Trip report by: Bill DeYoung
"I would definitely recommend this trip to a friend."
The ultimate objective was to climb Mt Olympus...
The approach is an outing in itself. First day was 10 miles in along the Hoh River. Start from the Hoh Ranger Station on the W side of Olympic National Park. The trail gains little elevation in the 10 mi to Lewis Meadows, and the forests are wonderful--Oregon oxalis and ferns cover the ground beneath giant spruce trees and big-leaf maples. The river is always nearby and there are open, grassy meadows like Olympus Guard Station.
We camped in sandy spots along the river at Lewis Meadows. The meadow was filled with pack llamas and their tenders. Next day was 7 mi up to Glacier Meadows. Several log bridges and one well constructed bridge across a gorge near the confluence of the Hoh River and Glacier Creek.
From here it's steadily up to Elk Lake--warm and inviting, ringed by yellow water lilies. By now the flies were biting. There was 2' of snow at Glacier meadows and we had to squeeze into small campsites by Glacier Creek.
We got up in the dark and headed out to the Blue Glacier where we roped up. The glacier was pretty easy to cross and we headed up the steep slope to the Snow Dome and on up to the pass below the 5 fingers. Here we were turned back by a snow moat, a few hundred feet below the summit.
This was a great backpacking trip. Super weather and great skies. We took two days to hike back out. Saw no bear, but one of the llama owners had an encounter with a sow and cub on the trail. They were able to run them up a tree while they passed.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.