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About the
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John Osaki's Blog
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THIS TRIP IS NOT CURRENTLY
SCHEDULED. Over the years, Mountain Hiking Holidays has developed and operated trips to a variety of destinations including this one, but not all trips are offered every year. Though this trip is not currently being offered as a scheduled departure, we can organize and operate this trip as a private group departure. Mountain Hiking Holidays co-founder, John Osaki, worked for several years as a backcountry ranger in Olympic National Park and has hiked virtually all the trails in Olympic National Park. Let us know if we can custom-design an itinerary for your group! |
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Start organizing your private Olympic National Park adventure here. |
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 Olympic Mountains Slide Show  Olympic Mountains Photo Gallery  |
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| Olympic National Park encompasses without a doubt one of the most beautiful expanses of mountain wilderness in the United States. In the Olympic high country trails lead for mile after mile through flower-spangled sub-alpine meadowlands scented by yellow cedar. In the lowlands footpaths cushioned by the needles of fir, hemlock and spruce lead into cathedral-like ancient forests enlivened by the music of rollicking streams. Join us for this brand new mid-summer adventure in a mountain fastness fit to be the home of the gods! | |||
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Arrival day From Seattle-Tacoma Airport (or Seattle) travel by vehicle and ferry across the Puget Sound to reach the Olympic Peninsula whose mountains float dreamlike on the horizon west of Seattle. Arrive in Port Angeles on the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca where you'll spend the next few days. |
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Day 1 Ascend the appropriately named Switchback Trail to the crest of Klahhane Ridge from where you'll enjoy views north toward Vancouver Island and south into the heart of the Olympic Mountains! Continue on a high country ramble to the expansive meadows of Hurricane Ridge where the hike ends. Energetic hikers can follow a steadily ascending trail from Heart of the Hills in the foothills of the Olympics to lovely, Lake Angeles graced by a rocky islet. Above Lake Angeles, the trail continues its ascent in open country to gain Klahhane Ridge from where a "skywalk" along an open ridge-top leads to Hurricane Ridge. |
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  Gladys
Lake (photo by Craig Romano) |
Day 2 Today's hikes will immerse you in the Olympic high country! From the expansive alpine meadows surrounding Obstruction Point, set off on a one-way hike along the crest of Elk Mountain to Deer Park. You'll revel in non-stop views on this highly scenic walk! A more strenuous "out and back" hiking option descends from the Obstruction Point meadows into the sub-alpine landscapes of the upper Grand Valley. The trail leads past the "paternoster" lakes of Grand, Moose, and Gladys before beginning a steep ascent to gain lofty Grand Pass from where you can survey the remote Cameron Pass backcountry. |
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Day 3 Explore Olympic National Park's lush Pacific Northwest temperate forests on a hike in the Elwha River valley. Mists swirl through a canopy of soaring, moss-draped Douglas firs and western hemlocks while an understory filled with sword ferns and vine maples glows in luminous shades of green. At the Goblin's Gates, the surging waters of the Elwha River resound as they are funneled into a narrow, rocky gorge. The historic remains of homesteader cabins and the possibility of Roosevelt elk sightings round out your explorations! Return to Port Angeles for the evening. |
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Day 4 Travel by vehicle to the Pacific coast to explore one of the longest stretches of wilderness coastline in the forty-eight contiguous states. Enjoy a coastal hike past sandy coves and over rocky, conifer-cloaked headlands. Swirling mists, thundering waves, and picturesque sea stacks provide a scenic contrast to high country landscapes! In the afternoon, return to deep, blue, fjord-like Lake Crescent where overnight accommodations await. |
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Day 5 Shuttle by vehicle into the Sol Duc Valley. Hike through deep Pacific Northwest forest along the Sol Duc River to Sol Duc Falls whose thundering waters have graced many a travel poster. Energetic hikers can continue higher to the Seven Lakes Basin viewpoint and Bogachiel Peak on the High Divide where unforgettable views of ice-clad Mount Olympus are yours to relish! Alternatively, you can enjoy a lovely hike along the shores of Lake Crescent. The lakeside trail edged with hemlock and red-barked Pacific madrone leads you past the deep blue pool known as the Devil's Punchbowl. Breakfast tomorrow morning and a vehicle transfer back to Seattle are included in the trip price. |
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© Mountain
Hiking Holidays, Inc. |
