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!
Some of the trees look like they are the alive trees in the Lord of the Rings or Narnia. Beautiful!!
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