Sole Duc

Gregory and I made, what I hope will become, our annual backpacking trip in the Olympic National Park. We did the 'The Loop' around the Seven Lakes Basin. We started Sunday from the Sole Duc trailhead and headed south up the Sole Duc river to camp at Sole Duc Park. I found a couple of king boletes and was able to eat one for dinner that night Had we been on the ball we would have reserved a spot at Heart Lake, which sits just below the High Divide Trail. Monday was a short day as we traversed the High Divide trail for a couple miles and caught some amazing views of Mt. Olympus. We then dropped down into the Seven Lakes Basin and saw our only bear of the trip - a black bear foraging on the abundant blue berries. We set up camp at Lunch Lake and proceeded to become lunch for the swarms of mosquitoes that descended upon us. Thankfully we both had head nets. I found a King Bolete by the privy and we ate fresh boletes for two nights in a row.

We went to be around 10 and then awoke at 1:30 am to watch the full lunar eclipse. We had front row seats and the sky was so clear it felt like the movies. I stayed up for an hour and Gregory for longer. The most amazing thing about it was how dark it got. With the clear sky and the full moon - there's always a full moon during a lunar eclipse - it was really light out before the eclipse. We were able to walk around easily without headlamps. At the peak of the eclipse, it really felt like night. For those who haven't seen a lunar eclipse, the moon doesn't go completely black, but it does turn a deep orange. It's pretty cool.

Tuesday we got up and made a quick breakfast to avoid the mosquitoes and then headed downhill, stopping at Deer Lake for lunch. I had to catch a ferry, so we didn't have much time to waste. We huffed it out of the woods and made the car by 2:30.

It was a great trip, but short. Gregory and I both agree that if you're going to load your pack with gear, you've got to spend at least three nights. While I the High Divide, we both got the itch to do the Bailey Traverse, that rings around Mt. Olympus. It looks like it would be phenomenal - a life changing experience. But that will have to wait for next summer.