On August 31st, we started hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) South from Lake Ozette in the Olympic National Park with our end goal being Discovery Bay (200 miles). We took public transportation from Seattle (see tips at the end of this write up) and as a result got our permits for the Park without having to stop at the Wilderness Information Center (WIC). (See tips at the end). This report will be broken into three sections.
Section 3: The High Divide to Olympic Hot Springs Road.
Day 9: Out of the Bogachiel and onto the High Divide Trail to Appleton Pass (17 miles). After 21 mile camp you hike up to the High Divide Trail. The going was steep but not hard and only a few blow downs. Take water from the creek at 21 mile with you as there is no water again until you head down into the Deer Lake Basin. Unfortunately, we had rain, fog and mist and we missed what I am sure would be fabulous views on a clear day. At Deer Lake we started to see LOTS of people. This is a quota area and you have to camp in your designated spots. We moved on and between Lunch Lake trail intersection and Heart Lake we see deer, elk and 6 black bears stuffing themselves on the perfectly ripe low bush huckleberries. They could have cared less about us. The trail all along the Divide and down to the Appleton Pass turn-off is well maintained, well signed and well used with oodles of people. After you start heading up to Appleton the trail becomes lonely again. There are around 4-5 large camp spots at the pass and water in a tarn about .2 mile from the trail junction.
Day 10: Appleton Pass to the End (17 miles). It’s stopped raining and we have a few peak-a-boo views through the clouds as we go down the pass. The trail is not well used. We get to Boulder Creek Camp at the Olympic Hot Springs and it’s deserted. We relax in one of the hot pools and have the whole place to ourselves. It’s only 10:30am. By the time we get to the Old Hot Springs Trailhead, it starts to rain again and we take a break in the shelter of the now locked toilet (garbage cans locked too). Several gals ride by on bikes and we realize the loneliness of the Appleton Pass and entire area have to do with the road being washed out 10 miles down the road at Madison Falls. The road walk is rather eerie but you don’t have to watch out for cars! At Madison Falls we decide to abort our PNT trip through the Hurricane Ridge area due to rain and lack of visibility and call a taxi from Port Angeles to come and pick us up ($31). We get to Port Angeles in time to hop on the 1-2-3 Strait Shot bus back to Bainbridge Ferry Terminal/Seattle.
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