[lookout bob]

Just returned from 6 lovely days in the Olys....Susie and Ray and I overnihgted at Deer Park and enjoyed cold but beautiful skies, a fire, wine and good companionship. Then, Susie drove me to WIC where I picked up pass, and ( they made me do it...) a bear can. Drove to Sol Duc where Susie walked in to Sol Duc Falls with me before beating feet to catch the ferry. I shouldered my heavy pack and lumbered up to Deer Lake in the freshening rain. Found a dry campsite (!!!!!) under 2 leaning trees and set up and relaxed. Heavy fog but lots of deer and flowers. Day 2...took off early and cruised up to the 7 lakes trail junction, stopping mid way to check out the potholes and along the ridge to admire a large herd of elk below in the Bogachiel headwaters. Then dropped down into 7 lakes. Saw a couple of bear on the steep green meadows and admired the awesome trail work( the ranger later told me this is 10 years worth of work and is called the Grand Staircase...) and the lakes below. Camped at Lunch lake with a view out over the Sol Duc valley and across to Appleton Pass area. Cruised around the area dropping to Clear Lake and Round Lake. All sites are snow free and until evening, I was the only one there. 2 parties came in late but stayed unobtrusive so it seemed like I was the only one there.( a rare state of events I heard later) Day 3...clear weather...hiked back out and up to High Divide. Cruised up Bogachiel Peak( no sign of the old lookout except a few pieces of broken glass...I suspect the ONP guys have cleaned it up..) Hiked to Silver Snag campsite( the only one ON the High Divide...thanks to you folks who advised me to stay here....Heart Lake was full of other campers but I had solitude and peace and quiet....) Fantastic views of Mt Olympus, Mt Carrie and the upper Hoh....clouds filling the valley lovely to watch...flowers everywhere...black tail deer wandering about eating the heads off the Glacier Lilies but not seeming to put a dent in the population....great place. Day 4....blowing rain mixed with snow....I hang out until a break and then quickly pack up and head for Heart Lake. I keep going and drop over into the Elwha drainage and into Cat Basin. I'm supposed to stay here tonight as I thought I'd try the Cat Primitive trail to Appleton. I go to the horse camp there but can't find hide nor hair of the primitve trail. I did promise Susie I'd be careful so hiked all the way back out, over to Heart and then all the way down into the Sol Duc to a group camp near the Appleton Pass Junction. Huge trees provided company briefly before I crashed exhaustedly from my 9 mile day with a little gain and huge loss of elevation. Day 5....packed up camp early and headed up up and up to Appleton. Although it's only 2.5 miles to the pass, it's 2000 ft gain and I'm an old fart who doesn't do this often enough to have good endurance. Nonetheless, made it up and again, I was the only one there till evening. Set up camp right next to Oyster Lake with a great view of Appleton out the tent. Climbed to the small point east of Oyster and tood panorama photos of this great area....you can easily see the whole 7 llakes area across the valley and Olympus stands above the High Divide ridge....neat place. I walked out on the Cat Primitive trail ( easy to find from this end....) and enjoyed the ridge walk although I was tired and didn't go more than a mile or so. Just enjoyed Appleton Pass area alot....a great place worthy of a long hike to get here. The only spoiler was lots of TP strewn about in the woods below the ridge which I dutifully cleaned up as my small service project in the area. Whoever you are....you suck... Day 6 crystal clear and I don't want to leave...run up to the viewpoint one more time and then come down and hike down down down into the Boulder Creek...lovely wet meadows full of shooting star and valerian give way to deep woods. Susie met me about 3 miles in and we enjoyed walking out together....bypassed the murky hot spring and enjoyed chocolate cake and cold milk which my wonderful life partner thoughtfully brought for me. On the drive out, a huge doug fir had falled across the road and we got a free show from ONP duty crew while they cleared the way. A grand 6 days...a lovely hike....a great return.....I guess that's the pay back for carrying the silly bear can.....

[Quark]

Good to hear back from ya, LO Robert. Sounds like you had a great trip; reflective of the old days (pre-foot problems). Not bad for an old dude. Went off without a hitch, too! You must be hiding sumpin'. Your trips always have some sort of wierd element to them. Didja take photos?