Elwha Lakebeds with
the Klahhane Hiking Club
I hiked with the Klahhane Hiking Club again, but instead of climbing up to a mountain pass we hiked down to dry lakebeds on the Elwha River. The reason the lakebeds are dry is because, here, in Olympic National Park, the largest dam removal project in the country is almost complete.....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Griff Creek with
the Klahhane Hiking Club
Griff Creek is a short trail but provides the hiker a wide variety of terrain and weather. It is a steep trail that gains around 3,000 feet of elevation in just three miles. The trailhead is located in back of the Elwha Ranger Station.....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Hiking Deer Ridge with
the Klahhane Club
The Klahhane Hiking Club is an Olympic Peninsula-based hiking club. The club hikes regularly all year long. I was invited to join the group for a hike, but I was a bit nervous as I don’t head into the forest much in the winter....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Olympic Discovery Trail
to the Sequim Bay Estuary
Walking along the Olympic Discovery Trail from the Holiday Inn Express, Sequim to the estuary at the head of Sequim Bay was a wonderful way to spend a sunny winter afternoon....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Fort Flagler State Park
Fort Flagler State Park is one of the most beautiful parks on the Olympic Peninsula. It would be a wonderful day trip if you are staying in Sequim...
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Elwha River and Goblins Gate
A good size group gathered in light rain for the trip to the Elwha. As the forecast had promised, the rain abated and patches of blue appeared as we drove west....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Deer Ridge
With no sign of rain we headed for Deer Ridge on Monday. In fact, there was promise of a bright sunny day ahead.....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Mt. Walker
Twas another one of those rare winter days after being house bound for a week, that a number of us were willing to take the risks associated with the outdoors......
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Hiking the Wildcat Trail
After being turned back on SR 16 because of road closure a small splinter group of the MG’s – 2 to be exact – decided to get out and shake off the accumulated cabin fever. ......
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Snowshoeing on Hurricane Ridge
“It’s not called Hurricane Ridge for nothing,” Olympic National Park Ranger and Naturalist Janice Burger said.
So I dressed appropriately and checked the road conditions, but there were no worries; the road was bare, the sun shining and the air brisk...
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
New Dungeness Lighthouse
I was disappointed that the day I chose to walk to the New Dungeness Lighthouse in Sequim was so gray, but in the end, that day ended up being a lucky choice. This was my second try at reaching the lighthouse
“This is your lucky day!” Marcia exclaimed. “You are about to see something that only happens once in a hundred and fifty years!”
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Late Autumn Walk on the Dungeness Spit
The Dungeness Spit is the longest natural spit in the United States. It’s a protected strip of sand, grass and driftwood that is part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. I was intent on visiting the New Dungeness Lighthouse on the tip of the Dungeness Spit, but last night a storm lashed the area and another was headed our way that afternoon.....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Goats Notes, Marmot Pass
After two successive weeks targeting Marmot Pass as the hike for the day and failing, we finally scored. Well, we almost scored. We had no trouble reaching the trailhead finding only short sections of well-tracked snow on the road. There were only a few inches of crusty old snow in the parking area and little or none as we started up the trail.....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Hiker Notes, Mount Walker
The Hikers set off for MT Walker at 8:30 with a little more sleep. Some hiked up the trail and others walked up the road. The trail was 2 miles and the road was 4 miles. The trail was quite a bit steeper......
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Goats Notes for Mt Zion
On this Monday Morning in late November, there were 12 goats gathering in the carpool parking area. It appeared to be the beginning of a wonderful day with the sun rising, few clouds, and a good forecast. However the cool weather of the prior week brought some concern regarding road conditions for Marmot pass trailhead.
Alternatives were discussed. Mt Zion was mentioned and soon quickly confirmed .....
