One Pan Wonders
Backcountry Cooking at its Finest
2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - Links
My love affair with the Olympic Mountains started early, with day-long road trips to the Hoh and Quinault Rainforests with my dad. There is nothing like hiking in the rain in February. The Hoh absolutely GLOWS in the rain. It is pretty in the summer, but there is something special about seeing it in the off-season.
2001 marked the beginning of my true obsession with the Olympic. This would be the first of three summers that I spend working for the National Park. First as a permit-writer/trip planner, then as a plant biotech. I feel so lucky to have seen so much of the park and surrounding forest lands. I worked on the Elwha Dam Restoration Project, rare and endangered plant surveys, compliance surveys, invasives inventory and other restoration projects. I got paid to go hiking and be a plant geek! Life doesn't get much better than that.
In following years, I didn't get to see as much of the Olympics as I would like, but it remains a wonderful place for early-season trips. Not to forget, of course, my hiking group's annual Ozette "shake down" trip, which is typically the first backpacking trip of the year. 2008 will be the 4th year.
My love affair with the Olympic Mountains started early, with day-long road trips to the Hoh and Quinault Rainforests with my dad. There is nothing like hiking in the rain in February. The Hoh absolutely GLOWS in the rain. It is pretty in the summer, but there is something special about seeing it in the off-season.
2001 marked the beginning of my true obsession with the Olympic. This would be the first of three summers that I spend working for the National Park. First as a permit-writer/trip planner, then as a plant biotech. I feel so lucky to have seen so much of the park and surrounding forest lands. I worked on the Elwha Dam Restoration Project, rare and endangered plant surveys, compliance surveys, invasives inventory and other restoration projects. I got paid to go hiking and be a plant geek! Life doesn't get much better than that.
In following years, I didn't get to see as much of the Olympics as I would like, but it remains a wonderful place for early-season trips. Not to forget, of course, my hiking group's annual Ozette "shake down" trip, which is typically the first backpacking trip of the year. 2008 will be the 4th year.
2001
The year of day hikes and the beginning of my backpacking career. Trips include the Elwha, Hoh, coast and Grand Valley.
Mt. Olympus - Snowdome
View from 5-Mile Island
Spruce RR trail
Mt. Olympus - Snowdome
View from 5-Mile Island
Spruce RR trail
2002
This was my first year as a plant biotech. I was hiking 4-6 days a week all over the park. Trips included the coast, Elip Creek Loop, Royal Lake and Flapjacks/Home Sweet Home.
2003
This was my third and final year working for the park. As much as I love the Olympics, I could no longer afford to be just a seasonal employee.
The Hoh, Staircase and Elwha trails were visited several times this year. This was the beginning of the PNWH group, most of whom I still hike with. This was also the year I broke my wrist when doing the North-South (Elwha-Quinault) trail.
The Hoh, Staircase and Elwha trails were visited several times this year. This was the beginning of the PNWH group, most of whom I still hike with. This was also the year I broke my wrist when doing the North-South (Elwha-Quinault) trail.
2004
As much as I love the Olympics, they aren't as easy to access as other hiking options. I was rarely there. Somehow I got to the Hoh twice in 2004.
2005
Not much time was spent on the Olympic Peninsula in 2005 either. I did make the Ozette trip. And another trip to the Hoh.
2006-2007
It's sad, I know. I did ZERO hiking in 2006. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't. I was home with a newborn baby. Things changed in 2007, however, and I returned to Ozette and the Elwha.
2008
Good things are being planned for this year! The annual Ozette trip, of course, and the Queets to support GoBlueHiker and others. I've been talking about re-visiting the North-South trail too. I'd like to see what Low Divide really has to offer when I'm not being rained on!
Links
Olympic National Park - Home
Olympic National Park - Trail Conditions
Olympic National Park - Campgrounds (front country)
Olympic National Park - Tide Tables (for coastal hikes)
Olympic National Park - Food Storage Regulations
Olympic National Park - Wilderness Camping Permits and Fees
Olympic National Park - Trail and Campsite Map (also information about group size, fire restrictions and food storage) pdf file
Olympic National Park - Statistics and fun facts
Olympic National Forest - Home
Olympic National Forest - List of Trails with detail
Olympic National Forest - Nature Trails and Day Hikes
Olympic National Forest - Trail Conditions - Hood Canal
Olympic National Forest - Trail conditions - Pacific Ranger District, North
Olympic National Forest - Trail conditions - Pacific Ranger District, South
Olympic National Forest - Wilderness Regulations
Olympic National Forest - Passes and Permits
Olympic National Forest - Statistics and fun facts
Custom Correct Maps - The best maps for hiking the Olympic Peninsula
Rainforest Treks - GoBlueHiker's 31 day Olympic Solo Hike
Windsox - Shuttle Service
Olympic National Park - Trail Conditions
Olympic National Park - Campgrounds (front country)
Olympic National Park - Tide Tables (for coastal hikes)
Olympic National Park - Food Storage Regulations
Olympic National Park - Wilderness Camping Permits and Fees
Olympic National Park - Trail and Campsite Map (also information about group size, fire restrictions and food storage) pdf file
Olympic National Park - Statistics and fun facts
Olympic National Forest - Home
Olympic National Forest - List of Trails with detail
Olympic National Forest - Nature Trails and Day Hikes
Olympic National Forest - Trail Conditions - Hood Canal
Olympic National Forest - Trail conditions - Pacific Ranger District, North
Olympic National Forest - Trail conditions - Pacific Ranger District, South
Olympic National Forest - Wilderness Regulations
Olympic National Forest - Passes and Permits
Olympic National Forest - Statistics and fun facts
Custom Correct Maps - The best maps for hiking the Olympic Peninsula
Rainforest Treks - GoBlueHiker's 31 day Olympic Solo Hike
Windsox - Shuttle Service
Books and References
Olympic Mountains Trail Guide by Robert Wood
Best Easy Day Hikes: Olympics by Erik Molvar
Hiking the Ancient Forests of British Columbia and Washington by Randy Stoltmann
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Pojar and MacKinnon
Cascade-Olympic Natural History by Daniel Matthews
Flora of the Olympic Peninsula by Nelsa Buckingham
Mountain Flowers of the Cascades and Olympics by Harvey Manning
The Olympic Rainforest by Ruth Kirk and Jerry Franklin
Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast by Robert Van Pelt
Best Easy Day Hikes: Olympics by Erik Molvar
Hiking the Ancient Forests of British Columbia and Washington by Randy Stoltmann
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Pojar and MacKinnon
Cascade-Olympic Natural History by Daniel Matthews
Flora of the Olympic Peninsula by Nelsa Buckingham
Mountain Flowers of the Cascades and Olympics by Harvey Manning
The Olympic Rainforest by Ruth Kirk and Jerry Franklin
Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast by Robert Van Pelt
