Olympic National Park - Sol Duc Falls - April 30, 2005 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | Olympic National Park - Sol Duc Falls |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Washington |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | April 30, 2005 |
| Duration: | 3 hours |
| Trail Conditions: | Good |
| Trail Traffic: | Light to Moderate |
| Trip Weather: | Partly Cloudy, Cloudy, Fog |
| Trip Winds: | Light |
| Trip Precipitation: | None |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 51-60, Low: 51-60 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | 4/29/05 (Friday) - We left the hotel at 10am for the coast, but missed the first ferry and didn't leave Seattle until 11:20am. By the time we got to Port Angeles, it was roughly 3pm and there was still some scattered showers in the area. We stopped at the Olympic National Park visitor's center and decided to abandon the beach for a dry cabin at the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. Although pricey at $124/night, it was nice to get out of the rain and there were three hot springs at temperatures ranging from 99-103 degrees and a large pool at 78 degrees. Pixie and I checked into the room, unloaded our gear, then spent an hour at the pool. It was raining slightly, but there were still a few folks hanging out at the resort. In the evening, I read the paper and enjoyed a brew while the Pixie went for a short hike in the rain. She came running back thirty minutes later after walking to within ten yards of a black bear that was eating berries by the stream. Fortunately, the bear didn't have any interest in her, and she was also able to spot some Elk that were grazing along the river near the resort. After dark, Pixie and I played some cards and cooked dinner outside in the rain (since they don't allow cooking in our cabin). It was nearly 9pm before it got pitch dark, and we ended up sacking out early after we ate dinner. 4/30/05 (Saturday) - Pixie and I were up by 7am and planned to have breakfast in the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort but they didn't open until 9am this morning. So, we had some snacks in the cabin then hit the trail to hike the Lover's Lane Trail to Sol Duc Falls and back via a six mile loop hike along the Sol Duc River. The route was heavily forested but pleasant and it finished with a hike by the hot springs and through the Sol Duc campground. We could have driven to within 0.8 miles of the falls, but didn't have a map with us to ID the short cut. The pool deli was open when we got back to the resort, and after a quick lunch, the Pixie and I hit the road for the drive back to Seattle. The van was extremely low on gas, and we limped 25 miles to the nearest gas station unsure if we'd make it. The sun came out on the drive to Bainbridge Island and by the time we caught the ferry in the mid-afternoon it was pretty nice outside. We made it back to the hotel near the airport by 4pm, cleaned up, then headed out to dinner at Bahama Breeze at a nearby mall. |
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