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lanzscape Member
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 89 | TRs | Pics Location: youngstown, ohio |
Enchanted Valley Chalet La Crosse basin waterfall Lake La Crosse smokey sunrise Mt. Steel through clouds Mossy maple and Quinalt River Seagulls on Third Beach Trail to Third Beach
As is usual for me, this report falls into the (hopefully) "better late than never" category of trip reports. It's about a backpacking trip made by three "veteran" (i.e., over 60) flatlanders from Ohio. The plan was for 6 days in Glacier Peak Wilderness, the same trip we wanted to do in 2016 but had to change at the last minute due the Buck Creek fire. Once again, at last minute we changed our plan again due to fires and smoke adjacent to and in GPW, this time deciding to do the ONP-Lake LaCrosse loop (sort of) as Plan B.
Travel day (8/8) - fly to Seattle; rent car; stop at REI for stove fuel; drive to motel in Tumwater.
Day one (8/9) - drive to Quinalt River Ranger station; get permits; hike to Pyrites Creek camp, which is about 9 miles. Very nice camping area, and we had the entire area to ourselves, except for a group we later saw camped on a gravel bar by the river. We learned on the way out that our solitude at Pyrites this night may have been unusual.
Start
Day two (8/10). Continue on Quinalt River trail to and through a smokey Enchanted Valley, then up to Anderson Pass, and then over to Camp Siberia, where we spent night two on the trail. Saw a few others on the trail and at the Pass. In the late afternoon, we day-hiked back to the Pass and then took up the way trail to the Mt. Anderson glacier viewpoint. Saw a bear near Anderson Pass.
posing in front of fallen tree Quinalt River Trail Entering Enchanted Valley Enchanted Valley Chalet (ONP) Anderson Pass Anderson Pass Black Bear near Anderson Pass Mt. Anderson from way trail Mt. Duckabush (?) from way trail Mt. Steel (?) from way trail
Day 3 (8/11) - Backtracked over and down from Anderson Pass to the O'Neil Pass trail cut-off. By the time we started up the O'Neil Pass trail, the temperature had dropped considerably, and it was raining. It rained all the way to Marmot Lake, where we set up camp in the rain and fog. The rain made it a very early evening for bed (and reading in my tent). The only other people we saw the entire day after getting on the O'Neil Pass trail was a group of three day hikers who were intending to hike from Enchanted Valley to Anderson Pass but got on the wrong trail.
Day 4 (8/12) - Foggy but no rain. Per the plan, we spent this day just day hiking to Hart Lake and Lake La Crosse. Truly a beautiful area, and I had extra time to photograph the wildflowers in the fog. I was hoping it would clear at sunset, but no such luck. We saw no other people the entire day up in the La Crosse basin area. Another group did camp that night at Marmot Lake, however.
Foggy Marmot Lakes camp (morning day three) Drying out Looking down at Marmot Lakes from trail to Hart Lake La Crosse basin La Crosse plateau wildflowers La Crosse plateau La Crosse plateau wildflowers La Crosse basin waterfall wildflowers and fog near Lake La Crosse wildflowers and fog near Lake La Crosse wildflowers and fog near Lake LaCrosse wildflowers and fog in LaCrosse basin wildflowers and fog in La Crosse basin Lake La Crosse Wildflowers (ONP) Looking Across Lake La Crosse (ONP) wildflowers in fog near Lake La Crosse Lake La Crosse Mt. Steel reflected in tarn Lake La Crosse obscured reflection
Day 5 (8/13). The fog lifted during the night, and the morning turned sunny. However, it was quite smokey to the east due to the Maple fire in the Southeast Olympics. Still, the smoke defused and colored the light, making for nice sunrise photos right from Marmot camp. After breakfast, we packed up and backtracked up to O'Neil Pass, and then back over the O'Neil Pass trail back to the jct. with the Anderson Pass trail. We then headed back down through (still smokey) Enchanted Valley. We made it back to Pyrites Creek camp, only to find many more people camped there than on the way in. In fact, every site or potential site was occupied, so we ended up going down and camping on the same gravel bar where we had seen the group on our way in.
An Olympic Sunrise smokey sunrise smokey sunrise sunny morning day 4 at Marmot lakes Smokey Duckabush River valley Obligatory pose at gorgeous O'Neil Pass
Day 6 (8/14) - Pyrites Creek camp to the car.
Fire Creek footbridge Mossy maple and Quinalt River Quinalt River Quinalt River
We still had a day left, so we drove up to Forks, rented a bear vault at Ace True Value, then hiked to Third Beach for the night.
Day 7 (8/15) Just took it easy at Third Beach. It was very foggy (see photos). Then we hiked out in the fog, and then drove over to Rialto Beach just to see it as well.
Seagulls on Third Beach Seagulls Hikers in fog on Third Beach Driftwood Logs and fog more posing more gulls Third Beach and waterfall tide pool life starfish a bit wet relaxing leaving Third Beach On the trail from Third Beach Third Beach trail and trees foggy forest trail Rialto Beach Rialto Beach Rialto Beach
After leaving Rialto beach, we drove back to Forks, found some much needed public showers, and then drove to Seattle to catch our red-eye flight back to Ohio.
All in all, it was a great trip, especially for a last minute "Plan B." The main Enchanted Valley - Anderson Pass - Lake LaCrosse backpack was about 60 miles total, which included day hiking on day four. Although I have been to the Olympics before, my brother and friend had not, and the Olympic peninsula is truly a remarkable place with incredible diversity. I highly recommend camping at Marmot Lake and day hiking to Lake La Crosse.
Thank you for reading this report and viewing the photos.
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awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1323 | TRs | Pics
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Ski ><((((°>
Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 12798 | TRs | Pics Location: tacoma |
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Ski
><((((°>
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Sat Oct 27, 2018 5:20 pm
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cool.
sorry about the smoke. it wasn't our fault.
"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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HumpnoocheeGirl Member
Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 335 | TRs | Pics Location: Grays Harbor |
I believe your photo “Mt Duckabush from way trail” is LaCrosse. And “Mt Steel from way trail” is White Mountain. I could be wrong
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lanzscape Member
Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 89 | TRs | Pics Location: youngstown, ohio |
Awisondc, thank you for you very kind comments. Much appreciated.
Ski, I don't know. Some NWH's want to keep Washington's amazing scenery all to themselves, and this is the second time fires have almost caused us to cancel our trip! Just sayin.
HumpnoocheeGirl, I believe you are correct. Thank you.
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gb Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 6303 | TRs | Pics
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gb
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Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:26 am
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Lot's of nice images; you have a good eye for composition. I especially liked the wildflower in fog images from Lake LaCrosse. I'm glad you were able to "bend with the flow" and have a very nice trip in what was in latter July and August trying conditions from a smoke standpoint.
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RAW-dad Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2017 Posts: 119 | TRs | Pics Location: Oregon |
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RAW-dad
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Sun Oct 28, 2018 8:41 am
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Nice TR and pics!
I was in the Anderson region just 3 weeks before you.
Anderson_cirque
It's amazing to see how quickly the snow disappears. Wonder what it looked like October 1.
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bobbi stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics Location: olympics! |
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish
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Thu Nov 08, 2018 8:16 pm
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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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