Hoh River to Bogachiel River, July 17-18, 2017

This hike was tougher than I anticipated. I got completely worn out. Still, it was a lovely trail and I had almost complete solitude.

I left home Sunday afternoon at 2:45 and drove to the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles, arriving at 4:15. When I asked for a permit to the South Snider/Jackson Trail, the severe young woman ranger said, "Why do you want to go there?" She said it was in horrible shape with 140 down trees and route-finding necessary in places. I asked for a permit anyway.

I arrived at the Hoh River car campground about 6 pm and made camp. Did the Saturday night NY Times crossword puzzle. Didn't finish one quarter. Met a nice young couple from Michigan traveling around the country visiting the national parks, from Key West to here.

Up early, I drove to the entrance station and started up the trail at 7:15. It was a clear, cool day, lovely for hiking.

The Hoh River early in the morning.

Leaving the car at the trailhead.

After crossing a flat bench, the trail ascends steeply in a series of switchbacks. It was grueling work, but, contrary to the lady ranger, the trail was clear of down trees. A trail crew had cut it out nicely, at least up to 2,800 feet elevation - about three miles. The lower slopes of this trail pass by huge douglas-fir trees, towering behemoths.

A huge fir behind me.

After three miles, numerous trees that had blown down over the trail. Every blowdown means you have to stop, clamber over or under, and then proceed. It slows you down considerably. Some are huge.

Because the trail gets little use, the tread is soft with duff, mosses, and fronds. It felt quite friendly.

I had lunch on top of the ridge among big trees, then I started down the switchbacks to the Bogachiel River. I was tired and the day was long. It seemed to take forever to get to Tumwata Creek. When I finally got there, I was so tired that I wasn't thinking clearly. I tried to jump from rock to rock, but I misjudged the distance and fell in the creek, soaking my right side up to my chest. My hiking stick started floating downstream and I had to run to grab it before it floated away.

I readjusted my pack and started downstream because I thought the river was just ahead. I stumbled through the brush and stream debris, having a terrible time of it. If I was thinking more clearly, I would have searched for the trail on the bank and it would have been easy. I finally made it to the river and collapsed on the bar. I was so tired I took a nap. When I woke up, I looked for a campsite but couldn't find anything. I decided to walk towards the Bogachiel Camp ford and find a campsite on the way.

The trail along the river is dead flat through meadows and spruce trees. Because it's so lightly used, it's overgrown with ferns and grasses and occasionally disappears, requiring some reconnoitering to find it again.

I arrived at the ford about 6:00 and decided to camp on the river bank. There were lots of mosquitoes and the breeze coming from the river kept them mostly at bay. I made dinner and finished the crossword puzzle. Very tired but happy to be on the river.
 

My camp on the bank of the Bogachiel. I slept like a baby, waking up in the night to brilliant stars across the sky. The Big Dipper and Cassiopeia were visible over the ridge to the North.

Sunrise on the Bogachiel.

The next morning I got started at 7:25, stiffly. The walk back to the junction was easy, but starting up the switchbacks was torture. I took them slowly, taking lots of breaks -- a ten minute break every 30 minutes. Around noon I reached the ridgetop and flopped down for a 45 minute lunch. Then it was down the switchbacks on the other side, with my thighs burning and my feet sore from pounding. I finally reached the car at 6:15 -- almost an 11 hour day!

I put on my clean socks and soft shoes - luxury - and drove to Forks, where I had a huge hamburger at the Blakeslee Bar and Grill. It was OK, not great. I started home, being careful about my driving because I was so tired. About 9:30 -- dusk -- I was entering the Seven Cedars Casino area, and I hit a small deer. It appeared out of nowhere and I had no time to react. The impact broke the left front fender, bumper, and headlight, and killed the deer. I pulled over in shock and called 911 to report it. The car could drive OK, so I drove home, arriving by 11 pm. A long day.

My poor car.

Hoh River Hike August 15-21, 2016

I arranged to have a full week off work so I could have a good five days up the Hoh River. I spent Monday and part of Tuesday drying food and putting my pack together.

