Ordering your copy of “Loop Hikes in the Olympic Mountains”
If you haven’t ordered your copy of the Book yet,
I recommend:
- Port Book and News, Port Angeles, WA
- Pacific Mist, Sequim, WA
- Google: “Loop Hikes in the Olympic Mountains”
- VillageBooks.com
OR, buy your book at the events below.
Book Signing and Sales Events:
Nov. 18
Nov. 25
Nov. 26
Dec. 2
at Locally Known next to Hurricane Coffee in Sequim, 11 am – 1 pm
at Dungeness River Nature Center in the Raven Room Sequim, 10 am – 1 pm
at Moss on First Street In Port Angeles: 12 pm – 2 pm
at Port Angeles Main Library, Carver Room North: 1 pm – 3 pm
More events will be listed after the holidays, January 1.
Reader's responses to the Book:
“Loop Hikes in the Olympic Mountains” is off to a good start. All of the feedback from readers is positive and surprising. Here are some of the responses I’ve received:
J.
N.
K.
W.
S.
P.
B.
J.
“You have a unique product.”
“I really liked the book; the Introduction was truly you.”
“Your light-hearted humor and the stories you tell keep me reading every day.”
“You really know how to tell a true story.”
“The wealth of information and experiences you’ve shared …. really enriched me.
“I love the stories about you and your family and the sharing of your love of hiking and the Olympic Mountains.”
“Proud to be called your Brother-in-law. It is a wonderful book.”
“Your book is written with meticulous detail and a charming presentation.”
Questions and Answers:
Please note that submitters’ names are never identified; after all, you are looking for answers, not who asked the question.
Q: “I’m really enjoying the book, but I wonder why you have determined that the Heather Park loop is being rated as so difficult.”
A: The Lake Angeles – Hearth Park Loop has its rating level of difficulty based on the aggregate application of the following criteria listed in the Book’s Appendix. Length, Elevation, Rocky Trail, and Exposure applied as listed in the Appendix results in a rating of 12.79. A new hiker would most likely agree to the rating, but an experienced hiker would see it as overrated. The loop has a static rating in the book, but a hiker’s assessment of the rating is likely a reflection of their strength and experience in the Olympics.
Q: “Does ONP work to remove invasive species? Mountain Goats”
A: The simple answer is yes. However, the effort is more complicated than you might expect. For example, Mountain Goats are not native to the Olympic Mountains. They were introduced to the mountains in the 1920’s by people who thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t. The number of Mountain Goats are without an adequate number of predators. Over the last few years Olympic National Park engaged in an extensive program of “capture and remove” followed by euthanizing them. Be it plants or animals, the Park is diligent in doing its best to protect the natural environment that is the Olympic Mountains.
A: Olympic Violets are found only in the Olympic Mountains. The Goats found the violets to be a favorite snack. Without the removal of the goats, Olympic Violets would eventually become extinct.
A: Why are some parts of the Alpine Meadows scraped away to dirt and rock? The goats had a habit of rolling and squirming on the ground to shed winter coats and, in some cases, to rid themselves of insects.
A: An Alpine meadow’s growth is extremely slow. As such, Stock Trail users are required to not bring hay into the Park. This requirement is intended to reduce the opportunity for hay grasses to establish themselves in the meadow.
Weather, the critical element in Fording
A number of loop hikes identified in the book include fording a river. Fording is impossible with spring rains and or snow melt-off. In those conditions fording could easily sweep hikers off their feet and be swept downstream exposing them to life threatening hazards.
Weather in the Olympic Mountains is nature’s product created by moving air from west to east picking up and carrying moisture from the Pacific Ocean to the mountains. Sea-surface temperature is much like the shore-line and lowland forests, mid 40’s to low 50’s. Warmer air carries more moisture than colder air. As the moist air moves onto the Olympic Peninsula, it is forced to rise over the mountains. The result is large volumes of rain or snow are deposited. Snow melt-off in late spring and into summer or rain run-off from storms that can happen from late spring into late fall must be taken seriously.
By mid-July most of the snowmelt is over. However, as the snow melts. a good deal of the melted water passes through the ground. Because the water is in the ground it will feed the streams and rivers for a few weeks, thereby extending unsafe fording conditions. If you have “Loop Hikes in the Olympic Mountains” turn to page 126. After checking with the ONP Rangers at the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles, go to https://www.nps.gov/articles/safe-river-crossings.htm and https://mra.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/nps-swiftwater-rescue-manual-rev09-23-2012-SMALL.pdf
Estimating river flow and the depth of the river for the date you plan on fording is tedious but important. Go to https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location and look to find a previous year and month whose graph looks similar to the current year. Comparing similar weather conditions isn’t always perfect but it does give you some insight into the flow rate for a given time and location.
Summer rain storms can not be predicted more than a few days in advance. More to the point, you can’t predict how much the rivers will rise and when will they fall back to normal. This is why there are cautionary statements in the book. When it comes to fording, you will find an alternative that usually adds days to the loop or a reversal of the hike. It is safety first, including a decision not to ford, that allows you to try again another time.
Where to buy "Loop Hikes in the Olympic Mountains?
Sequim and Port Angeles:
Locally Known
Pacific Mist
Forage
Dungeness River Nature Center
Port Book and News
The Internet:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
VillageBooks.com
I’ve been writing about some of the elements of the book since March and I will continue to do so. If you or your friends haven’t checked Loophikes.com lately, finally the book has been published and is on the shelves. It’s what we’ve all been waiting for. There is no better time to order your book. I’m certain that you’ll be pleased. The book is one-of-a-kind, informative and explores loop hikes that haven’t been published as a book. The “Grand Loop of the Olympic Mountains” is a loop that may not ever have been hiked. Whether you’re new at hiking or you’re an expert hiker, the book will be useful and helpful—and it will expand your collective experience.
Loophikes.com provides you with information about the book and information that is not in the book but is relevant to your understanding.
Loophikes@olympus.net provides you the ability to ask me questions and get answers to the best of my ability. All the answers will be available at loophikes.com without identifying the person who submitted the question.
All of the past articles beginning with March are accessible. Click here to visit the Archive page. Additionally, if you’re interested in what’s coming next, here they are:
December 1: Q & A and Snow Camping
December 15: Q & A and Back Country reservations
January 1: No Article for January 1
January 15: Building stamina for spring hiking
Visit LoopHikes.com frequently. Photos, information and stories change periodically, but sharing information with you comes first. Questions? Contact me at LoopHikes@olympus.net. Your curiosity is the foundation of building a better understanding. Tell your friends.