Week 95 Jun. 23 - Moraine Park

Total Distance: Approximately 23 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 3000 ft.
Time: 8:00 am - 6:15 pm
Weather: The whole spectrum: Mostly cloudy with a sun break or two, turning to overcast and rainy, then snow as I climbed, turning back to rain, and finally back to mostly cloudy with a sun break or two at the end.

I should have written this blog yesterday.  I am now 24 hours removed and memory distorts history.  It was an phenomenal hike in a lot of ways.

The idea started about two weeks ago on the hike up to the Carbon Glacier.  The trail signs mention Mystic Lake being 4.5 miles from the suspension bridge (about a half mile below the glacier).  I mentioned to Creighton how I should try that as a day hike.  From trail signs, we calculated the total mileage to be around 25 miles.  I have never walked further on any one day before.

Yesterday was the day I was going to try for Mystic Lake.  I woke up later than I wanted and the weather was not great.  I even thought about bagging the hike and waiting for Sunday.  I had a commitment on Sunday that I did not want to break.  I was at the trailhead and walking by 8 am.

I was at the glacier by 11 am.  I was excited by this pace considering I was alone and took no more than a 5 minute break along the way.  I was stopping every hour and drinking 300ish mL of water.  The hike was wet, a lot of rain had fallen and would continue to fall.

The hike to the glacier I have done now four times, twice in two weeks.  It is a great hike and the climb starts getting serious a half mile below the glacier.  Yesterday, my pace slowed as I climbed past the glacier.  At this point, the whole place was socked in with low clouds.  I could hardly see the new area I was hiking in.  It was okay, since when I hike if I don't watch the trail I will misstep and hurt my ankle.  My right ankle was hurting me on the hike down from the Necklace Valley last week.  And this week it had its moments when it twinged with a moderate amount of pain, but it held strong enough to make it 23 miles.  I kept it in mind as I walked and was not too bummed about the poor views.  I hit a campsite up above the glacier and continued past.

As I got higher, the trail was a little rougher.  There was a large tree block the trail for about 15 yards.  Two weeks ago there was snow near the glacier.  This week the snow had receded from there, so I imagine not too many people had walked this section of the trail lately.  It wasn't too long after climbing past the camp that I began to see some patches of snow.  I hit consistent snow just below Moraine Creek.  I found my way up the creek bed, found the footbridge over the creek, and continued up to Moraine Park.

The weather had become nonstop rain a ways back.  It continued raining this whole time, but as I was climbing the snow field, it was cold.  It happened slowly and only in a flake or two to start, but soon enough I found myself in the middle of a snow globe.  It was June 23, and I was hiking on the snow while it was snowing.  I was also drenched from the hike, both with sweat and rain.  I got to the top of Moraine Park, and I had no clue where I was.  I am referring to all these places after looking at a map when I returned.  While I was hiking, I just knew I had been on snow for about an hour.  I was in a large clearing, below a ridge.  I now know, on the other side of the ridge the trail continues down to Mystic Lake, and I was in Moraine Park.

I found a place near some trees that helped block the rain a bit, and I quickly put on a dry shirt and a warm coat.  I then took about 25 minutes to eat lunch.  I was warm in the down jacket, and food was helping.  I knew I didn't make it to the lake, but I knew I had walked for 5 hours.  I did the first 8.6 miles in 3 hours, that is about 2.87 mph.  Guessing I slowed both due to elevation gain and snow and I continued for 2 hours beyond that, I guess I did about 3 more miles.  I needed to get moving to stay warm, so at 1:30 pm, I figured time to head back.

I got down quickly.  I was in Dick Creek Camp soon enough and chatted with some of the Boy Scouts that were there.  Then down to the glacier.  The weather was improving with each step down.  By the time I was at the glacier, 2:56 pm, it looked like it might turn into a nice afternoon.  By 3:35, I was back at the crossing.  My feet were getting sore.  The rest of the hike was pretty straight forward.  I was tired and sore by the end, but I knew it was further than I had ever walked.  Plus, my body was not totally wrecked today, so that's good too.

Orchid: Sun break or two on the way down and the healthy amount of alone time on the trail.

Onion: Cold and wet in the snow for lunch.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 94.5 Jun. 21 - Kayaking the Lower Carbon River

Total Distance: Approximately 9 miles kayaking and 9 miles biking.
Elevation Gain: Approximately 200 ft.
Time: 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Weather: Mostly sunny, warm.

