NEW TRIP!
August 9-13, 2009
Plan your arrival
in Seattle for August 8, 2009
Plan your departure from Seattle for August 14, 2009
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 subalpine 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!
Arrival day
Overnight in Port Angeles
Dinner included
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. Pay a visit to Olympic National Park's Visitor Center
above town.
Day 1
Overnight in Port Angeles
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
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.
Day 2
Overnight in Port Angeles
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
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 "pater noster"
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.
Day 3
Overnight at Port Angeles
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Take a break from the high country today with a walk out along the sandy
Dungeness Spit which juts out from the north Olympic Peninsula into the
Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Olympic Mountains provide a dramatic and
ever-present backdrop to this coastal ramble. A more challenging hike leads
into the wild and lovely Royal Basin, one of the most beautiful high country
basins in the eastern Olympics.
Day 4
Overnight at Lake Crescent
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Travel by vehicle to deep, fjord-like Lake Crescent hemmed in by the
forest-clad Aurora Ridge and Pyramid Peak. Choose a lakeshore hike along the
lake's quiet northern shore, or tackle the steep trail that ascends to the
summit of Mount Storm King, a superb vantage point for enjoying Lake
Crescent.
Day 5
Overnight at Lake Crescent
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Shuttle by vehicle into the Soleduck Valley. Hike
through deep Pacific Northwest forest along the Soleduck River to Soleduck
Falls whose thundering waters have graced many a travel poster. From here,
ascend through beautiful woodlands to Deer Lake, a quiet gem set in a
montane woodland. If you desire, you 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! Breakfast tomorrow
morning and a vehicle transfer back to Seattle are included in the trip
price.
|
