[turnpikegates]

I spent last week on a (mostly) solo trek through the Bailey Range in ONP. Epic weather, six days of sunshine in some of the rainiest spots on the continent. Pictures can be seen at: http://picasaweb.google.com/turnpikegates/BaileyRange2008# I have notes from each day of the trip but I'm hesitant to write a full report of my travels until I've had a few days to let the glory of it all sink in. I did the traverse in six days from the Sol Duc TH to the North Fork Quinault TH. I spent 2 days hiking with a couple I met along the route and had a wonderful time. There was one other group that I was aware of on the route, bringing the human total to six. Compared to the 13 bear I saw during my travels, there was a 2:1 ratio of ursine to humans. There was a mountain goat guarding the Catwalk when I crossed but I was to busy scrambling to find my camera. The gullies along the west side of Mt. Carrie were certainly the most daunting aspect of the trip, though there is plenty of room along the way for even the most experienced of backcountry travelers to get themselves in a pinch. I stayed at Heart Lake the first night,Eleven Bull Basin for the second, though there was some speculation about whether it really was Eleven Bull Basin. Third night in Upper Ferry, fourth at Lone Tree Pass, and finally, a night at Low Divide before heading out the North Fork. The route conditions were excellent. Didn't have to contend with snow until south of Lone Tree Pass, but that is to be expected. I used Crampons and an Ice Axe for most of the snow crossings (didn't carry all that weight for nothing...) There were huge blowdowns throughout the Elwha Basin and the snowfinger looked a lot like a clearcut. There were no problems with the snowfinger itself and I ended up taking my crampons off only because they were getting branches stuck in them. The North Fork Quinault trail is a sight to behold. Massive gashes in the earth where small streams once flowed... It will be a different place for decades to come. Brian

[puzzlr]

Great pictures and welcome to the site (as a non-lurker, anyway). Your pictures leave off in the middle of the Olympics, just E of Mt Olympus. Where did you exit?

[turnpikegates]

I left the Bailey Range by descending the Elwha snowfinger and then went over Low Divide to exit via the North Fork Quinault trail. My camera battery died as I was coming into the Elwha Basin. I'm hoping that the wonderful trail friends I made will share some of their pictures of the last leg of the trip and I can include them in my collection for others to enjoy! Thanks for the welcome, I've been lurking a longtime and felt the time was right to share my trip with this community. Brian

[Schmidt Alti-Dude]

[Hiker Mama]

Fabulous! And welcome. I can just imagine how amazing your trip was.

[turnpikegates]

We stayed at the smaller basin with the mud hole. There was a spring located just downhill from where we made camp that the other couple knew about from a previous trip. You couldn't hear it but if you followed the land towards the obvious watercourse path, there was plenty of the cold stuff to be had. When we were discussing Eleven Bull Basin, I mentioned the "enduring streams". The couple I was hiking with were sure that "their" basin was Eleven Bull Basin and the larger area a bit north was something else entirely. Either way, there was water to be had and the views were gorgeous.

[Quark]

ferry basin looks

[peltoms]

That was the best photo display of a bailey range traverse that I have seen. I did not remember it that beautiful even in my mind eye. I look forward to more details when you are done savoring the initial memory.

[Don]

Excellent trip! I last did this traverse in '06, combining it with the Skyline High Route. What an amazing experience. Upper Ferry Basin was my favorite by far. As for 11 Bull Basin, I've always understood it to be the last basin before the descent to Cream Lake/ascent to Stephen Peak. In reviewing my maps and literature, I can't find anything to support this other than mileage (5 miles from the catwalk). I guess the debate lives on...

[Schmidt Alti-Dude]

We used Don's TR as beta for our trip one month later. That's the report I referenced stating that 11 Bull Basin is the one just before the traverse above Cream Lake. The waterfall basin isn't 5 miles from the catwalk so the dry (with a spring we didn't know about) basin must be it. We nicknamed the other one 23 Goat Basin after Don's incident.

[Phil]

Fantastic! I love the map that tags photo locations. How were the bugs?

[Hulksmash]

Wow!

[Backpacker Joe]

I was up there yesterday. ALL THE SKEETERS IN WASHINGTON STATE ARE HOLDING A CONVENTION IN THE OLYMPICS!

[Don]

[Backpacker Joe]