We had 3 days to spend on a hiking adventure in the mountains. So we decided on an off trail adventure to a more remote location of the Park. Our main goal was to get away from places that would require an overnight camping reservation to sleep in the backcountry. Generally, one must do special registration anywhere nearby an access road.
Spring is almost over and its already late summer
snowpack conditions in the Olympic Mountains. Record low snowfall this last winter. Leaving it very dry and snow-free in the backcountry. This is a good thing for early season alpine, but bad for mid-season wildfires. Seeing this coming, we decided on getting in our adventures now.
Conditions are above average for temperatures this spring. We got hit by sun very hard in the mountains during this trip. Making the mountains, more like hiking in the desert. I was happy to have
a hiking umbrella and extra bottles for water. The mosquitos were also very aggressive.
Note: This route should not be repeated, unless you have extensive land navigation and basic mountaineering skills. A hiker must carry a detailed topographical map.
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| Camp view |
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| Off trail |
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| Early snow melt |
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| Olympic Mountains melting |
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| High route views |
Overall this was a great trip into the Olympics. The weather and bugs did not like us much, but we adapted and overcame those challenges. It was nice staying at
wilderness campsites that are not on the map. This gave us miles and miles of solitude.
Updated by Barefoot Jake in July 2017
