Skyline Trail, August 21-26, 2017

Hiked the Skyline Trail in ONP. It climbs up the ridge between the Quinault River and the Queets River, traversing some spectacular alpine scenery. A primitive trail in rugged terrain, it doesn't get much use and is no longer maintained. Wore me out completely. 51.4 miles, 10,000 feet (!) elevation gain.

I left Silverdale right after church, had lunch in Aberdeen and arrived at the Quinault Ranger Station about 3 pm and got my permit. Drove to the trailhead and started hiking at 4. I looked pretty chipper when I started at the trailhead on the North Fork of the Quinault River.

Arrived at Big Creek about 7 pm. It was cool and shady down in the bottom of the canyon. Found a nice spot on a gravel bar for my camp.

 
On Monday morning, I started up the trail during the eclipse. Not too noticeable, but there was an eerie shadow for a while.  Pleasant hiking past Three Lakes Camp.

Monday night I camped at Three Prune Camp where I was joined by five hikers about my age. A fascinating tribe of kindred souls. They invited me for a drink and we had a gabfest. 

Tuesday morning. The trail goes higher and higher up the ridge through alpine meadows.

 
 I stopped for lunch at the divide between the Quinault River and the Queets River. Looking down into the Queets
, you can see the dead trees from the 2015 Paradise fire.

Traversing below Kimta peak. The trail in this section is rocky, steep and crumbling. 

 More traversing below Kimta Peak.

 Can you see the elk bedded down in the meadow? 

Where should I cross this snowbridge? I skittered across far above the scary black hole.

An old burn near Promise Creek Pass. 

I arrived at Promise Creek Pass at 5 pm, totally worn out. I abandoned my plan to continue to Lake Beauty and found this pretty spot below the trail. Unfortunately, the mosquitoes were the worst I've ever experienced. Torture. 

 

On Wednesday morning, the mosquitoes were already divebombing at 6 am, so I got up and hiked to the top of the ridge where the breeze kept them off. Ate my muesli while I looked across at Mount Olympus.

Passed a pretty tarn in a section called the Moonscape. 

The Moonscape is barren rock and scree, and the only way to find the route is to follow rock cairns that show the way. Eerie and beautiful. 

After several hours of traversing a series of v-notch canyons that required going down very steeply, then up very steeply, I arrived at Lake Beauty. Mount Olympus is beyond. 

The trail goes down to Seattle Creek, then up to the rolling meadows on the shoulder of Mt. Seattle. I was exhausted at the end of this 13 hour day. 

The campsite at Low Divide was blessedly welcoming. Three guys nearby provided good company. 

On Thursday, I took a day hike to Martins Lakes so I could say I did. Another thousand feet of elevation gain to get to a very pretty setting. Four Boy Scouts joined me at this lake, providing entertainment for me. One of them went swimming in the lake. 

On Friday it was just a matter of hiking 15. 7 miles out the Quinault River. This is the ford at 16-mile Camp. It was about knee-deep at 10 in the morning and I crossed easily. 

One weary traveler back at the trailhead on Saturday morning. This hike was way tougher than I anticipated. It kicked my butt. I'm glad I did it, but I'm not doing it again!