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Hurricane Hill Hike
If you are looking for an easy hike into the high-country of the Olympics where you can impress friends or relatives with spectacular mountain scenery, this short and mostly paved trail to the summit of Hurricane Hill is a good choice;
especially since almost all your elevation gain is accomplished by your automobile engine driving you up the road to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center parking lot. Hurricane Hill trail is above tree line and sits directly above the Strait of Juan de Fuca....
Salmon Fishing on the Hoh River
The Hoh River is a magical. Not because the river runs through one of the few temperate rain forests in the United States, but instead the river is magical because this time of year so many salmon appear.
I was lucky to be fishing on the Hoh with my friend Tom. Our families have enjoyed the outdoors together over the years, from canoeing on the Missouri River to camping in the North Cascades. Tom is a fly fisherman who, like most of us busy trying to earn a living, doesn’t fish as much as he should. Pat Neal was our guide. I went steelhead fishing on the Bogachiel River with Pat this summer. Pat is a Peninsula native who’s had many careers including logger, guide and now writer. Many have enjoyed Pat’s witty books about his outdoor exploits.
Celebrate Elwha Dam Removal Ceremony
The warm weather held for the Elwha Dam removal ceremony here on the Olympic Peninsula. This was the culmination of a week of festivities that marked the beginning of the removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams, the largest dam removal and restoration project in our country.
Silver Lake
Near the very end of FS Road 2870 at the crossing of Silver Creek is the way trail to Silver Lake. The trail is not an easy one, and has long been the shortcut route to Silver Lake for Sequim folk. The long drive up the Dungeness will eventually be shortened by 1.5 miles as the last part of the road is planned for decommission.
The Brothers are Mothas’!
‘Twas a beautiful full moon August 24th day, and so why not head off to the Olympics and climb “The Brothers” — didn’t Pop always point out to them across Puget Sound and wish us to do this? (to my brothers: didn’t Pop & Burry try climbing them once and one of them hurt his knee and had to walk backwards the whole way down? ooo, ominous premonitions!)
Read the FULL STORY HERE... 
Writing Contest Update!
Adventure Writer’s Contest
The ExploreOlympics.com writing contest has been extended until June 1st, 2012. The winning story still wins $500 and an opportunity to write for www.ExploreOlympics.com but the extension will gives an opportunity to write about additional activities such as winter skiing at Hurricane ridge, storm watching on the coast, lowland valley winter hiking or spring 2012 activities.
For more information see the rules at www.ExploreOlympics.com. Good luck to all!
Join the Community Celebration at the Port Angeles City Pier to Celebrate Everything Elwha!
On Saturday September 17, 2011, people from around the world are gathering in Port Angeles to celebrate the beginning of the historic Elwha River dam removal.
Elwha Central at the Port Angeles City Pier will provide a central gathering and celebration space for the public with information on all of the programs involved in Celebrate Elwha, environmental exhibits, Olympic National Park rangers, Olympic National Park books and souvenirs, local artists whose work relates to Celebrate Elwha, food, music, and a simulcast broadcast of the Elwha River Dam Ceremony.
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Grand Pass Backpacking Adventure
Grand Pass in Olympic National Park is aptly named; the view of the headwall from the valley floor is a most grand and beautiful sight. Of course it helped that the weather was perfect, the wildflowers prolific and I was hiking with an old friend. We also enjoyed meeting a couple of unique Olympic National Park animals.
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Thirty-Hour Lake and Sea Mini-Vacation
We got lost in the fog. The path through the forest which began wide and straight, narrowed, branched into game trails and then just ended. We bushwhacked forward. Damp ferns soaked us and stinging nettles smarted on our exposed skin.
The fog was so thick that it condensed on the fir boughs and dripped down on us. We couldn’t see the beach below and so it wasn’t until we almost ran into an elderly couple strolling about that we found the gravel path back to our car.
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Celebrate Elwha!
Adventure Writer’s Contest
Wirta Hospitality Worldwide is sponsoring a Writer’s contest that will capture stories and photos of fun and excitement in the Elwha River Valley.
