A friend and I had some new gear to try for the 2014 hiking season, so we took them
into the Olympic Mountains for a good testing. The Olympic Mountains are one of the best places to test backpacking gear, it can be sunny skies one minute and start snowing the next; even in the summer months at elevation. So we packed up our kit and headed off into a remote side of the Olympic Peninsula.
Our route would us to a base camp in a less known lake and then spend 2 days peak bagging into nearby high points of this very rugged landscape. It always a surprise to me how steep the terrain is on this side of the Olympic Mountains, but leaves a lover of Olympic Peninsula coming back for more torture.
The weather blocked our views during our first climb, but broke free the next morning; allowing for beautiful views during our next. This side of the mountains is rarely photographed from the south. Giving us a very remote peak into the Olympic National Park interior.
Come along on this adventure through photography and video.
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Olympic Mountain lake in spring |
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Weather turns in the Olympic Mountains |
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Up in the rocks |
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Relaxing in the sun |
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Morning views; as the sun hits my shelter |
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Second ascent to get a view |
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Mountain Guide Dog |
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White Mountain, O'neal Peak, Mount Duckabush and Steel (left to right) |
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Mount Olympus peeks over the Skyline Primitive Trial |
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Fire Creek drainage and Muncaster Mountain |
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Mount Christie |
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Mount Meany & Seattle peeks over Mount Lawson |
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The Valhallas |
Video from this Adventure
Related:
4 day snow traverse in spring
Updated by
Barefoot Jake in 2025