I’ve broken the 200 mile mark! (Explanation here ) But that’s not the only thing that made this trip a lucky one. Many have called the High Divide/Seven Lakes Basin the “crown jewel” of the Olympics, so luck is certainly needed to get a backpacking permit anywhere along it’s 19 mile loop – especially on …
Who doesn’t like an add on? Even though the “Grand Loop” (a couple stories before this one–I’m a little behind on this post) was a full plate of 13 thousand feet elevation gain in 43 miles, I still felt I needed another helping. I suppose I had “buffet syndrome”– shoving in as much as possible …
I try to reserve my spiritual thoughts for my other blog, but sometimes I can’t restrain myself. Though I do love the freedom to just write whatever it is that I feel like writing. Anyway, “love is patient” is something that has been swimming in my head a lot lately. If you grew …
I keep saying “this is going on my top 10!” after some of the amazing hikes I’ve gotten the opportunity to do this year. And it got me thinking…what would be my actual top ten list? So for fun, I really tried to come up one, even though it’s pretty much impossible. Keep in mind, …
Jed was a hoot. I spoke with him, I believe, three times. I had to keep calling back the Olympic Park Permit Office to change my reservations, because nothing seemed to be working out. (You are supposed to make these online…which I did…badly. So I needed help. But be warned, getting someone on the line …
What do you do when you don’t get the permit you so painstakingly planned to obtain? In my determined quest to secure a spot at the most popular camp on the Wonderland, I committed and invested by: Taking a day off work. Paying for a campsite close to the ranger station so I could get …
Permit #4 is in the books. Since I’ve got my special “local pass,” I’ve done Bogachiel, Oil City to Third Beach, Enchanted Valley, and now Royal Basin – all in the Olympic National Park. Plus I have four more classic trips booked before the end of the season. (All for $45! Getting my money’s worth!) …
Bliss is a word that came up when I searched for an antonym for suffering. Suffering is what a write about most often when I tell my hiking stories, because suffering is what adds interest. But there is “suffering” (too many mosquito bites and such) and there is SUFFERING (losing a child, cancer, etc.) and …
I have discovered the BEST backpacking treat ever, and I wish I could patent and market it somehow, because who doesn’t want to eat a SMELLYEO, ha ha! Okay, maybe the name is not so appetizing – but it’s funny, which is even better. When you add Smore+Kelly+Oreo, you get a Smellyeo, and trust me, …
Did you notice my title rhymes? Ha ha, I had to make sure. I love a clever title when I can come up with one. Anyway, yes, my birthday. I’ve celebrated on the trail for my 45th, 47th, and 50th. Apparently I think suffering is a great gift. And this trip was no different – …