Backpacking solo, not Nancy’s favorite activity for me, but its certainly mine. 70 years ago, I first spent a night in my own tent and slept in jammies with the owls overhead. It stuck.
This hike started high, 6125′ at the Obstruction Point Trailhead, north side of Olympic National Park. Directions to trailhead: from Port Angeles, drive 17 miles to Hurricane Ridge, then turn left and drive 8 miles east to Obstruction Point trailhead. You enter Olympic National Park at mile 5 on the Hurricane Ridge Road. From the trailhead, it’s a glorious ridge walk , and then the trail plunges down into Grand Valley where it passes a chain of lakes. I pitched my tent at Moose Lake, 5045′, the middle of three stairstep lakes. I had been here a decade before with Nancy, but this time I endured trail- loneliness without her, but a heightened sense of awareness I only find with solitude, a spiritual pleasure unmatched when other hikers are with me.
Mouse over photos for captions. Click for slideshow.
Grand Pass looking towards Mt Cameron. Photo taken by a couple who happened along at the right time.
The mountains east of Grand Valley, seen below, are some of the best in the Olympics. Those are the peaks above Royal Basin on the horizon.
The trail starts with a splendid ridge walk out Lillian Ridge heading south. This place has never been glaciated, so I was walking on rocks unchanged for millions of years.
A solid alpine meadow for a mile or so, topping at 6350′. This is undoubtedly one of the Olympic’s best hikes.
Plunging down into Grand Valley, knees knocking, it reaches the valley floor back in thick timber.
Moose Lake, the middle lake has by far the dreamiest campsites, and this one was empty. except for the deer and marmots.
Olympic Marmots are endemic animals to the Olympic Peninsula. They sleep 3/4 of the year beneath the deep snow, and spend summers eating as fast as they can to pack away fat for fall.
My little tent beside Moose Lake, named for the Ranger’s horse. There isn’t a moose within 50 miles.
Breakfast almost in bed. Jetboil, Starbucks in the sun.
This doe was carefully watching where I would pee – they lick the salt.
Hand-laid stairs up to Gladys Lake.
Monkeyflower beside the trail.
Proper selfie beside a little stream crossing.
Up on the Gladys Lake bench.
Small tarn near Gladys Lake.
On the trail to Grand Pass.
Grand Pass looking south down the Dosewallips. 6450′ and about 1.5m from Gladys Lake
On Grand Pass, taken by friendly hikes.
Gladys Lake
Falls above Gladys Lake.
Black bear tracks in the mud.
Tarn near my campsite.
These little scenes make truly wonderful paintings.
My aging REI Half Dome tent at 6 lbs.
On the way down Grand Valley you can see Moose Lake and Grand Lake.
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