My crazy, Biology teacher friend had me back in an inflatable kayak (see week 37.5), but this time we were on a more serious river and doing a lot more distance.  We were kayaking the Lower Carbon River, the same Carbon River that begins at the Carbon Glacier, which I have visited often.  The river is fed by the glacier.  It can be very gray and murky with what is called glacial milk.  It is also cold, and I have more experience with its temperature after today.

The route was basically the same stretch as the bike path linked here on Google Maps except it was in the river and in the opposite direction. We contoured along for about 2 and half hours through some white water and some nice lazy river stretches.  The river was deep in a few places but mostly shallow.  After scraping my knees, I decided it was best to try to sit in my kayak.

The bike ride back was almost perfectly level and on a bike path almost the whole way.  It was a great way to wry up after getting a little chilly in the river.

Orchid: Paddling with my friend and turning back on the river and seeing Mount Rainier shinning brilliantly.

Onion: Mosquitos when we got out of the river.

Picture:
Later…

Google Map

Week 94 Jun. 17 - Necklace Valley, again

Total Distance: Approximately 13 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 2500 ft.
Time: 11:30 am - 6:15 pm
Weather: Overcast, cool, rainy, with occasional sunshine while raining.

Since Creighton could not make it on the Saturday hike up to camp Pleasant, he and I planned a day hike on Sunday.  I was not really sure where to go, but I thought about returning to the Necklace Valley.  I overnighted there about a year ago (actually almost exactly 1 year ago to the day).  Last time, I was only able to go about a half a mile up the valley because of snow.  This year Creighton and I got further because the snow levels were a bit lower, but we still had to deal with snow and some route finding issues.

We started around 11:30 am in the classic PNW liquid sunshine.  It was rainy and the sun was shining.  Unfortunately, it was more overcast today than sunny, but that just made the sun breaks that much more spectacular.  The trailhead signs indicated it was 7 miles to Jade Lake and another 2 miles past that to Opal Lake.  The first stretch is a gradual, slow gain that ends with a big log crossing.  This took about 90 minutes.

The East Fork Foss is running high and fast right now. This year the water was up to the height of the bridge and a large pool was blocking the access to walking to it. I was able to make it with no water in my boot wearing my gaiters and boots and moving fast. Creighton took of his shoes and socks and was thigh high in water. I have heard this called 5 mile camp. We were there in 90 minutes, not an unheard of pace for us in day packs.

The hike up into the valley is a climb. It was snow free for aways. Here my pace slowed significantly. I would say I hiked an hour before I saw consistent snow. Bushwhacked a bit through a lot of overgrowth, and got soaked. The snow became consistent after climbing for an hour.  We were not able to make it to Jade Lake. After climbing through snow for about 30 minutes, and crossing on a snow bridge, my best guess for where we hiked to is here (+47° 35' 33.75", -121° 15' 58.13"). I just tried to use google maps to map it.

Orchid: Sun break on the trail on our way back to the car.

Onion: Hurt my ankle on the steep downhill.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 94 Jun. 16 - Camp Pleasant

Total Distance: Approximately 14 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 2000 ft.
Time: 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Weather: Mostly cloudy, warm with quite a few sun breaks.

Planned a day hike with a few recent alumnae from my high school for this weekend.  It was kind of a reunion hike.  The plan was to have Creighton, me, two former students, and one of those student's older brother.  The four other people besides me were the same four people I helped in week 51 as they walked the Wonderland Trail in 3 days.  Unfortunately, Creighton couldn't make it this day.  We looked around for hikes, and we wanted some distance.  I suggest a tried and true trail, the North Fork of the Skokomish River.  I have hiked there now four times: Weeks 37, 47, 74, and now 94.  I am not afraid to repeat hikes, I talked about that a little last week.  This is a beautiful place with lots to do.  Twice I turned 4 miles up the trail and went to Flapjack Lakes.  This week, we went past the turn off and continued another 3 miles up to Camp Pleasant.

The hike started like many hikes do.  A good group of people laughing and talking as we walk up the trail.  Within a few minutes, we seattled into a groove: the two young boys walking and talking, and the two older boys walking and talking.  They trail is easy, comfortable walking.  No one section is too steep.  We made it, according tot he trailhead, 4 miles in an hour and 15 minutes.  This is the turn off to Flapjack.  We took a little break for water and food.  I love hiking with these guys.  They are the kind of people who bring a lot of food to share.  We hate blueberries (carried in a Nalgene, brilliant).

