[bobbi]

last time i was at camp handy-cap i was doing this... i was a bit worried if maybe the area may bring back memories of upchucking....i held my ground and held in my breakfast! btw: i am being forced to write this trip report! Ancient Ambler and omg lurker, Debbie, joined the omg for this beautiful hike along the upper Dungeness River. this will be my first hike with AA. i thought i better behave myself and omit usage of colorful words like @#$% but that lasted a nano second

doing the hokey pokey badly

dungeness river

the chatter of the dungeness river at times seemed deafening and in about 1 mile, we reach the bridge that crosses royal creek. the rhodies are still a ways before blooming. the trail is in great shape although there was a section where water was 'flowing' like a very small stream. soon we will reach another bridge over the dungeness river.

rhodies along the trail

water on trail

debbie crossing the dungeness river

dungeness river

bobbi's dungy boulder

after about 3ish miles, we reach the side trail towards camp handy. the shelter was surrounded by maybe a scout group. i'm sure it would be a noisy place later. we took another way trail that one can access to head towards goat lake but we only went as far as where a log bridge crossed the dungeness. it was lunch time

side trail

envasion of camp handy

dungeness river

zoom in of a peak

this next photo is where i started experiencing my vertigo the last time i was at camp handy. that log was closer to the rocky side then. it was also the same log that i managed to hang on to as the world twirled and twirled around me while waiting for someone to come save my sorry body. not fun

vertigo site

the adventure highlight (well for me anyway) should you choose to believe it, had to be the creek crossings. there were several along the trail and i am using my height as a huge handicap! Ancient Ambler and nwhiker lurker, Neil, cross the creeks effortlessly. unsure who was worse in creek crossing, debbie or me. i vote debbie! part of our problem is the idea of getting our shoes wet. for pity sake, we are wearing waterproof boots thanks all for helping at the creek crossings! team work

after lunch, we headed towards heather creek. in about .3 miles from camp handy, take a 'way trail' on the right for another 1.7 miles, i think. if you stay left, you'll head towards marmot pass/boulder shelter. anyway, what a cool trail. several 'natural meadows'. at this meadow AA notices someone he knew so we head on over and they chitchatted for a bit.

then i headed off on a path that led to nowhere well, AA found what looked like an old trail and we managed with the 'help' from my gps, to connect to the main trail. the side trip led us to yet another sweet meadow that hunters use as their camp. along the trail and across the way, is a big avalanche chute. we spotted some deer just enjoying themselves.

avalanche chute

deer deer deer

beautiful! we crossed the bridge, had a snack, and relaxed for a bit. there were some patches of snow off trail here.

bridge

bridge

snow patch

time to say goodbye to heather creek and head back to reality then weirdness happened at another 'meadow'. first debbie started taking a piece of clothing off, followed by nwhiker lurker, Lisa! i was stunned beyond words. i managed to get my camera out in time to take this photo of nwhiker, N, twirling and twirling around the meadow and .........well, time for you to use your imagination

let me know if you experience this should you decide to hike this trail. still stunned, the group decided to name the meadow, strip meadow! we made a bee line to the trailhead. see the trees in this photo? that's where the main trail leads towards heather creek. this photo was taken on our way out after strip meadow!

we finally made it back to the junction and decided to take a photo of us being normal after the weirdness at strip meadow. this may be our last hike with Ancient Ambler who was a witness to you know what

we are normal

nwhikerlurkerN, AA, and i quickly headed out..well, mostly for AA's sake because he had a dinner date with his wife and friends and time was ticking. when we got to the bridge across Royal Creek, AA said goodbye and continued alone while N and i waited for the others. maybe he just wanted to get away from you know ......

heading back across the dungeness

that's it! thanks all.....i do hope AA will join the omg for another hike

[Hiker Mama]

Glad this trip went better for you than the last one, Bobbi! It looks beautiful!

[onemoremile]

Looks and sounds like it was a great time. Lots of bears down in that area right now, surprised you didn't see any.

[half fast]

We all were quite happy bobbi did not have a repeat experience off her last time at Camp Handy... (Great job on the TR bobbi, even though you were forced to write it... ) I had not been to Camp Handy and beyond to Heather Creek... What at beautiful hike... ...lots of forest walking and very little elevation. Car to car was 11.9 miles... a nice stretch of the legs !! The highlights were the creek crossings, the meadows, the wonderful river sounds almost the entire way... and... most important, the great company... My photo contributions for the day:

at the TH... ok... there might be a couple of hams in our group... Lisa, Debbie, bobbi, half fast, Neil and Ancient Ambler

Off we go...

wonderful forest walk with Royal Creek serenading along the way...

