Forum Index > Trip Reports > Bogachiel Peak – ONP 10/15/11
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half fast
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PostSun Oct 16, 2011 3:01 pm 
Introduction: We all decided that we needed to get out yesterday and hiked Bogachiel Peak going in through Deer Lake. This trail has a lot of everything. The Sol Duc falls, Canyon Creek, Deer Lake, the Snake Pit, ridge views that can’t hardly be beat, this day we had awesome weather, some new snow, views from Bogachiel Peak that are nothing short of spectacular, fall colors… and… the frosting on the cake was a Very close bear. The only catch to this trail is the more than rocky, rooty, lousy trail tread. I have to admit this is the worst tread that I have ever hiked and it is more than challenging on feet and ankles. But… mentally prepare for that and enjoy a truly fantastic hike. ( Oh, if you don’t want to play in the snow… you better get there pretty soon as there was already 2-3 inches in places just before and along parts of the High Divide). Stats: Distance: 16 miles r/t Elev. gain: 3450 ft. High Pt. : 5474 ft. Gang: bobbi, Nwhikers resident Lurker Lisa, half fast We arrived at the TH to a balmy 34 deg. and were actually on the trail at 8:45 am. Ok, this is no doubt the closet we have come to an Alpine start… biggrin.gif As you head out from the TH you get to cross Sol Duc falls… pretty difficult not to take photos here…
Sol Duc falls
Sol Duc falls
After crossing the falls you start to climb to Deer Lake. The trail is winding through a beautiful forest and crosses Canyon Creek. (if it were better trail tread, you would think you were in paradise... winksmile.gif ) We made good time reaching Deer Lake. This is a beautiful lake and today with the frost and reflections it was even more beautiful.
Keep heading up the trail and you will be taking a Left at the junction for Little Divide and 7 Lakes Basin. The trail passes some more forests, the potholes and meadows. Once you past the meadows after the potholes you start climbing again to gain a ridge.
looking down on the Potholes from the ridge
looking down on the Potholes from the ridge
Again you will pass through meadows, some of which still had Lupine blooming and more forest. One fun part of this section is the Snake Pit trees…
snake pit tree on the ridge
snake pit tree on the ridge
After you leave the forest you start seeing mountain views…
views from the ridge before Bogachiel Peak
views from the ridge before Bogachiel Peak
You are not done climbing yet and after you cross another basin you climb up some switchbacks that take you to a ridge crest at 5100 ft. When you come to the junction of Hoh Lake and High Divide take a left up the High Divide trail. The trail to Bogachiel Peak is a short ways up the High Divide trail and you will take a Left for your final little push to the top. Lunch at Bogachiel Peak views...
Mt. Olympus from Bogachiel Peak
Mt. Olympus from Bogachiel Peak
looking up the High Divide from Bogachiel Peak
looking up the High Divide from Bogachiel Peak
views from Bogachiel Peak
views from Bogachiel Peak
views from Bogachiel Peak
views from Bogachiel Peak
pano from Bogachiel Peak
pano from Bogachiel Peak
After lunch, we were in a bit of a hurry trying to make it out of the trail before darkness fell so I did not get tooo many photos of the descent but, I did take this photo from the High Divide just after the BP trail junction...
heading back on the High Divide with the Hoh Lake trail iin the distance
heading back on the High Divide with the Hoh Lake trail iin the distance
Not far down the trail we ran into a couple of guys enjoying the day who mentioned that they saw a bear about a third of a mile down the trail. We were so hoping that we would be able to see said bear. Just before we were to enter a wooded section we were fortunate enough to see this bear who was about 15 ft. off the trail… What a treat !!!! It did put us behind about a half hour but it was deffinitely worth it... up.gif
Just above the potholes we ran into a couple of other guys heading to 7 Lakes Basin… They recognized us from our photos and although they were not nwhikers they were avid lurkers… it was nice to meet you. We made good time back down to Deer Lake, took a short break and then headed down the rest of the way back to the TH. We would have made it all the way out without needing any lights but the trail trashed my feet and ankles sooo bad that I once we reached Sol Duc falls, I was finished with rushing. One last evening photo of the falls…
saying good bye on our way out
saying good bye on our way out
Thank you Lisa and bobbi... biggrin.gif FUN: 100%