After only a few minutes we took off again, up the trail.  We were now on new trail for me.  It was beautiful.  The Olympics are magical.  It is hard not to enjoy oneself while walking in this park.  We crossed a few creeks that were flowing fast.  We even had a blowdown or two past our last bridge, and we got to Camp Pleasant in 2 hours and 15 minutes, 6.9 miles from where we started.

We found an area near the river and in the sun.  Here we ate lunch, played made games with rocks, and the younger boys played in the river.  One kid ate another's prosciutto.  The younger boys started to "build a dam." It was so much fun watching two recent high school graduates act like little kids again.  It was almost like I could see them as first graders moving rocks and playing in the water.  We took a long break.  We capped it off with a big group plunge into the river.

We dried off and walked back to our car.  The younger boys ran ahead, while the older brother and I enjoyed each other's company on the way back down.  I almost always wear my Volunteer hat when I hike.  I got it almost 2 years ago when I helped the Olympic Park with a Marmot study.  It is a National Park Service Hat that says Volunteer.  About 15 minutes from the trailhead, we bumped into "Ranger Ranger."  For those of you who may not know, a "Rangr Ranger" is a park ranger that takes being a ranger to seriously.  This one, in particular, took to informing me how me wearing this hat was a "violation of park rules."  It was an awkward conversation, and an unfortunate way to end the hike.

Orchid: Swimming in the Skokomish.

Onion: Ranger ranger.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 93.5 June 13 & 14 - Slab Camp, Gray Wolf River, Deer Park Loop

Total Distance: Approximately 17.9 miles
Day 1: 7.7 miles
Day 2: 10.2 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 4500 ft.
Time: 4 pm Wednesday to 4:15 pm Thursday
Weather: Overcast, cool, a few sun breaks on Thursday.

This story has three parts: the prologue, the story, and the epilogue. I feel the story is good, only given the epilogue. I will tell the story last...

The Prologue
It started with a Facebook event invite from a former student who I have hiked with a few times. She was going to be in town for a few days and wanted to get a few friends out for an overnighter. I was invited and happy to go. She and I talked, and I suggested the loop Gil and I had done about 12 days ago. She felt it would be a good time and distance, so the plan was set. Overnight at the gray wolf camp doing the same hike in Gil and I had, then hike out through Deer Park completing the loop. A few days go by, when I realize I had a work meeting on that Wednesday morning. I know it's summer, but some things will not wrap themselves up by themselves. So I talked with the my friend and told her I would hike in to meet them. I would hope to be there between 4 and 8 pm, depending on when I could get there.

The Epilogue
Everyone is home safe. Nobody was hurt, injured, or damaged in anyway.

The story (copied from the journal entry I wrote in my tent Wednesday night)

Wednesday June 13 10:26 pm

I have been at the Gray Wolf Campsite since 7:08 pm. I hiked the 7.7 miles (according to the map) in 3 hours and 3 minutes. I was planning to meet 6 people here, but when I arrived the campsite was empty. I was scared but remained calm. I was nervous because these 6 other people left way before me. They were also hiking in the same way. If they were insanely slow, then I would have caught them. If they were injured and hiked back out, I hopefully would have seen them.

Trying not to waste time, I dropped my back and began eating. I had not eaten since lunch around noon and it was now 7:11 pm. I wolfed down food while I began making a plan. What I came up with was to set up my tent, hang my food, and take a small pack, and go looking for them. The tent was set up with all the non-essential, non-food items just thrown inside. I got all my food hung, and then made sure I had water bottles, extra layers, headlamp, and first aid stuff. It was now 7:50 pm. I was off to look for them.

First, I went back through the Gray Wolf Camp again just screaming a few of their names. I heard no response. I looked at the trail signs again. It was clear this was the Gray Wolf Camp where I planned on meeting them. I was 99.9% sure I was at the Gray Wolf with Gil in week 92. Now that I had a map, I was 100% sure.

I took off up the trail to the Gray Wolf Pass. I ran ahead about 15~20 minutes, yelling every couple minutes. Never heard an answer. Looked back at the map and saw Three Forks camp near Gray Wolf and thought I would check there. We had talked about walking the loop over two days, and maybe they just wanted to be on the other side of the river. The map said it was 0.5 miles from camp. When I got back my camp I thought great, only 10 minutes till I find them.