The contest is being judged by a distinguished panel of Olympic Peninsula authors; Aaron Elkins, Pat Neal and Glynda Peterson Schadd. All three authors are excited to be supporting Olympic Peninsula writers and writing.
Since much of the Elwha River is now closed due to construction, we have changed the rules to “the most original and entertaining account of a recent adventure in and around the Olympic National Park,” instead of just the Elwha River Valley.
But the goal of the contest is still the same - capture your fun and exciting adventures! The winner will receive five hundred dollars and an offer to post future stories on the adventure-based website www.ExploreOlympics.com. Our judges are looking forward to reading about your adventures! Pass it on!
For more information see the rules at www.ExploreOlympics.com. Good luck to all!
Mt. Townsend and Silver Lake Loop Backpacking Adventure
Sequim Washington receives lots of sunshine because the Olympic Mountains block moisture-laden clouds traveling inland off the Pacific Ocean, but it wasn’t until I hiked up and over the knife-edge summit of Mt. Townsend that I actually experienced a rain-shadow effect up-close and in action....
The 6,280 foot summit of Mt. Townsend was the high point along a ridge that ran north/south. On one side was sunshine and more mountains; on the other side, somewhere below us were the cool waters of Puget Sound, but that was only a guess because thick clouds and fog roiled right up to the edge of the ridge.
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Summer Steelhead Fishing on the Bogachiel River
Steelhead fishing isn’t easy especially for those of us who don’t fish much. If you manage to entice a cunning steelhead to strike, they’ll fight hard, throwing the hook or break your line.
Steelhead are large rainbow trout that return to rivers to spawn after living in the sea for a few years. Unlike Pacific salmon that die after spawning, steelhead can make the journey back to the river several times. Result - a strong fish adept to the ways of the world.
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Poor Man's Crabbing on Dungeness Bay
I arrived at Dungeness Bay in the morning during an ultra-low tide. The clouds clung to the beach and the primeval smell of rotting and decaying sea life was strong. Sure enough, Dave handed me a pitchfork (with guards to blunt the tips) and we walked out a mile from shore.
Dave’s theory of crab psychology goes like this; after the crabs mate some of the males, too spent to move (or they are smoking a cigarette), are left behind hiding in the knee-deep water and eel grass of a low tide. Sure enough, after about half an hour of walking about, we spotted the brownish-purple shell of a large Dungeness crab moving slowly across the sandy bottom.
Read the FULL STORY HERE...
Sea Kayaking on Freshwater Bay
I was a little nervous when I showed up for my first ever Kayaking trip. I imagined overturning in the waves of the Strait of Juan de Fucca. But Dave King, owner of Olympic Raft and Kayak, assured me that I didn’t need any experience. “Unlike river kayaks, a sea kayak is more stable and paddling is easy to learn,” Dave said.
Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE...
Mt. Townsend Summit Attempt
It was the first day of summer and I wanted to go on a hike. I was inspired by Gary Huff's description of his hike along the Mt. Townsend trail. Gary wrote, "The views are wide and dramatic, including the Puget Sound, downtown Seattle, Hood Canal and the Olympic mountains of the Buckhorn Wilderness. On a clear day you can see Baker, Rainer, Adams and Mt St Helens. There are lots of wildflowers and alpine meadows."
Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE...
Donation to Washington National Parks Fund for every guest staying at our Sequim hotels next week to coincide with Free Entrance Day at Olympic National Park on June 21st
To support the Olympic National Park we are donating $10 to the Washington National Parks Fund for every room booked at our Sequim hotels next week when our guest visits the park. Please see our FaceBook posts at either our Holiday Inn Express and Conference Center or our Quality Inn and Suites.
"Like" us and pass it on!
It’s rafting season on the Olympic Peninsula!
I arrived at Olympic Raft and Kayak with three of my best friends for a day of whitewater rafting on the Elwha River. My nerves concentrated with anxiety and excitement. As the weather of Western Washington so often disappoints, we donned wet suits, rain coats and water shoes to combat the cold and windy, yet beautifully sunny day. After being fitted for life jackets and taking pictures of our ridiculously insulated selves, we were given instructions on rafting etiquette and set off for the river.
Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE...
A premier NW event,
the NORTH OLYMPIC DISCOVERY MARATHON
Sunday, June 5th
The North Olympic Discovery Marathon and Half-Marathon are run on a unique point-to-point course that incorporates the Olympic Discovery Trail - with stunning views of the Olympic Mountains and a five mile finishing stretch along the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
MORE DETAILS HERE...
Watch Finish Line videos HERE...
Wirta Hospitality Worldwide joins PURE Travel Collaborative
New member Holiday Inn Express and Conference Center is located in sunny Sequim Washington. Relax on our green-roof veranda or host a gathering in our 2,600 sq. ft conference center, which is powered by 44 solar panels. We are adjacent to the Olympic National Park and the John Wayne Marina so there are plenty of outdoor activities available for you. Here’s how Wirta Hospitality Worldwide demonstrates a commitment to sustainable practices:
Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE...
NATURE ART SHOW RAISES $20,000 FOR WASHINGTON NATIONAL PARKS
April 18 – Washington’s National Park Fund’s "Art in the Parks" event March 18 in Seattle raised more than
$20,000 to benefit programs at Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks.
"I would like to thank all Washington’s National Park Fund supporters who attended the event for their tremendous generosity," said Eleanor Kittelson, Executive Director of Washington’s National Park Fund.
Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE...
SAILING ON
THE LADY WASHINGTON
I have always been fascinated by the Tall Ship Lady Washington. Our official State Ship, she provides education and entertainment as she sails up and down the West Coast. She regularly calls on Port Angeles and the John Wayne marina in Sequim. (She be in Port Angeles on Memorial Day Weekend this year) My family and I watched Seattle's Fourth of July fireworks aboard her. Millions of movie goers recognize her as the HMS Endeavor from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean".
Sailing on Lady Washington-Part One
NEW CRUISE ALLOWS TRAVELRS TO VISIT THE SAN JUANS AND THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA
(Sequim, WA) Having trouble deciding on where to visit in Washington State with your limited time or budget? Wirta Hospitality Worldwide has announced a unique cruise package that combines the Olympic Peninsula and the San Juan Islands.
The cruise package includes dinner, entertainment, breakfast and an overnight stay at the new Holiday Inn Express and Conference Center, Sequim, plus a day cruise to Friday Harbor out of nearby John Wayne Marina.
FULL PACKAGE DETAILS HERE!
The first cruise is scheduled for September 23rd / 24th 2011. PRESS RELEASE HERE
Washington’s National Parks Fund announces the 2011 Projects it is supporting at Olympic, Rainier and North Cascades National Parks
- Elwha River Restoration Education and Outreach
- Roosevelt Elk Spring Surveys
- Expand Monitoring of New Fisher Populations
- Engage Diverse Audiences in Elwha River Restoration
- Develop Elwha River Native Plant Species Manual
- Citizen Science: Olympic Marmot Monitoring Year 2
Your Contributions Create Success
FULL DETAILS HERE!
For all of you interested in Volunteer Vacations
For all of you interested in Volunteer Vacations here’s an update to my trip report on volunteer vacations
Camping, Hiking and Trail Maintenance in the Olympic Mountains
The Washington Trails Association just released their 2011 summer Volunteer Vacation listing.
Click here to see what’s available but hurry because many of the Olympic Peninsula vacations are already booked up.
BACKPACK FOR MARMOTS
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Summer 2010 saw the kick-off of the Olympic marmot monitoring program. Over 100 volunteers organized in 35 groups of volunteers traversed survey units in high-elevation meadows and rock-fields, looking for marmots and marmot burrows.
Although unusually heavy snow cover limited access to many areas in July and early August, volunteers successfully surveyed over 260 units and partially or visually surveyed another 42.. . FULL ARTICLE HERE.