It's all about the fun, oh and maybe the chocolate - half fast
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Magellan
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PostSun Oct 16, 2011 3:27 pm 
Very nice! up.gif

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Ancient Ambler
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PostSun Oct 16, 2011 6:19 pm 
Very nice TR and photos, half fast. You guys really picked a great day to head up there. I'm glad to see the snow hasn't piled up too much so far and that the fall colors are still blazing away on the slopes.

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bobbi
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PostSun Oct 16, 2011 10:17 pm 
i love this hike......i usually do the loop as a day hike. it's been at least 3 years since i've done the loop. last time i was on the trail was with raz2sea in sept 2009. it was cold saturday morning....but when we finally got out of the woods and into the open, Lisa and i did our 'strip along the trail' and welcomed the warmth of the sun! the bear!
the rest of my photos
this was totally an awesome autumn hike! up.gif

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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Parked Out
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 6:07 am 
Great trail report & pictures! Glad your bear was in vegetarian mode that day. I made it to Dodger Basin on Friday with ambitions for points further, but turned around due to the snow. Saturday was such a beautiful day it was kind of a bummer to be coming out. You definitely picked a great day for Bogachiel Peak!
Dodger Basin 10-14-2011
Dodger Basin 10-14-2011

John
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Phil
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 7:32 am 
Wow look at all the snow. May be our last look at the high country for this year? waah.gif

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half fast
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 9:18 am 
Thanks for your comments... biggrin.gif We couldn't have had better weather for hiking... and... although the tread of this trail is I think the worst in the ONP... This trail does deliver in beauty... up.gif up.gif This is a great time to be getting up there !!

It's all about the fun, oh and maybe the chocolate - half fast
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half fast
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 9:20 am 
Thanks bobbi for sharing your photos... up.gif up.gif A great day to be up there and... seeing the bear that close was a huge bonus... biggrin.gif

It's all about the fun, oh and maybe the chocolate - half fast
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Tigerotor77W
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 10:46 am 
Nice! I was going to try this in 2009 but the fires made it impossible. Good to see what I missed -- I hadn't heard of the hike before and didn't get a chance to research it. Interesting that there are so many lurkers. I wish I had found this site before I left Seattle!

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bobbi
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 7:04 pm 
T77W.... are you staying abroad 'forever'? when you get back, you can always come hike this trail. it'll still be there tongue.gif btw: did you or are you still going to Zermatt?

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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onemoremile
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 8:14 pm 
Sounds like a great trip. Looks like that was a large bear from the photos.

“Arbolist? Look up the word. I don’t know, maybe I made it up. Anyway, it’s an arbo-tree-ist, somebody who knows about trees.” G.W. Bush
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half fast
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 9:00 pm 
That bear was a rather large boy for sure !! He was only 15 ish feet from the trail... we were of course up trail from him... but... you did not need very much zoom to fill the camera up !! Outside of a bear running across a trail in front of me one time... That was the closet encounter with a bear that I have ever had... up.gif up.gif We "had" to hang out for almost a half hour before he decided to move so we could go down the trail... It was awesome... biggrin.gif

It's all about the fun, oh and maybe the chocolate - half fast
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Kozaroza
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 9:00 pm 
half fast wrote:
To die for..

Don't be anxious that the universe might be beyond your control - perspective of new possibilities is thrilling!
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tuck and roll
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PostMon Oct 17, 2011 9:07 pm 
Love the color in all the pics. That was a very healthy bear!

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Barefoot Jake
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PostFri Oct 21, 2011 7:03 am 
bobbi wrote:
Looking into the eyes of this Bear makes me want to go to Church this Sunday. dizzy.gif I'm glad you guys didn't end up on the Menu like Shrimp at all you can eat night at Sizzler. Again, I like the Fall Colors with the Fresh Snow :-)

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