Walking uphill a bit from my camp, then dropping down to the river bank, and I wasn't paying particularly close attention, when I heard something move over a log and began sprinting up the trail. I did not have a great view, but it had a long tail and ran like a cat. It seemed a bit small for a mountain lion. Within seconds, I heard another rustle, but it was higher on the ridge, a bit smaller, and disappeared even faster than the first. I began screaming again. This served two purposes: hopefully I will find my friends quicker and I will keep some of the scary critters away.

I was in Three Forks soon enough, but again it was empty. It was getting dark I looked at my watch. It was 9:35 pm. I put on my headlamp and walked back to camp.

I got to camp, lowered my food, and snacked. I thought about what to do next. There seemed to be only two options: 1) hike out leaving all but the essential gear. Get to the car after midnight, get to Sequim by 1 am, and start making phone calls. 2) spend the night and hike out early tomorrow.

While the first option seems like the best choice, I stayed. I am exhausted. I was up at 4 am this morning packing, breakfast at 6:30, followed with a Zumba class at 7:30, and a quick lift from 8:25 to 8:50. I then sat in a meeting from 9 until 11:30 am and spent the afternoon traveling with detours because of food, gas, and forgotten gear. When I hiked in, I was not planning on hiking out, so I held nothing back, hiking nearly 2.2 mph up hill with a decent sized pack.

As I write this justification, I feel guilty. I am barely awake writing this, but I am scared for what might have happened. I keep telling myself the first rule of wilderness first aid. "Who's number 1? I'm number 1!" Take care of yourself first, then help.

I will wake up early and hike out. I hope to God everyone is safe. It's 11pm, and I am going to bed.

The Explanation
The other 6 took a right at the trailhead, and I took the left. They hiked 5 miles in to Deer Park campground. I hiked a direction that would have been almost 14 miles from their camp.

Orchid: Finding out everyone is safe.

Onion: The guilt...

Picture:

Google Map

Week 93 Jun. 10 - Carbon Glacier, again

Total Distance: Approximately 17 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 1640 ft.
Time: 12:00 pm - 6:20 pm
Weather: Sunny, partly cloudy, cool and breezy.

"What is the best hike you have been on?"

I get that question all the time when I tell people I have been hiking for now, 93 weeks in a row.  It is an almost  impossible question to answer.  In some ways, the best hike was the last on I had just went on.  My birthday surprise hike, week 61, was an exceptionally great hike.  Others stick out in my mind too as amazing hikes: week 13 with my family, week 16 to the highest point in Oklahoma, week 50 up to Mt. Adams, week 52 around Mount Hood, week 63 up to the Royal Lake, or week 91 when I saw alligators.  For now, one of the best hikes I have ever done was yesterday. Wow! What a day!

It starts with me having no confirmed hike picked, but a rough plan to hike a long distance with Creighton.  I woke up at 9 am and called Creighton.  No answer, but I started packing.  Creighton called back, and he was just waking up but was ready to hike.  I suggested the Carbon River Glacier.  A hike I have now done three times.  When I started this commitment I did not stipulate any restrictions on repeating hikes, and to be honest, I like repeating hikes, especially good hikes.  This hike has a little of everything.  The first 5 miles are along the old Carbon River road, then you meet up with the Wonderland Trail, a 93 mile loop trail around Mt. Rainier.  The trail takes you up to the Carbon Glacier, the lowest-elevation glacier in the Lower 48.

We began walking right at noon.  We were enjoying walking side by side on the old road up to the Ipsut Campground.  We made it to the Green Lake trail, weeks 32.5 and week 35.  This is about 3 miles away and we were there right around 1 pm.  We drank some water and kept moving.  We hit the campground and kept moving.  You climb a little at this point until you get to where the trail has washed out on the south side of the river.  You cross the Carbon River and get the first views of Mount Rainier.  Today was as beautiful as it ever can be, a clear blue sky behind the peak, stacks os snow with beautiful seracs hanging from the glaciers, and the strange sense that this mountain before you is alive.  Creighton shared with me on the hike this idea that there are "thin places" in this world.  Places where the separation of heaven and earth is thinner than other places.  I think this river valley is a "thin place."

