Aurora Ridge Trail runs 16 miles along Aurora Ridge, which borders the south side of Lake Crescent, in the northwest of Olympic National Park. Its Aurora Ridge Trailhead is on the Sol Duc Hot Springs Road. The trail climbs the west end of the ridge gradually, eventually gaining 3,000 feet, before ending in the east – still in high country – at the intersection with Aurora Divide Trail.
Olympic Nat’l Park
Aurora Ridge, Olympic Nat’l Park
Happy Lake Ridge
Elwha Basin river crossing alternative stream-crossings are an underrated hazard
Elwha Basin
Elwha Basin river crossing alternative describes a good way to avoid the standard crossing of the Elwha River, near its headwater, usually as part of using the Elwha Snow Finger route between the high-country and the lowlands (and the official trail system). The Elwha, though small here, is steeper than it looks: the normal crossing-point is impossible in any kind of high water; it is frequently dangerous, and usually difficult. There is a ready and favorable alternative, using the lower toe of Mount Seattle, which in the map-crop is the prominent ridge between the main river and Elwha Basin Way Trail, and the southern part of the Basin. … cont’d >
Elwha Snow Finger, Olympic Nat’l Park
Elwha Snow Finger is an important and rather unusual route-feature that greatly facilitates traveling between the Olympic Mountains core high-country terrain, and the adjoining lowlands (and official trail system). It is a 2 mile long linear canyon, with a narrow perennial snowfield filling the bottom. It is very easy to walk on.
At the far south end of the standard Traverse, the standard take-out is via . Many people over many decades have strolled down the narrow, linear, snow-packed gorge. But the creek-sized Elwha River has a large cavern underneath, and at the opening a gentle blast of chill air blows out … all of it was warm summer air drawn in and passing its calories to the perennial snow-mass. Reports of accidents on the Snow Finger are not common, but it doesn’t take an in-depth study of this exceptionally handy little snow-highway, to get the uncomfortable feeling that maybe we’ve been lucky.
To not use the Snow Finger would mean added work & time, but it need not be a lot, nor unrewarding in itself. There are two categories of options, one to stay low & close, and the other to hold high and away from the Elwha-channel. Staying low, one must not get too far down-slope, without getting back from extremely rough conditions along the stream-channel. Staying high is attractive, but eventually requires losing elevation faster. Concern with rotten snow is less near the top, beginning at Dodwell-Rixon Pass, and becomes greater further downstream.
A meaningful upside to abandoning the Snow Finger, will be cutting out the crossings of the small but very steep Elwha River. Although shallow, the water is fast and can be shockingly powerful. This seeming-piddling stream can be the diciest part of the whole Traverse, and not-using the Snow Finger can eliminate it. Again, the caveat is chutes and rough-spots on the lower and mid slopes of the ridge between Mount Barnes and Mount Wilder, the ridge that is the feasible ground. It looks good at the high elevations, but will require route-picking to avoid issues down-slope. These lower slopes are on good display from the Elwha Basin, and along the path that arches up through it & back down to the base of the Snow Finger (which is the standard way to avoid the cliffs & chasms adjoining the Elwha erosion-channel). The Basin gains considerable elevation, beyond & above the path, with few obstructions of the view of the Barnes-Wilder face across the river.
This Barnes-Wilder Ridge was ascended from the far Goldie River side in 1889-90, by the Press Expedition, and they then descended the Elwha-side of it to a point near where we would today, to rejoin the Elwha River Trail. The Press group was doing the same thing that one would, staying on the high ground above the Snow Finger.
Bailey Range Traverse, Olympic Nat’l Park a sensible but significant off-trail adventure in Olympic Park
Mt Carrie and Mt Fairchild from Mt Fitzhenry
Bailey Range Traverse is an unofficial, informal hiking-route over about 15 miles of the interior, core Bailey Range ridge-massif of the Olympic Mountains, within the Olympic National Park. Much of it has an easily-followed path, but there are sections that become unclear and uncertain, and thus can be especially memorable. Perennial – and varying – snow patches, fields and glacier-remnants exist in the south, upper, far-interior section. Hazards are generally mild, but it is rough terrain, and isolated. Weather is a large factor, especially on longer outings. Actual travel distance is at least half again the air-miles, and some parts can be slow or ‘tedious’. The full tour including approach & exit usually takes a week; hot-doggers post quicker transits, and the luckier folks take longer. The core portion alone is a good 3-day project. … cont’d >
Bailey Range, Olympic Nat’l Park geology of tectonics & subduction on exhibit in Olympic Mountains
eastern Bailey Range, outer Mt Carrie
Bailey Range is a major ridge and spine of the core Olympic Mountains, technically beginning from Mount Olympus itself, spiralling north and northwest through the northwest quadrant of Olympic National Park, then tapering & bifurcating beyond into civilian and timberland parts of the Olympic Peninsula. Official trails end at – ‘dare not to enter’ – the main interior Baileys, and (thus) hiking the core Bailey Range Traverse along informal routes is a prize feather in the backpacker’s hat … and its reputation is well-earned. … cont’d >
La Push, Olympic Peninsula, USA
Olympic National Park, NW USA
Olympic National Park is mainly the inner Olympic Mountains of the Olympic Peninsula, a far northwest promontory of Washington State, at the far northwest corner of the United States. The old-fashioned US Highway 101 enters the Peninsula at its base, and circumnavigates the Park, mostly staying outside it. ‘The Loop’ is a big part of the popularity of Olympic, and a big defining element of its character and the Peninsula that hosts it. Although it can be driven in one long day, the Loop-tour around the Peninsula is a quick weekend-sized outing. … cont’d >
Cat Creek, Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park Elwha river tributary, Olympic Park
Cat Creek delta and lower canyon, from Upper Lake Mills Trail
Cat Creek is a left-bank, western tributary of the middle Elwha River, a drainage of the Bailey Range of the Olympic Mountains in the Olympic National Park. There are no trails (or roads) into this watershed. Partial views into Cat-terrain can be had from the subalpine Hurricane Ridge Recreation Area. Good glimpses of the lower & middle reaches of its cleft into the Baileys massif are easily obtained via the 0.4 mile Upper Lake Mills Trail, which ends directly across the river from the Cat junction. … cont’d >