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December 19, 2021 8 miles 3,500 feet gained
This used to be one of my favorite close by conditioning hikes, but alas no more. I have not been up there since they logged the 3 summit areas and while it has opened it up for some expansive views it has obliviated many hiking trails that led to the summits, plus now you are forced to hike on a muddy road through clear cuts to traverse between the summits....
December 12, 2021 3.71 miles 1,750 feet gained
December 5, 2021 5.63 miles 2,500 feet gained
Section Line trail up to Tiger Summit #3.
October 30, 2021 5.89 miles 2,000 feet gained
All 3 of the TM summits are closed to hikers until further notice due to ongoing logging operations.
October 23, 2021 3.71 miles 1,750 feet gained
October 15, 2021 4 miles 1,000 feet gained
September 11, 2021 7 miles 3,000 feet gained
August 27 to August 29, 2021 26 miles 5,500 feet gained 2 nights
Entered via the Dungeness River TH. Made base camp around 3.5 miles in at Camp Handy. Did a bit of exploring after dinner down the Heather Creek trail. Next day got up bright and early and hiked up to Boulder Shelter, and then continued on the trail to Home Lake which is within the ONP. Home lake appeared pretty full up with people camping in areas where imo...
August 15, 2021 6.76 miles 4,000 feet gained
First time hiking Vesper peak and all I can say is that this was one tough hike with the eg, hot weather and extremely rocky trail tread. Felt way longer then 7 miles. The final 1/2 mile push to the summit is a 1000' eg scramble which really takes it out of your. But once at Vesper's 6138' summit you momentarily forget the pain and soak in the spectacular vi...
August 4, 2021 2.06 miles 500 feet gained
The wife and I were on a leisurely car camping trip at Silver Lake by Maple Falls and decided after much napping, sunning and swimming to drive up to Artist Point as my wife had never been up there. I forgot that the road was closed for repairs approx. 2 miles from Artist Point so we hiked the Upper Wild Goose Trail up to AP which was pretty much empty due t...
July 29 to July 31, 2021 22 miles 5,500 feet gained 2 nights
Started trip at the Staircase entrance to ONP and spent a couple nights at the lakes. On day 2 hiked up to Gladys Divide and then up to the summit of Mt. Gladys which had nice views of Mt. Olympus. We attempted to find our way to Black & White Lakes to attempt a loop hike but due to the heat and very annoying bugs headed back to FlapJack for a nice refreshin...
July 18, 2021 9 miles 2,000 feet gained
Began hike at the Deer Park TH. I have attempted this hike before in the spring while camping at Deer Park before the car campground opens but there always was to much snow. No snow this time and we hiked up to Maiden Peak and then a bit further but not quite up to the summit of Elk Mountain.
July 6 to July 7, 2021 16 miles 4,500 feet gained 1 night
Entered via Upper Dungeness TH and made camp on the saddle above Charlia Lakes. Spent the next day exploring the ridges, above the lakes.
June 25 to June 26, 2021 20.3 miles 5,000 feet gained 1 night
Trying to beat the heat left late Friday morning and reached the The Tubal Cain TH early afternoon. Made camp at my top secret location up by the pass at around 6500'. Very mild temps for this time of year and at this elevation with overnight temps in the low 60's. Rose early the next day and and could tell it was going to be a scorcher and we wanted to get ...
June 18 to June 19, 2021 13 miles 4,250 feet gained 1 night
The Upper Big Quilcene TH was packed when we arrived Friday at 11AM. Appeared there were a lot of first timers on the trail with all the questions we got. All the campsites at Camp Mystery we’re taken which caused us no bother as I like to camp high up on Boulder Ridge. We were going to hike to the summit of Buckhorn but the peak itself was fogged in so we t...
June 10, 2021 6.2 miles 4,000 feet gained
The trail up to Wagon Wheel Lake is a steep one. The lake is nothing to get excited about and most people I know do it one time and vow never again. My friend Josh felt that way but I told him with a bit more effort and you could climb up to Cub Peak and would be rewarded with some nice views. While the weather was not optimal with a little bit of everything...
May 28 to May 29, 2021 11.8 miles 4,000 feet gained 1 night
Hiked the Deer Ridge trail to the Deer Park campground which is closed to car camping this time of year. Just one other person at the campsite besides ourselves. Nice kid from New York who joined us for some company around the campfire. Next morning after a frosty night, glad I brought my 15 degree bag, hiked to the top of Blue Mountain w/ it's expansive 360...