We ended up taking a 15 minute break on the river.  We basked in the sun and the view of Rainier.  I hat some food and drank some water.  We then took off for the last 1.5 miles up to the glacier, the hardest 1.5 miles of the hike.  We climbed quicker than we had anyplace on the trail but maintained a good speed.  Creighton got a little ahead at the end, but only by 5 minutes.  I reached the glacier at 2:50 pm, a 3.04 mile per hour pace (including the breaks).  I was so excited by this pace.  I felt so good to finally maintained a 3 mph pace for almost 3 hours.  We took about an hour and 15 minute break.  We ate in the sun, i packed my feet in a little snow on the trail, and we had a great chat with another group.

We took off around 4:05.  I was in front and found myself lightly jogging at times.  The woodsy section on the north side of the river was cool in the shade.  It felt amazing to be outside.  The sunlight broke through the forest canopy in streaks.  We had the place to ourselves on the way down.  We cruised.  I was running the few uphills on the way back because it seemed easier.  We were down 1.5 miles in 26 minutes.  We crossed the river and I kept a slow pace as I stared at the mountain and tried to walk.  We walked the trail on the south side at a regular pace and made it the 2.2 miles in about 43 minutes.  We walked to the Green Lake trail, about 1.9 miles in 20 minutes, and we jogged the last 3 miles.  We made the final 3 miles in about 33 minutes.  That made our total time down 2 hours and 15 minutes, or 3.8 mph.

Orchid: Crazy fast pace and running for the first time with my crazy runner friend, Creighton.

Onion: Running in hiking boots and gaiters.

Picture:

Google Map

Week 92 Jun. 3 - Slab Camp Creek & the Gray Wolf River

Total distance: Approximately 16 miles

Elevation Gain: 3000 feet

Time: 6:45 am - 2:15 pm

Weather: Overcast, cloudy, and cool.  A few glimpses of shadows and sunlight.

Back in Washington and dealing with a difficult work week had me looking to really pound some mileage on the trail.  I had a crazy idea, partly inspired by last week's early hike, to get to the trailhead at 6 in the morning and walking 20 plus miles.  My good friend, Gil, was also interested in a long hike.  We found a great out and back in the northeast corner of the Olympics.  Not counting the 8th grade beach hike, it has been almost 30 weeks since I had hiked in the Olympic forest.  I was excited for a new hike in a park I love so much.

The plan to meet early was modified slightly, by me, and I am glad I did.  A late evening Saturday had me in bed after midnight, and Gil and I met at 4:30 am.  We were on the road quickly and at the trailhead soon enough.  We geared up and began walking at 6:45 am.

The trail starts at about 2200 feet and continues along Slab Camp Creek.  The trail is relatively level for about a mile, then drops about 1000 feet over the next 1.8 miles where Slab Camp Creek meets the Gray Wolf river.  We made it down to the river in about an hour, continued over the bridge, and then climbed up onto the ridge south of the Gray Wolf.  The trail, after climbing about 1000 feet, contours the ridge south of the Gray Wolf.  The river was moving fast and was definitely a gray color.  I assume this last winter has this river above normal depths.  

By 11 am, we had made it to the Gray Wolf camp, where Cameron Creek and the Gray Wolf meet.  We took a nice, long lunch break for about an hour.  The sun came out a little, but it was still chilly.  Gil went off exploring, after I had, and a couple hikers came from the other side of the camp.  I asked them where they had come from, and apparently there was a loop option from the trailhead we started at.  They went walking on the way we had come in.  When Gil returned, we discussed doing the loop, but we agreed since it wasn't our original plan, and no one would know where to find us if we got in trouble, it would be better to save the loop for another day.

I was pumped that I was able to walk three straight hours with a significant elevation change.  I have spent the month of May dieting and working out or exercising 4 to 6 days a week (including a weekend hike).  As a result, I feel great.  Hiking feels easier, due to stronger muscles and loss of weight.  We left the Gray Wolf camp at 11:05 am and cruised back to Slab Camp Creek.  It took about 2 hours, then we began the climb back to the car.  It was a great way to finish a big day.  We kept a steady pace up the hill, and we were at the car in about an hour and 10 minutes.

Oh, and I got a new phone that has the same app I used to use to track my location.  It still eats massive amount of battery life and is not the most accurate assessment of mileage.  I had to shut down the phone before the last climb up.  Here is the GPS track in a Google Map.

Orchid: Great day and distance with a great friend.

Onion: Not bringing a warm hat, or warm enough clothes for the break.

Picture:

Google Map