This spring while we were doing parts of the planning together into Olympic National Park. Nivaun asked if I would like to join his friends and wife on a leg of their journey.
Being up for the challenge for some additional miles to the original route set back last October. I had already been to some of the place in the route the year before; however this would be a chance to do some side trips.
Last time through the area my backpack started at 70 lbs. No way in heck I wanted to go scramble a few peaks after going over the mountain passes; when it took everything in the gas tank just to get up the thing.
This year was a different story with my backpack base weight just under 10 lbs. I had plenty of energy and by the time the group was ready to pitch camp. Had plenty of energy extra to burn; at times even grew restless.
Editor's Note: Article part of a multi-week backpacking trip in the Olympic National Park.
Decided to hitch hike out of the Upper Dungeness area. Which isn't an easy task in the beginning of a 4 day holiday weekend. Everyone was coming and no one seemed to be going. Took me almost 7 hours of standing around in 38 degree temps to get a lift down the hill.
Thanks to the nice family that was willing to give me a lift.
I wrote this blog, resupply now and head back into the wilderness. Have a craving for more high country before the snow hits.
After a hitch back to town to get food. I would hitch a lift and then take the bus back out to the west side of the peninsula, to start the next leg of my adventure, solo Bailey Range Traverse, off trail across the Olympic National Park.
Updated in 2025 by Barefoot Jake
Being up for the challenge for some additional miles to the original route set back last October. I had already been to some of the place in the route the year before; however this would be a chance to do some side trips.
Last time through the area my backpack started at 70 lbs. No way in heck I wanted to go scramble a few peaks after going over the mountain passes; when it took everything in the gas tank just to get up the thing.
This year was a different story with my backpack base weight just under 10 lbs. I had plenty of energy and by the time the group was ready to pitch camp. Had plenty of energy extra to burn; at times even grew restless.
Editor's Note: Article part of a multi-week backpacking trip in the Olympic National Park.
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| Peak #2 of the day - Looking over to '1,000 Acre Meadows', Mount Anderson, Sentinel Peak (later that day) and behind the Pack lies the Bailey Range. Product testing my Luna Sandals Leadville Pacer on new MGT foodbed w/ updated ATS Laces - Sawyer Squeeze Filter w/ Aquafina bottle - DIY Tyvek Rain Jacket |
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| 5 Mountain Passes - 3 peaks scrambled - 6 Black Bears - 20+ Marmots with some babies - Grand, Cameron, Lost, Hayden and Constance Passes |
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| My office - Mount Olympus from the East in the distance |
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| Some of the group headed down the trial - Moose BM (center) holding a few summer cornice's |
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| Moose Lake in the Grand Valley as the sun goes down |
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| Marmots playing in Grand Valley - later seen a Black Bear grazing on the hillside |
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| Grand Valley from which we came that morning |
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| looking over to Cameron Basin from Grand Pass - we will stay the night there |
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| Cameron Creek - one of the many hydration destinations this month |
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| Group headed through a very enjoyable section of trail |
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| Water is very magical |
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| I was going for the Robert Redford look |
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| Moseying into Upper Cameron Basin |
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| Doing some off trail exploring of the basin |
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| My bedroom for the night - It had been wind all day - late afternoon the rain picked up - that night a cold front pushed through bringing with it wind and rain |
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| Upper Cameron Basin after the storm |
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| The two main thing done this month - walk and drink water - everything else is just extra - Hydrating using my Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter |
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| Pass #1 for the day - Ascending Cameron Pass in Huaraches - got a real crazy look on top from a guy in Mountaineering Boots (note - this Pass is very steep and Icy in the spring) |
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| Peak #1 for the day - Letting the feet get some sun - views of Lost Peak and Basin - 1,000 Acre Meadows - Sentinel Peak and Mount Anderson |
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| Descending into Lost Basin with views of Lost Peak |
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| Pass #2 of the day - Lost Pass - wildflowers barely alive and Autumn color starting to show its face |
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| After descending steep switchbacks - Seems like the Black Bears like the sign to Bear Camp |
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| Hayden Pass under evening light |
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| Pass of the day #3 - Hayden Pass - my favorite because its remote |
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| looking into the Eel Glacier of Mount Anderson from the south shoulder of Sentinel Peak |
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| Mt. Fromme, Lost Pass and looking back at the Cameron - down below is Hayden Pass drainage from Sentinel Peak |
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| looking northeast'ish from Sentinel Peak - 1,000 Acre Meadows below and Mt. Constance way out there (later) |
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| Peak #3 of the day: some homeless dude on Sentinel Peak |
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| Headed down the Dosewallips River Valley - last view of alpine for awhile - rain clouds moving in |
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| 'Let the spiritual powers of water in untainted form; cleans my body and purify my soul' - Barefoot Jake |
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| Time to ascend to Constance Pass - got to see what all the fuss is over this trail - I found it nicely maintained, graded and even a few spots to get water on the way up |
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| found the water and it even brought its friend mud - time to test that MGT footbed on my Luna Sandals to see if their worth the hype |
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| group headed into SunnyBrooke Meadows |
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| bed for the night - woke up to the first frost of the Autumn season for me - I refuse to pack Down Jacket in this soon tho |
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| 'as the sun goes down over the valley of my heart' |
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| looking down at the Dosewallips River Valley Fork - this month I walked both those |
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| Not since the Native American has a human been up here in the original form of hiking footwear - connecting with those that walked here before me - Looking into Mount Constance and Warrior Peak |
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| headed down Constance Pass into the mist |
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| The pass |
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| Home Lake on the base of Mt. Constance |
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| Autumn color starting to show its face above Home Lake - Winter is near |
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| Royal Creek |
Decided to hitch hike out of the Upper Dungeness area. Which isn't an easy task in the beginning of a 4 day holiday weekend. Everyone was coming and no one seemed to be going. Took me almost 7 hours of standing around in 38 degree temps to get a lift down the hill.
Thanks to the nice family that was willing to give me a lift.
I wrote this blog, resupply now and head back into the wilderness. Have a craving for more high country before the snow hits.
After a hitch back to town to get food. I would hitch a lift and then take the bus back out to the west side of the peninsula, to start the next leg of my adventure, solo Bailey Range Traverse, off trail across the Olympic National Park.
Updated in 2025 by Barefoot Jake