 

Food in individual meals

My backpacking gear

I left home at 1:50 pm Tuesday afternoon, stopping at the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles about 3:30 to get my permit. I arrived at the Hoh River Campground near the Visitor Center about 6 pm and set up camp. I made some dinner (Canned beef stew) and walked around the grounds. It was a quiet evening, very peaceful. Chatted with my neighbor, a 55ish woman in a camper van with a big dog traveling by herself.

Hoh River Campground

From the campground as the sun was going down

The next morning I got on the trail by 7 am. The first 12 miles of trail are nearly flat and the trail surface is flat and wide -- easy traveling. I had many good views of the Hoh River as I walked alongside it. The fall floods scour the bottom so there are wide gravel bars nearly the whole length.

Hoh River in the morning

The travelling was easy and I was surprised to find myself at Olympus Guard Station, my goal for the day, at 11:40 am! I spent the afternoon relaxing in the meadow.

Olympus Guard Station

(Taken with the camera timer) I listened to "The Thirty Greatest Orchestral Works," one the of Great Courses.

I camped on the gravel bar because the meadow campsites were taken. They campground was full of people -- probably 25 or 30.

My campsite

Thursday morning I started up the trail to Hoh Lake and Bogachiel Peak as a day hike. Since Bogachiel Peak was fogged in when I climbed it two weeks ago, I wanted to get the views on a clear day.

The elevation gain is 4,200 feet -- quite a challenge. I started up the switchbacks in the cool early morning. By 11:30 I reached Hoh Lake, took a break, and started for Bogachiel Peak. 

Hoh Lake

Above the lake the trail enters the alpine zone and the views open up.

 I came around a corner and saw Mt. Olympus to the south. What an impressive sight!

Mt. Olympus

At 12:40 I reached the top of Bogachiel Peak, slightly tired, and ate my lunch in the company of three guys who were joking around with each other. I could see down into Seven Lakes Basin.

Seven Lakes Basin

On top of Bogachiel Peak, Mt Olympus over my shoulder

I started down the trail, arriving back in camp about 4:45, quite tired. Camped on the gravel bar again. A warm night.

In the morning I packed up and started for Glacier Meadows, 8.3 miles and 3,300 fee up. I was tired from the previous day's hike and went rather slowly. At Hoh Bridge I took a break. The river is a torrent far below in a deep chasm. By noon I got to Elk Lake, where I had lunch with three climbers I'd been passing on the trail. 

After lunch I struggled on, but the trail was steep and I was tired. I went very slowly, sometimes a hundred feet at a time. I was determined to get to Glacier Meadows because I really wanted to see Blue Glacier. The day was very hot and I sweated gallons.

Just before the camp, there's a place where the trail is completely washed out. The only solution for the trail crew was to install a steel-cable-and-wood ladder to get down the washout. It looked scary, but it was actually pretty secure once I was on it.

The hardest part was struggling up the sliding rock and gravel on the other side to get back to the trail. Luckily, the rest of the way was nearly flat and I arrived at Glacier Meadows before 5 pm. I was exhausted and took a long rest before making camp.

Resting at Glacier Meadows camp

The next morning (Saturday), I hiked up to Blue Glacier. On the way I ran into a mama bear and her cub. I circled around her and kept going. I also saw a mountain goat on the mountain side.

The path was steep and went up 700 feet, so it took me until 9 am before I reached the top. When I came over the ridge and saw the sweep of the glacier below me and the whole massive bulk of Mt. Olympus before me, I was in awe. It was magnificent!

After a good interval of time gazing at the scene, I started down. Luckily the rest of the day was downhill. I arrived at Lewis Meadow in mid-afternoon and took a long break. The day was very hot and I was tired.

My camp on the gravel bar near Lewis Meadow.

On Sunday morning a cool front had moved in and there was a lovely cool mist everywhere. I started back to the trailhead, hiking easily with a light pack on the wide trail. 

Arrived at the Visitor Center at 1:45 pm. It was packed with tourists. I cleaned off at the water spigot and took a stroll through the Visitor Center. Got in the car and made it home by 7 pm, stopping at the Bogachiel River to investigate the trailhead there.