Hiking the Enchanted Valley 

By Cheston Bogue

I first had the idea of visiting Olympic National Park after seeing a Discovery Channel program which proclaimed the park to be one the most wild and rugged wilderness areas remaining in the United States. Contrasting terrain (high mountains, rustic beaches, rain forests), diverse wildlife, vastly undeveloped wilderness and easy access from Seattle/Tacoma airport makes the peninsula an ideal destination for backpacking, camping and overall adventure.

I had visited the Olympic Peninsula for two nights in March of 2015. I got the chance to see a few highlights (Hoh Rainforest, Ruby Beach, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent) and knew that this was a destination I would need to revisit. 

About this trip:

This time around I had six nights and seven days to explore the peninsula. I tried to plan the trip with a fair amount of flexibility but had three main objectives:

1. Backpack to the interior of the park and photograph the landscapes/wildlife.
2. Sleep on one of the amazing Pacific beaches.
3. Visit Windy City’s long time member Anne Hallet’s cottage on the Hood Canal.

I would start my trip by Lake Quinault where I would hike to the Enchanted Valley. The round trip total for the hike was supposed to be 28 miles (turned out being just over 41 miles due to washed out roads and trails as well as a few photographic side excursions). I gave myself 2.5 days to hike this trail with 3 nights of camping on the trail.

After the Enchanted Valley I would acquire another wilderness permit and camp on Second Beach (on the Pacific Ocean).

If I survived this far into the trip, my next stop would be a campsite that I booked in advance near the Sol Duc Hot springs. I would treat myself to a nice long soaking in the hot spring pools as well as have a restaurant cooked meal.

My final night would be spent at Anne’s cottage which would complete my drive around the entire peninsula. (Approx. 450 miles driven).

Preparation:

Much of the preparation for the trip came in choosing the equipment and supplies I would need to backpack and photograph the different sites and scenes properly. I did a fair amount of research into the wildlife and was ready for just about everything ranging from bears to mosquitos. I owned all of the critical pieces of equipment needed to backpack and would only need to purchase food and camp fuel when I landed in Washington.

For the physical aspect, I had been predominantly training for strength at the gym in the months leading up to my trip. While hiking, I would have plenty of daylight to manage my energy and would rely on my overall lower body and core strength to move my 65lb overstuffed pack through the woods. 

Most difficult part?

What made this trip unique was that I was going solo. Over the past few years I had been building my confidence outdoors through the Moab to Durango mountain bike excursion and my hike down the Colorado Trail last fall. Both of those trips were taken alongside friends which provided company, motivation and comfort. The way I saw it, traveling solo would pose challenges as well as provide benefits. 

Solo hiking is of course more dangerous. However, in my research of the trails I would be following there would be enough hikers present to help if needed. Solo hiking also requires that I carry everything myself as well as handle all camp related tasks. When backpacking in a group there is the opportunity to share equipment load and tasks. While one person is filtering water, another could be gathering camp wood, while another is setting up tents. I would simply need to give myself more time to get settled. Likewise, teammates can come in handy when making difficult river/trail crossings. It is also nice to have company on the trail to talk to (though this can become a hinderance with breathing while on difficult inclines).

Another pro of packing solo is that I am in complete control of my pace, direction, start/finish time, camp location and rest schedule. If i wanted to stop to photograph a waterfall, not only did I have to not worry about losing my group, but I could spend as much time as I needed! 

During my hike to the Enchanted Valley the three biggest challenges were:

1. Weather: temperatures were well higher than average (90+ degrees with high humidity). I took breaks often and drank over 4L of water on each day on the trail.
2. Pack weight: With my camping equipment, food & water and my full arsenal of photography equipment, my pack weight totaled over 65lbs (35lbs would be a more appropriate weight). Also due to the awkwardness of my camera equipment, I was plagued with shoulder and back cramping.
3. Trail conditions: Approximately 2 miles of the main trail in both directions was severely damaged from a storm the past winter forcing me to have to climb and crawl around gigantic fallen trees and make several sketchy river crossings. In areas where the trail was not obvious the Forest Service had tied small red ribbons to trees to make the easiest path known. Add in my obnoxiously heavy and unbalanced pack which included fragile electronics and lenses, these portions of the hike required my utmost focus.

Most rewarding?

Despite the hike being physically demanding, getting to the Enchanted Valley was absolutely worth the aches and pains! Photos do not do it justice. One of the main attractions of the valley is bear sightings. I was lucky to see a black bear my first morning by the river while enjoying some coffee. I did not see any more bears the remainder of the trip. A friend I made on the trail described how some mornings you will wake up to find 10 or more bears grazing in the fields of the valley. 

Another feature of the valley that made it "enchanted" were the waterfalls. There are dozens of small waterfalls that poured over the western walls of the valley. Each time I would look up I would find another small strand of water I hadn’t seen before. 

I lucked out with regards to weather and cloudiness. My night in the valley was very comfortable and there was not a cloud in the sky. Once the sun set, I could look up and see an infinite number of stars. I attempted to shoot a few long shutter exposures in the middle of the night, however moisture/condensation keep building up on my lens and I wasn’t able to capture anything spectacular.

What did I get out of this?

This trip was a gigantic confidence boost to continue exploring on my own. My biggest fear was boredom and loneliness, but I learned that I was not alone on the trail. I had human interactions every place I explored including some great conversations. This was definitely outside of my comfort zone. Now all I can think about these days is getting back on the road for more adventure!