May 22, 2021 7.5 miles 3,000 feet gained
Started at the upper TH. A bit of snow to navigate off and on but nothing in our case which necessitated putting on traction. Nice clear day so the views from the top were sublime.
May 11 to May 13, 2021 30.8 miles 3,000 feet gained 2 nights
First day we hiked in about 10 miles and made base camp at Pyrites Creek. Next day hiked up the 3 miles to the Enchanted Valley where the old chalet is located. From there we hiked further up the valley about 2 miles to the "world largest recorded western hemlock." There was quite a bit of black bear activity in the area. We sighted a dozen bears during our ...
May 2, 2021 6 miles 3,250 feet gained
My brother had never climbed Mt. Ellinor before so with a fair weather picture predicted we headed out to the Lake Cushman area. One can now easily drive to the lower TH and that's where we started. Only way up still is via the winter route and the avalanche chute was in good shape. The climb from the bottom of the avalanche chute to the summit is around 150...
April 16 to April 18, 2021 13.3 miles 500 feet gained 2 nights
Hiked up the Hoh and spent a couple of nights at the Five Mile Island backcountry camp. Perfect weather with it being cold enough at night to keep the bugs at bay.
April 11, 2021 5.75 miles 3,500 feet gained
Well consolidated snow began a short bit after the horse camp. Used microspikes and going down would have been difficult w/o them. Had the summit to myself and had a nice leisurely lunch with my grey jay buddies. Timed is perfectly as met quite a few people heading up on my descent.
April 3, 2021 8.18 miles 2,500 feet gained
3 out of 4 of the Exploration NW team, along with intrepid hiking dog Ruby, were able to arrange their schedules to get in a conditioning hike on Tiger Mtn. None of had ever started a hike from the Preston TH and found it to be a nice uncrowded area in which to hike. We did a loop hike which took us up to summit 1 and the over to the Hikers Hut for lunch, wh...
March 27, 2021 6.43 miles 2,500 feet gained
Started hike at the Highpoint TH and from there navigated various trails up to the Hikers Hut which was fogged in, so no views. Then hiked to summits 2 and 3 before descending via the Cable Line trail.
March 20, 2021 7.9 miles 2,000 feet gained
Trail was covered mostly in slushy snow so I was glad I wore my gtx footwear. Hiked as far as where the trail intersects with the Mt Ellinor lower TH.
March 7, 2021 6 miles 2,500 feet gained
My brother got a Golden Doodle puppy a while ago and she is now at the age in which she can do some hiking. The hike up Section Line was a bit of starts and stops, and some off trail, but overall she did pretty good. She liked going down much better and basically ran with us all the way. This was her first summit but we could not get her to sit still long en...
February 27, 2021 7.62 miles 3,500 feet gained
I usually avoid hiking along the I-90 corroder during the weekend due to the crowds and the increasing difficult parking situation at most of the trailheads....so I was not to surprised to find that both of the TH parking lots were full which made it necessary to park an additional 1/2 mile from the TH. The old trail up Si is shorter, steeper and far less cr...
February 7, 2021 8.09 miles 2,750 feet gained
Began hike at the 1st TH in which first few miles are quite steep gaining a bit more then 1600'. At that point you are at the hikes high point which is at an elevation of 2500', There was a bit of snow present but nothing requiring traction devices. From there its a bit up and down, mostly down, until you reach the Lower Big Quilcene River.
January 29, 2021 7.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
Up Section Line Trail to Summit 3, then took the TMT to the 15 Mile Gap. Back to the car via the Poo Poo Point and HS Trail.
January 23, 2021 7.2 miles 1,250 feet gained
Began hike at the Narada Falls TH. Hiked to Reflection Lake. From the lake we hiked up the closed, snow covered road to Paradise.... which was packed. From there we headed cross country for a bit and connected with a trail which took us back to the TH.
January 1, 2021 5.42 miles 2,500 feet gained
Roaring creek and big timber... what's not to like? The trail crests the ridge at 3300'. Recent snow made the final 1000' of accent a bit of a post holing, trail breaking saga, but all in all a nice hike to start 2021.
