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adamschneider
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Joined: 14 Jul 2006
Posts: 95 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland, OR |
I'm planning a hike in Olympic National Park next week, starting from Obstruction Point. OpenStreetMaps shows a continuation of the Lillian Ridge Trail going south over Moose Peak and then down to the head of Grand Creek's valley, near Gladys Lake. Apparently it's NOT an official trail, but if I take it, it opens up some nice loop opportunities.
Can anyone vouch for the difficulty (or lack thereof) of following this trail? Is the route shown below a good idea? Would it be better to go up or down the unofficial ridge trail? Are there other 5- to 12-mile loops in that area that I should also consider?
Thanks in advance for any tips.
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Abert
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Joined: 02 Sep 2010
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Location: Sequim |
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Abert
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 Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:33 am |
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There's a discernible trail along the ridge almost the entire distance to Low Pass south of Moose. The major issue is finding your way down a short, steep drop off the ridge south of Point 6580 and the loose scree traverse over and then up to Moose.
Snow may be an issue. A WTA report from 11 days ago has a picture of Grand Valley (labeled "Looking down on Gladys Lake"). That's Low Pass on the right side of the picture and Grand Pass in the center-right.
Because of the snow, I'd say it's best to do the loop clockwise (taking the official trail down to Grand Valley first) because that would allow you to see how much snow is on the ridge before committing to it. Going from Gladys Lake to Low Divide is steep enough that hard snow would be bothersome. And I can say from personal experience that if the scree section traverse north of Moose is wet from snowmelt it can be a slippery mess. Also going clockwise it's probably easier to find your way through the notch on the ridge south of Point 6580.
Another good loop hike in the general area would be Tyler to Baldy, which can be extended out Gray Wolf Ridge.
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:02 am |
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8 miler loop ... Obstruction to grand lake, (be sure to stop by Amelia Falls), head back via badger valley, all on trail though
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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adamschneider
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Joined: 14 Jul 2006
Posts: 95 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland, OR |
| Abert wrote: | | Snow may be an issue. A WTA report from 11 days ago has a picture of Grand Valley (labeled "Looking down on Gladys Lake"). That's Low Pass on the right side of the picture and Grand Pass in the center-right. |
Oy vey. That photo is very helpful; even with a couple more weeks of melting, I think I'll skip Moose Peak and Low Pass, and do the Badger Valley loop instead. I'll scramble up Peak 6536 (near the Lillian Ridge boot trail junction) and hope that satisfies my jones for a 360° view. If I still feel the need for more alpine ridges on my way back up, I can take a detour up Elk Mountain.
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geyer
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Joined: 23 May 2017
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geyer
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Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:15 pm |
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I took this route last year and the trail is very much there. The only challenging part is when you cross over from the west side of the ridge to the east side of the ridge, the trail gets a bit lost in the scree, which you have to hike over and up on. I guess some people have a tough time getting down when you cross over the ridge, but I didn't seem to think it was bad.
If you want to get really adventurous, you could go off trail and hike to Lillian Lake (...and then report back to us about how beautiful it is  )
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:01 pm |
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| adamschneider wrote: | | do the Badger Valley loop instead. |
if you want, just continue to Moose/Gladys, return back and drop down to Grand, get on the trail from there to badger valley and back to obstruction.
if you feel you want to add a little more, go behind the outhouse at the parking lot, hike straight up (avoid plants, ha) and get to the summit of Obstruction Peak.
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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geyer
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geyer
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Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:08 pm |
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| bobbi wrote: | | just continue to Moose/Gladys, return back and drop down to Grand, get on the trail from there to badger valley and back to obstruction. |
I second this. Not sure what snow is like this year in that area, but last year in early august, it was one of my favorite parts of the trek. It turns into a flower-packed meadow at the right time of year in Badger valley
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:53 pm |
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plus you get to hike by bobbi's babbling brook at badger valley  
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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adamschneider
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Joined: 14 Jul 2006
Posts: 95 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland, OR |
So in the end, I took the path of least resistance and just did the 8-mile loop down the Grand Pass Trail and up the Badger Valley Trail:
I didn't see another human once I passed Grand Lake; I don't think Badger Valley is on anyone's radar! This is what they're missing:
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Wed Jul 19, 2017 6:14 pm |
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great! it's a great loop!
when were you at obstruction? i hiked grand ridge on Tuesday.
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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Backpacker Joe
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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| adamschneider wrote: | | So in the end, I took the path of least resistance and just did the 8-mile loop down the Grand Pass Trail and up the Badger Valley Trail:
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Two years ago I took a friend from work up there and did that hike. Man, by the time we were climbing out of the valley we were both dead tired.... Beautiful hike.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006
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Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:54 pm |
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tuesday, July 18, 2017
photo of badger valley from the grand ridge trail
wildflowers along the grand ridge
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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adamschneider
Member
Joined: 14 Jul 2006
Posts: 95 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland, OR |
| bobbi wrote: | | when were you at obstruction? i hiked grand ridge on Tuesday. |
I was there Tuesday as well. I started out south (counter-clockwise), so I wasn't on Grand Ridge until the evening. (Thanks to the flowers, I only averaged about 1mph!)
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