Second Beach - yet again

Sea Stacks at Second Beach

I have probably visited Second Beach, near La Push, in the Olympic National Park more than any other beach in the world.  I am not really a beach person, but it is always enjoyable to return to this spectacular spot.  It was not as crowded as it was in Memorial Day this year - which was truly ridiculous - but it tends to be a little more populated than I would like.  

High Divide

Up in the mist on the High Divide

A long weekend trip to the Bogachiel cabin offered us an opportunity to get up into the Olympics.  We chose a long day hike in the upper Sol Duc drainage - the High Divide/Seven Lakes loop.  It was 18 miles with 4,000' of elevation gain.  It was also socked in and misting most of the day.  It was unfortunate that the weather closed off the views, but it brought out the black bears in amazing numbers.  We saw at least six and I am sure there were twice that many we missed.  Some day I'll have to get back there on a clear day and see what we missed.

Upper Sol Duc River

Heart Lake

Backpacking the Thorofare Country

Trying something different in the blog, a Story Map:

Linton Meadows

James Creek

Maria and I backpacked into Linton Meadows for two nights.  We met Ken there; he came in from Foley Ridge and we came in from Devils Lake.  It was a beautiful weekend, light crowds, manageable mosquitoes, and great wildflowers.  Ken and I reminisced about our first trip to this beautiful place in 1981.  I am very fortunate to be able to continue to visit these places.

Linton Meadows and The Husband

Linton Springs