High Divide, High Divide - Seven Lakes Basin Loop & Crossover — Thursday, Jun. 1, 2000

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast

""Party"" of three headed up Sol Duc Trail Friday morning June 2. Weather excellant, clear skies and 55-65 degrees. Bummed out when checking in with rangers that wilderness permits aren't free anymore ($17 for two nights). Also noticed that rangers had brand spanking new Dodge Magnum V-10 pickup truck with extended cab, electric winch, and snappy flashing lights. Anyways, trail in good condition and snow free until bridge crossing near Seven-Mile Camp. Bridge in good condition and snow-free. Snow OK for step-kicking. Put on skis and climbing skins after breaking out of trees at base of Sol Duc Park. Snow well- consolidated although some previous loose slides had occurred. Saw no slide activity during course of trip. Reached Seven Lakes Basin at 4:00 PM, established camp at Lake Number 8. Cocktails at 6:00 followed by dinner. Long daylight allowed for some evening skiing. Snow conditions primo for tele turns. Hansrolf really ""on"", Dobbs and I not doing too bad either. Back to camp for major rave-up, sacked out after midnight. Woke Saturday morning at 8:00 to sound of coyotes nearby, glad we hung food. Breakfast and chores completed, we headed up to ridge for some morning turns, excellant teleing down to Morganroth and No Name Lake. Lunch and then back up to ridge to explore High Divide. Trav- ersed above Sol Duc Park to eastern end of ridge. Weather still good with great views of Mt. Tom, Olympus, Hoh Valley, and Bailey Range. More tele turns back to camp and cocktails. Dinner, then up late again, sacked out and didn't hear Dobbs' or Hansrolf's usually horriffic snoring. Sunday morning still sunny and warm, left camp at 10:30. Skied Sol Duc Park with full packs no problem to treeline. Out at 4:00. All in all a good trip with no bodily injuries other than blisters, brain cells, and Dobbs' ears bleeding from listening to Filter remake of ""One"" by Three Dog Night at maximum volume on way home.