- HOW TO VOLUNTEER -
BACKPACK FOR MARMOTS
Review 2010 details here...
- 2011 details coming SOON -
The "Incidental Explorer " Bret Wirta, hike difficulty rating
Contributing author Bret Wirta, offers hiking reports and rates their difficulty with a family oriented rating system. Bret has also included several videos recorded during those hikes . . FULL ARTICLE HERE.
43 Day hikes to peaks in the Olympics and hike difficulty rating
Author Gary Huff has contributed a full portfolio of day hikes to Olympic peaks. Each hike is ranked in difficulty and approximate time needed to complete the hike . . FULL ARTICLE HERE
Bogachiel Mt., High Divide, Seven Lakes Basin Loop by Gary Huff
This is the best day hike in the Olympics. It has everything: Lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls, peaks, alpine meadows, expansive views, wild flowers and wild animals.FULL ARTICLE
Goats Notes for Green Mountain Hike
I got up at 6:30 AM and went out to retrieve the morning paper. I noticed a few snowflakes, but there was nothing on the ground. I checked the latest weather forecast and it did not sound too bad, cold with a chance of a little snow and colder and windy in the afternoon.FULL ARTICLE
SEQUIM VOLUNTEER VACATION TRIP REPORT by Bret Wirta
My wife Trish and I, along with Tim and Stacy Kern, led ten teenagers from our church on a work weekend in Sequim, Washington. We volunteered with the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, repairing hiking trails in the Olympic Mountains. ....FULL ARTICLE
Goats Notes for Deer Park – Grand Ridge
Monday was a cold, bright morning. As we drove to the deer Park trailhead, it appeared that we would have abundant sunshine. The recently resurfaced dirt road to Deer Park was pothole free and smoothly graded, with new gravel in many places.....FULL ARTICLE
Hawk Peak by Gary Huff
Overview:One of my favorite hikes leads you up Silver Creek to beautiful, alpine Silver Lake, a mecca for hiking up peaks. There are six peaks surrounding Silver Lake which can be hiked. The highest of these is Hawk peak at 6,550 feet....FULL ARTICLE
Mt. Ellinor Hike
Hi Hikers,
I was expecting an “Indian Summer” hike up this short trail to visit my friends, the very wooly mountain goats. However, they seem to listen to a different weatherman than do I. They were hunkered down out of sight.....FULL ARTICLE
Select from latest Adventure videos!
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Welcome to the Olympic Peninsula
a magical mix of sea, mountains, farmland, forest and sky, where you can stroll along the Olympic Discovery trail under sunny Sequim skies or explore the moss and mist of the Hoh Rain forest, where you can hike the backcountry to the glaciers of Mt. Olympus, or walk to a lighthouse at the end of sandy Dungeness Spit. No matter what time of year let us share our outdoor experiences with you.
Gary Huff will show you how to day-hike to dozens of Olympic Mountain peaks, the intrepid Goat Notes group will energize you with their year-round adventures and me, The Incidental Explorer, will help with suggestions to get you out of the house and onto the trails.
Safety Notice
ExploreOlympics.com, it's personnel, and all authors of exploreolympics.com articles accept no liability for accidents or injuries in connection with articles, trail or road reports published in exploreolympics.com.
ExploreOlympic.com articles provide general information of interest to hikers and would be hikers; readers are cautioned to supplement the articles with other sources of information when planning a hiking trip.Additionally, readers should be aware that reported conditions may change, that there may be errors in the articles, and that certain hazards are inherent in backcountry travel.
Sequim Holiday Inn Express
Our Holiday Inn Express hotel is designed to give the guest more value than what they are expecting from the typical, limited-services hotel experience.
We are the gateway to the Olympic National Park, a World Heritage Site.
Sequim Quality Inn & Suites
Located in the sun-belt of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley, the Quality Inn & Suites® hotel is only a short drive from tranquil Lake Crescent and the inspiring views of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.