Royal Creek bridge... take a left to head to Camp Handy

Dungeness River bridge...

beautiful meadow and ridge

avalanche chute and one of the several meadows we came too

heading to Heather Creek

Our turn around point...

new bridge at Heather Creek... thank you RodF and gang !!

And a final good bye for the day...

saying goodbye to Royal Creek

What a great day !! Always fun to hike with the whole gang and great to hike with Ancient Ambler and Debbie again too !! Thank you everyone for another great adventure in the Olys... FUN: 100%

[Ancient Ambler]

I was very happy to receive an invite from half fast to participate in another hike in the Olympic Mountains with him and an undetermined number of fellow Olympic Mountain Gang members. I had the slight problem of already having a dinner commitment for 6PM that day but figured I could peel out early if need be, race down the trail and make it home in time. The trip to the TH featured threatening, gray sky and dense fog all the way up to the TH parking lot. Big bonus: Olympic National Forest has graded the road all the way and has also removed the rock slide that up until this week presented a challenge to some passenger cars. Now you can fire up your butt-dragging low-rider pickup and race up to the Dungeness TH. Upon reaching the TH, the sun began to appear. Only a few cars at the massive TH parking lot. Nobody camped at the riverside campsites either.

TH parking lot

Dungeness River at bridge by TH

Dungeness at TH bridge

empty camp sites near TH

The Olympic Mountain Gang arrived bright and early around 10:30 and we were soon underway up the trail. I was waiting expectantly for the unending stream of profanities for which Bobbi is notorious, but while she was irrepressibly exuberant, nary an off-color word did I hear. What's up with this, I'm wondering? We might as well be in church, for all the off-color language I was hearing. We took a break and stood chatting on the log bridge across Royal Creek, and the truth began to emerge. Bobbi was fighting a valiant fight to keep the cuss words down, but she just could not repress a vulgar gesture, or was it a Gang hand-signal?, while chatting with Lurker Neil. I'd like to say the rest of the trip up to Heather Creek would put the cussing achievements of a gang of drunken sailors to shame, but no, Bobbi continued to restrain herself. I was sad to learn upon reading her excellent TR above that she was trying to tone it down for me. Where's the fun in that? We had a great trip up the Dungeness and Heather Creek, treated to off and on blue sky, but thankfully no rain at all.

Royal Creek from log bridge

sun-dappled forest trail

hikers on Dungeness trail

Dungeness from bridge below Camp Handy

Happy hikers on Dungeness foot bridge

Bobbi's successful creek crossing

Camp Handy

Heather Creek meadow 1

Heather Creek meadow 2

Heather Creek meadow 3

Heather Creek meadow 4

More Heather Creek meadows

Wildlife watchers

bridge across Heather Creek

hikers crossing Heather Creek bridge

Farewell, Heather Creek!

Had a great time with the Olympic Mountain Gang, especially in Strip Meadow. Gotta be heading back up that way again before too long. Only regret was leaving the group early to race down the final mile in 15 minutes in a vain attempt to get home on time. A major accident on 101 by Fat Smitty's and a Hood Canal Bridge opeing backup made sure I was signficantly late. A small price to pay for another great day in the Olympics with the fantastic Olympic Mountain Gang.

[kite]

I just think I might have to go visit camp handy with all the fun it looks your having it must be a cool hike....

[FungiFan]

Last year vertigo. This year stripping. Must be something going on up in that valley . Is it the water? The air? Thanks for the TR. FF

[Phil]

Wow, extraordinary meadows.... never knew those were there!

[furthur]

What exactly are you all carrying in your water bottles? Is your morning meet-up site a bar by any chance? The twirlies, confused orientation, and the urge to disrobe are more commonly observed at last call. I'm beginning to suspect one component of the 100% fun formula. Whatever...keep it up!

[sarbar]

Did you ever find out what caused the vertigo? I rarely (thank god) have vertigo migraines - it took 2 MRI's and a Neurologist to tell me that I wasn't dying....... Glad you had an awesome trip this time...you freaks

[half fast]

[bobbi]

thanks half fast and AA for your TR contributions. gees, are we really going to keep the 'strip meadow story' mum? what happens in the strip meadow, stays in the strip meadow! AA..... i promise to be 'louder' instead of the 'omg sign' fun=chocolate=omg!

[bobbi]