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 hiking. I'd planned a loop from Slab Camp trailhead down to the Grey Wolf River, up the river to Three Forks Campground then back up to the ridge on the Three Forks Trail then descending 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 was under 5 miles. The close trailhead accommodated Colin's need to drive out from Bellingham on day 1 and get back home again on the afternoon of our last day. The short miles accommodated 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.

Back at Norton's as I write, my knees are cranky, but my heart is full of gratitude and joy.

Olympic Mountains Backpack Overview Map