Epic Hoh River Trail Hike Day 4-5 The end of the 36.5 mile journey

Mom: On day 4 we woke up at Elk Lake to a cloudy mist. We took some time for breakfast before starting out the six miles down to Olympus Guard Station. We talked about hiking further today so that our last day was easier.

Amy: The lake was great.

Mom: The misty lake was very beautiful and we saw blue sky poking through!

Amy: Our obligatory  selfie.

Amy: All along the way, "Are you going to the glacier? Did you hear about the rope ladder? I suggest you take the longer route". I became semi famous among Hoh River Backpackers.

Mom: This rock looks like it has some wild hair with the fern sticking out!

Mom: We continued to enjoy the big trees!

Mom: I could hike this trail anytime and did not mind coming back the way we came!

Mom: Such a rich forest floor with so many different types of ferns and moss.

Mom: These mushrooms looked like eyes to me!

Mom: Completely blue sky! I felt like I hadn't seen sun for SO LONG (but it had only been 3 days)

Amy: Back to the bridge.😉

Mom: Giant slug in the trail.

Mom: We came down toward Olympus Guard Station, stopping for lunch at Lewis Meadows..

Amy: It was easy going on the way back.

Mom: The moss was so thick, soft, and amazing!

Mom: Strong tree.

Amy: Lovely trees.

Mom: I thought these looked like witch or goblin fingers.

Amy: A little break.

Mom: Another tree straddling a nurse log in the meadow near Olympus Guard Station. We had hoped to hike a little farther but Amy had fallen a couple of times and was hurting.

Amy: At Olympus Guard Station.

Mom: We made camp on the gravel bar and spent hours wandering and playing in the COLD glacier fed river water.

Amy: It was nice.

Amy: I liked wading

Mom: Drying everything out at our beach camp by the river.

Mom: The late afternoon sun felt lovely. Skip Bo tournament final score- Mom 4, Amy 4

Mom: Day 5 started a little later than anticipated as we both slept in. We knew we had a long 9.1 miles to go to the trailhead. I continued to look UP!

Mom: Beautiful sorrel covered nurse log.

Mom: Enjoying the hairy rock along the trail.

Amy: The forest was awesome.

Mom: We stopped to pick berries and found two bunnies and a snake along the trail.

Amy: A whomping willow

Amy: A cool log.

Amy: We found a great swimming hole.

Amy: A  nice seat.

Amy: Day 5 selfie.

Amy: We were tired.

Mom: I felt much cooler and refreshed after the lunchtime COLD swim! We ate many berries along the trail as we hiked. I enjoyed the many ferns.

Mom: If this tree "arm" could swing at us we would be toast!

Amy: My hat was lopsided.

Amy: More lopsided.

Amy: It fell off!

Mom: Much love and respect for the MANY big trees!

Amy: Still hiking.

Mom: We made it 36.5 miles in 5 days. What an amazing adventure! I can't wait to return to Olympic National Park!

Epic Hoh Rainforest Adventure Day 3- to the Blue Glacier

Mom: On the morning of day 3, I filtered some water and picked some delicious berries for our breakfast. Amy reluctantly woke up to join me in the cold and misty morning.

Mom: We packed up camp at Martin Creek and headed to Elk Lake to start an 8 mile hiking day including a base camp. I was so excited to get to the glacier.

Mom: In less than a mile we arrived at Elk Lake and re set up our tent to make a base camp. The other campers were just getting up and getting going.

Amy: On our way to the Glacier.

Mom: We hiked along without our packs feeling super light and enjoying the flowers along the way.

Amy: These berries are pretty. What is their name?

Amy: The start of a hill.

Mom: The trail was slightly exposed. Amy kept reminding me to stay to the inside. We soon came upon the washout.

Mom: We had to rappel down a rope on a rope ladder. I went first and helped Amy step by step. It was the longest rope ladder I have ever seen. It was fun and scary!

Amy: We ate lunch at Glacier Meadows, proud of climbing the rope ladder.

Mom: At Glacier Meadows we were a little shaky from the rope ladder and started climbing up toward the Blue Glacier at last.

Mom: Climbing over the rocks got tough and Amy hit another wall, not believing that we would make it.

Amy: The Glacier was truly stunning.

Amy: The Glacier looked like the ocean.

Mom: Seeing the glacier reminded me of the ocean with the ripples in it. It was HUGE and we were right beside it!

Amy: It was a bummer that it was foggy.

Mom: On a sunny day we would also be right beside Mt. Olympus! This view was breathtaking and so worth the climb.

Amy: Going back down was easier than going up. It was steeper than the last 2 miles of day 2.

Mom: We headed back down through the rocks to the meadow.

Mom: Enjoying a "snow puddle".

Mom: We continued back down through Glacier Meadows, stopping for a snack at the shelter (This was the point my sidekick decided she really liked my chocolate coconut trail mix after her Swedish Fish were almost gone).

Mom: We soon came back to the washout and got to climb back up the rope ladder which was much less intimidating than coming down backwards. Again, I climbed right behind Amy and coached her each step of the way.

Amy: The rope ladder was part-awesome, part-terrifying.

Amy: Looking down on the rope ladder. It looks scary from this angle.

Amy: This is a pretty paintbrush.

Mom: Looking back the clouds broke to view a tiny piece of Mt. Olympus.

Mom: Back at the Elk Lake shelter we enjoyed some well earned dinner while a very friendly mouse scurried in and out of view, watching us closely for any dropped crumbs. The trail butterscotch pecan pie was a hit! The Skip Bo tournament totals were Mom: 3 Amy: 3