Looking for new adventures?
The previously unpublished loop hikes in this book will more than satisfy your desire. Through hikes require transportation and in-and out hikes repeat themselves. Loop hikes, however, provide an unbroken trail, a continuous new experience in every mile and the convenience of ending where you started.
Looking for new destinations, routes and straightforward accurate trail descriptions? You’ll hear it from an informed author who has spent the majority of his life up against the Olympic Wilderness, in all seasons and conditions.
These loops will test and develop the skills, endurance and spirit of the novice or seasoned hiker who faces the challenge of the Olympic Wilderness.
LoopHikes.com
LoopHikes.com is your gateway to the first book that is dedicated exclusively to loop hiking in the Olympics. The book details 27 loops, 21 of which haven’t been published—including one that may never have been hiked.
"The Wilderness, in all its rugged and subtle grandeur, is an experience that will always be part of your life.”
~Barbara Paschal
The silence of the wilderness, the adventure of an unknown and breathtaking beauty is but one decision away. Address the challenge, feel the trail command your feet and trade your effort for the gift of the forests, the sky, the mountains and their streams. Nothing can touch your soul and spirit like walking with nature.
Make a commitment and you will be rewarded.
Hiking in late summer or early fall
Not all, but most of the loop hikes in the book involve altitudes at or above 6,000 ft. A cold summer will retain snow, particularly in mountain passes, and the same conditions result from an early fall. Either way, I wouldn’t advise hiking with snow on the trail. Conversely, late summer and early fall generally work to your advantage because the river flow is reduced due to a lack of snowmelt by that time of year.
As I’ve noted in the book, as the snow recedes, you’ll have to manage how and where you’ll get water for your hike. Each loop is different when it comes to available water sources. For that reason, I’ve gone to some length describing possible nearby lakes and tarns. For example, the Skyline Trail—a significant element in several of the book’s loop hikes—presents a 15.5 mile mid-section that continuously poses a challenge to hikers, water being one of them.
The snow retreats, wildflowers bloom and then subalpine meadows turn to dry brown landscape for lack of sufficient water. Subalpine trees struggle but survive because they group together and by doing so, they shade the soil reducing evaporation. They also have deeper root systems.
The colors of fall start in late summer. The scenery is breathtaking at every turn. The higher you climb the earlier you will see this painted landscape. Trees with fall-colored leaves are usually found in lowland forests, less in montane forests and in the subalpine elevations, but usually only in areas prone to avalanches.
Mountain passes, like this one, are colored accents to the stark mountain peaks, mist and shadows. These meadows are often populated with a variety of animals critically focused on putting away enough food to get them through a winter that could start at any time.
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:
March 15: “Forests are more than trees“
April 1: “A trail-trudge or a lifelong memory?”
April 15: “Resources within your reach”
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.
The book is coming in August 2023