Backpacking Olympic National Park in February: Day 2

Day 2-3 brought on a constant wetness that would last all the way to Vancouver. We awoke at Sand Point camp to a rather persistent drizzle. We ate and packed slowly and in the end, made the call to head back south to Norwegian Beach and explore the area south of it.

Staying dry under the tarp.

 

Wonderful day on the Olympic Coast

Remember those basketball sized rocks. It was much easier when they were dry. "Black death" and snot rock covering everything

Our first other person in one day. Jeans and a floaty. He wasn't much of a talker.

Camera lens was hard to keep dry.

Norwegian Beach

Camped at the Starbucks Mine Camp on the second night. It was a little more tucked into the forest and provided a little more cover.

Here's my camp. Glad I had my bivy sack because it started raining side ways with a heavy mist.

Towards the end of the evening, we had to lower J's tarp and build him a wall so that the rain and mist would blow under his tarp and get his down bag wet.

Definitely didn't have enough whiskey for these kinds of conditions. Hang out under the tarp.

Hunkered down under the lowered tarp.

Ahh, warm food and drink. This thing is a champ.

Rock dam near Starbucks Creek

The next day we explored farther south towards the Chilean Memorial.

Primo campsite on the top of this little headland. Definitely would needs a tent though.

Checking out other campsites. Lots of cool arrangements due to the driftwood.

More rope climbing.

Seal remains

 

 

 

Backpacking Olympic National Park in February: Day 1

Norwegian Beach

Uncle J and I headed out to the Olympic Peninsula over President’s Day weekend. We had done a similar trip a few years ago and had amazing weather. J has done “winter” trips on this stretch of the Olympic National Park a few times and had always had fairly good weather. It always good to visit this area during the winter months because not a lot of people are out and about. The trick is just hitting a decent weather window.

We decided on the way up that our goal for this weekend would be to explore the area from Rialto Beach to the Ozette River since that section had a lot of cool features and less frigid river crossings. Last time we did the Hoh River to Strawberry Point. See my other trip reports here and here.

 Here are the photos from day 1 of the trip:

Here we go

Lunch Time

If you like rock hopping basketball sized rocks for hours at a time, then this is the section for you.

Lots of these guys along the way

A few long sections of loose sand and gravel.

Trying to get around Yellow Banks before the tide trapped us. Turns out that we had plenty of time.

Heading towards Sand Point

Keeping the feet dry was very important

Checking out potential campsites

Lots of perfect sand dollars out there.

Rudolph lost his nose.

As always, I tarp it when going out with Uncle J. Sand Point Camp.

Attempted pano on Sand Point

Perfect little bivy spot on top of Sand Point

Sunset at Sand Point