forest with little brush, making a pleasant walk. The trail goes steadily upward but I took lots of breaks.


Open forest above Ten Mile Camp.

This has been the driest summer on record and the river is very low. I can't imagine what it will be like in September. Still pretty, though.

Duckabush River

Saturday morning I was on the trail by 8:10, continuing up a  long sloped trail. The weather was gray with clouds hovering on the ridges above me. This is a nice section of trail.

A clump of cedars above Crazy Creek. 

At 11:15 I passed Upper Duckabush Camp. I like this camp because it has obviously been used by generations of hikers. It has multiple campsites and fire pits and has a comfortable feel to it.

Upper Duckabush Camp

I started to feel a pain in the upper part of my right foot. It was red and swollen and gave a sharp pain when I started walking after a break. The pain eased a bit as I continued walking. I'm not sure what it was.

Redness and pain in my foot.

In addition, I had a blister on my right ankle and blisters on my next-to-the smallest toes. Probably because I'm wearing a new pair of boots. Because there was mist and showers on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, my feet were continually wet. My poor feet!

Continuing past Upper Duckabush, I started into the steep portion of the trail leading to Marmot Lake. There was a shower, then mist and occasional showers, so I was pretty wet from the waist down. The trail was very steep and I went slowly, pausing every few minutes. By 3:15 I topped out at Marmot Lake and flopped beneath a tree. I rested until 4:00 and then began scouting for a campsite. Finally found one in a copse of trees above the lake. Set up my tarp, got water, and settled in for dinner. I was really pooped.

Frankly, Marmot Lake was a disappointment. It was a shallow, crummy little lake with some ragged rocks and a few scrubby trees. The clouds were hovering around and it was wet and depressing. It felt like Lake Mordor.

My camp at Marmot Lake.

Instead of a book, I brought my mp3 player with music and an audiobook: Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. I found this a real pleasure. After dinner I could lay in my sleeping bag and listen to hours of storytelling about Danny and his rascally friends. On the third night I finished the seven hours of the book and fell asleep.

Sunday morning I woke up feeling much refreshed and decided to explore the upper basin. I didn't want to come this far and miss the real beauty of the high country. It was breathtaking, well worth the extra effort. The upper basin is rocky and open with a few trees climbing the high walls above. Lake Lacrosse is a green gem set in the upper basin with meadows leading down to the water. I spent some time exploring and taking photos.

 Lake Lacrosse
The mist hovered above the lake but occasionally lifted to show the ridgetops. If you go to the Olympics, you gotta expect some moisture.

I could look across the valley to see the glaciers on the side of Mt. Duckabush.

I hiked a side trail that came around a corner and revealed beautiful Heart Lake in a rocky bowl.

Looking back down the Duckabush Valley.

From that point on, it was all downhill back to the trailhead, twenty three miles of trail to get home. I started down at 10:45 , had lunch at Upper Duckabush Camp, and continued to Ten Mile Camp.

On of my favorite places in the Olympics is the stretch just below Upper Duckabush. It's a flat area with huge trees and almost no brush, like walking through a park.

I continued walking although I was tired, wet and my feet hurt. Arrived at Ten Mile Camp at 5:20 after a nine and a half hour day and 13.9 miles.

Ten Mile Camp.

Monday I hiked the ten miles back to the trailhead. Since it was mostly downhill (except for Big Hump!) I made good time and arrived at the trailhead at by 3 pm. There were just enough showers to keep the brush wet which meant my pants and boots were continually soaked. Sure felt good to put on dry socks and shoes at the car. Katy had pot roast and hot rolls for me when I got home.

Friday, July 3, 2015

Grand Valley Loop day hike, July 3, 2015

Today I hiked from Obstruction Point down into Badger Valley, to Grand Lake and Moose Lake, then back  up to Obstruction Point. The weather was clear and hot, and I brought plenty of water and sunscreen. The climb back up to Obstruction Point just about kicked my butt. 9.2 miles and 2500 feet elevation loss and gain.

I left home at 5:40 am and started hiking at the trailhead at 8:10. Not much traffic when you start that early!
Early morning shadows as I descended into Badger Valley.

This meadow in Badger Valley is just beautiful. Took a nice break here.

I made it to Grand Lake about 10:45 and took a good rest under this tree. The day was hot but there was a nice breeze off the lake.

The tiger lilies were gorgeous.

At Moose Lake I had lunch and took a good break.

Coming up out of Grand Lake is a grueling climb. The trail is very steep and unrelenting. I got cramps in my right thigh and calf and had to stop often to rest and rub the muscles. I took this selfie after I topped out above the worst part.

I asked an obliging hiker to take this photo. O the way back to the car, I met about 40 hikers, probably hiking in for the Fourth of July weekend.

Looking down into Grand Valley with Mount Constance and the Needles on the horizon.

The last mile is an easy walk along the top of the ridge with a cool breeze and views everywhere.