High Divide day hike August 8, 2016

Since I didn't have a day off the previous week, I decided to take Monday off and hike the High Divide loop. It's 18 miles and 3800 feet elevation gain, so it's a pretty ambitious hike. But I figured I was up for it, and if I got an early start I could make the loop in one day.

It probably makes more sense to do the loop in two or three days, but it's very difficult to get a camping permit due to the popularity of the Seven Lakes Basin. So that's another reason to make it a day hike.

I left home at 4:30 Sunday afternoon. In Port Angeles I stopped to pick up a hitchhiker. His name was Roland, from Germany, and he was exploring the Pacific Northwest by hiking and hitchhiking. Nice young guy. I offered to share my campsite at Sol Duc with him, and he took me up on it. By 7:30 we were at the campsite, set up camp and walked around the campground a bit.

On Monday morning, I woke up at 5:20 am, had a breakfast of GrapeNuts and cereal, threw the tent and sleeping bag into the car unfolded, and drove to the trailhead. I was hiking by 6:10 am and passed Sol Duc Falls by 6:30.

The trail up to Deer Lake is steep but I was fresh and I arrived at Deer Lake by 8:20.

Deer Lake

I took a break and continued up into the higher country. The scenery gets a lot better as you wind through alpine meadows and contour up the side of steep slopes. Unfortunately the clouds were low and I couldn't really see any of the spectacular views that the guidebook promises.

 Looking down at Deer Lake

 Switchbacks on the way to Bogachiel Peak.

By 11:00 I was on top of Bogachiel Peak. Through breaks in the clouds I could see down into Seven Lakes Basin.

Looking down at Lunch Lake.

After a break I continued along the High Divide, an up-and-down trail that winds along the ridge between the Hoh River valley and the Sol Duc drainage. It's some lovely alpine hiking, although I was beginning to feel fatigued.

The High Divide

I arrived at Heart Lake at 12:20 and took a forty minute lunch break and a short nap.

Heart Lake

At 1:00 I started down the trail, winding through Sol Duc Park and down along the easy trail that parallels the river. At that point it was just a matter of slogging back to the car. I was tired, but the trail was gentle and the skies cleared off for a lovely afternoon. I arrived at the trailhead at 4:20 pm. Got home by 7:00 to a dinner Katy had waiting for me, with apple torte for dessert. A good day!