[catwoman]

I headed on over to the Olympics where it was sunny, blue skies, and tank top and shorts weather. I just went to Staircase to do some mileage on the minute elevation gain trail to Big Log for the day. However, my shoulder has been absolutely killing me lately, and the weight from my pack was quite painful. I still went on but I figure I went about 5 1/2 miles in to just past Madeline Creek (about 11 rt). Oh crap! I just looked at my map (I forgot to take it with me) and I was at most only half mile away from Big Log! Shoot, if I'd have known that...... Oh well. Anyway, my shoulder was killing me and that darn tripod wasn't helping. Oh, a lucky break was when I arrived at the ranger guard station at the entrance of the ONP, it was unattended and the sign said "proceed forward". So, didn't have to have a pass or pay!! Woo hoo! Can wait till another day to pay! I was thinking that maybe it just wasn't opened yet for the season, but when I got back to my car, the vehicles parked next to me had paid and had their receipts in their windows - time stamped merely 25 minutes after I'd gotten there! What luck! As for wildlife..... saw a deer on the road around Lake Cushman, saw two snakes (unless it was the same one twice), saw lots of hummingbirds (unless it was the same one following me), heard owls, saw fresh bear tracks..... Unfortunately also ran across a huge and noisy boy scout group of about 15-20! (help me!) Anyway, twas beautiful over there! Ya'all shoulda come with me (and carried my pack)!

[smokeydon]

Catwoman I think you mean Skokomish river, don`t you ? I was up there last year around this time and camped up at Black and White lakes and summited Mt. Gladys. In the morning I was treated to being above the clouds. Fortunitly there were no noisy Boy Scouts !

[catwoman]

You're probably right. I get all those komish's confused.