Jen went backpacking August 6 to August 7, 2018 17 miles 5,000 feet gained 1 night

Goat Lake/Royal Basin Loop, Olympics

2

This was a (mostly) fun solo adventure. I started at 5pm at the Upper Dungeness TH and hiked in to the junction with Royal Creek and set up camp. Next day I hiked up the Dungeness to the super steep Goat Lake trail.

Saw a bear!

Swam in a gorgeous alpine lake! Took a nap next to a gorgeous alpine lake!

After lounging over an hour at the lake, I scrambled up above the lake and had fun goofing around on the bits of snowfield and nice grippy pillow basalt. Then I went over the other side down into Royal Basin-this part of the trip was sketchy and brutal ending with a nightmarish bushwack through soggy willow thicket. Last two easy miles out by headlamp. I'm pooped!

Trail Talk

2 people have hearted this trip.

Sarah Johnson · August 8, 2018

I went up to goat lake with my dog a few years ago, it was quite an ass kicker going straight up without switchbacks! My boyfriend and I have always wanted to try the crossover into Royal Basin (another beautiful area, so many marmots!) I miss the Olympics, I definitely saw my fair share of bears there! Still have never seen any since I moved to Oregon.

Sadly, I didn't get to enjoy the lake much, as the mosquitoes were brutal when I was up there.