Syntax highlighting of 00e616d ~( BackPack/2022-08-OlympicMountains)

<<TableOfContents()>>
= August 2022 Olympic Mountains Backpack Trip with Colin Goggin =


After several years of attempted but cancelled plans to adventure together, Colin and I head out for 4 days in the Olympic Mountains.  We start each day (after coffee) with 45 minutes of silent meditation, and fill most the rest of each day with hiking and deeply satisfying conversation.  Our loop begins just below Deer Ridge at Slab Camp trailhead from whence we follow Slab Camp Creek down to the Grey Wolf River, then up Grey Wolf to its confluence with Cameron and Grand Creeks.  From there we climb back up to the ridge on the Three Forks Trail and descend along Deer Ridge back to the trailhead.  Much of the thought behind the route choice was motivated by my effort to keep it safe and small.  Slab Camp is the nearest trailhead to our house sit at Norton's, and each leg of the loop is under 5 miles.  The close trailhead accommodates Colin's need to drive out from Bellingham on day 1 and get back home again on the afternoon of day 4.  The short miles accommodate my uncertainty around my knees.

Once we were on the trail, we quickly left safe and small behind, each afternoon dropping our packs at campsite and heading out for supplemental day hikes up into ancient forests, wild blueberry meadows, and heady ridge lines high above the treeline.

As I write, sitting very still in the comfy chair back at Norton's, my knees are cranky, but my heart is full of gratitude and joy.  

{{/map.png|Olympic Mountains Backpack Overview Map|width=100%}}


{{/stats.png|Olympic Mountains Backpack Stats|width=100%}}


distance: 39.32 mi

min/max elev.: 1395'/6421'

elev. gain/loss: 11514'/-11448'


== Day 1 Slab Camp to Slide Camp ==

distance: 7.106 mi

time: 6:15:24

min/max elev.: 1395'/3049'

elev. gain/loss: 2390'/-2642'

Colin has good luck with 

{{/colin-slab-camp-trail.JPG|colin-slab-camp-trail|width=80%}}

{{/slide-creek.JPG|slide creek|width=80%}}


== Day 2 Slide to Grey Wolf and Falls Camp ==

distance: 13.68 mi

time: 9:08:42

min/max elev.: 1984'/4078'

elev. gain/loss: 3322'/-3483'

{{/colin-slide-camp.JPG|slide camp|width=80%}}

{{/colin-hair1.JPG|colin on grey creek|width=80%}}

{{/colin-hair2.JPG|colin on grey creek2|width=80%}}

== Day 3 Grey Wolf to Deer Park and Maiden Peak ==

distance: 13.30 mi

time: 10:06:38

min/max elev.: 2063'/6421'

elev. gain/loss: 5558'/-2302'

{{/colin-and-the-maiden.JPG|colin maiden peak|width=80%}}

{{/david-on-the-maiden.JPG|david on maiden peak|width=80%}}

{{/colin-on-the-maiden.JPG|colin on maiden peak|width=80%}}


== Day 4 Deer Park to Slab Camp ==

distance: 5.239 mi

time: 3:46:51

min/max elev.: 2533'/5403'

elev. gain/loss: 243'/-3020'