Trip: Montana, Idaho and Washington - Pacific Northwest Trail
Date: 6/21/2007
Trip Report:
Intro:
On June 21st, 2007 I begin walking at Glacier National Park with intent to move westward roughly 1200 miles reaching my goal of the Pacific Ocean in late August or early September.
On August 20th, 2007 I reached that goal with a lightness in my step and a smile upon my face. Sixty-one glorious days of backpacking through the highlands and lowlands of the Pacific Northwest were an enlightening time for me both physically and mentally.
Along the way I was cheered on by friends, family, friends of friends and friends of family - all of whom kept me motivated and proud of myself as well as proud of them for living vicariously through this in hopes that they too can someday challenge themselves to a task that I could follow from a afar, jealous of their endeavors.
Trail Journals:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=4311
Photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sam.haraldson/UltralightBackpackingPacificNorthwestTrailThruHike
Videos:
http://youtube.com/sharaldson
Trip Stats:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4nyxPuFqsqnQg%3Cbr
Gear List:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4n3O6NDaH_2Vw'>http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4n3O6NDaH_2Vw
Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 1
Firstly, my apologies if this arrives in your inbox twice as I'd rather you got this twice than not at all. Secondly, many of you haven't heard from me in months or years so read on to find out what I'm up to nowadays. For those of you who are in-the-know, read on as you're probably interested in hearing how things are going.
On Thursday, June 21st I set off from Chief Mountain Ranger Station at Glacier National Park, embarking on the 1200 mile Pacific Northwest Trail ( http://pnt.org'>http://pnt.org ). At that time all my research and planning was put behind me and it was time to walk. I'm am currently one day ahead of schedule but will more than likely end behind schedule as I come across an interesting place or two to stop and spend a day. I plan to be done hiking sometime after August 24th.
As of today, July 5th, 2007 I have reached the small town of Bonner's Ferry, Idaho approximately 225 miles from where I started. I have been averaging roughly 18 or 19 miles of hiking per day. Primarily I hike on hiking trails, secondly, Forest Service logging roads and thirdly (but rarely fortunately) asphalt highways.
The gear I've chosen to carry with me was all selected (and some handmade by my girlfriend and I) for both it's durability and lightweight. Thusfar I am quite happy with my choices in gear as all is holding up well and not weighing me down. For those amongst you whom consider yourselves gear heads, you can view my gear list at my Web site ( http://samh.net/backpacking'>http://samh.net/backpacking'>http://samh.net/backpacking ).
I have mailed one memory card of digital pictures home and my brother has kindly offered to put those up on my Web site for viewing. Perhaps he will copy all the e-mail addresses to whom I've sent this message and let you know when those are available for viewing.
I've seen very few people on the trails thusfar as Northwest Montana (where I've spent 99% of my time) is not very populated. I get my share of socializing however when I come down out of the mountains and have to walk through a town to pick up another package of food from the post office. Last night I even hiked a bit extra to get into town to watch the Independance Day fireworks (and more importantly eat a couple double cheeseburgers).
I won't be checking my e-mail again for quite some time so if your comments can wait until after I've complete my journey it would be most appreciated as my Internet time is limited at public libraries. Although if you'd like to comment quickly I do like hearing how everyone is doing. Feel free to reply to this message or use the Contact Form on my Web site ( http://samh.net/backpacking )
To close I'll quote an individual whom I met one night camping, "Don't live life - experience it."
Sincerely,
Sam Haraldson
Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 2
Folks,
Day twenty-two on the Pacific Northwest Trail ( http://pnt.org ). I've been averaging somewhere near twenty miles per day. My shortest day was thirteen miles and my longest was thirty-seven.
It's only rained on me once so I'm awaiting some kind of torrential downpour. It would be a welcome respite from the temps which have topped 105 deg. F. Early morning hiking has been a necessity to keep cool and I've been consuming upwards of two gallons of water a day.
The snow that plagued my weary ankles in the high country of Western Montana and into Idaho is gone in all but the smallest little patches now. With the disappearance of the snow will also come the disappearance of some of the small snow-melt creeks which made stocking up on water so easy. I'll have to pay close attention to "tanking up" with water when the chance arises and have made notes in my trail guides as to where the best water resources are in the upcoming miles.
I'm now in the sere brown hills of Eastern Washington which albeit not the tremendous peaks and valleys of Montana's Rocky Mountains or Idaho's Selkirks still hold their own in elevation gain/loss (especially compared with my homeland of Minnesota). The area I am about to embark into is not as highly developed from a recreational standpoint so more of my immediate travels will be on Forest Service roads than on trails. The roads provide good grade and level walking and typically are closed to vehicular traffic so they still provide for quality walking.
I've seen some diverse landscapes, from the rocky balds and snow packed heights of Boulder Pass in Glacier National Park to the old growth cedar forests, complete with trees in excess of eight feet in diameter of the Salmo Priest Wilderness. Next is the drier hills of Easter Washington's Kettle Crest with the deep canyons of the Paysaten Wilderness and the lush expanses of North Cascades National Park to follow. Alas, I get ahead of myself. I've much country to explore in Colville and Okanagan National Forests first and you'll hear from me again mid-exploration of those lands.
Tomorrow morning I set off with eight days of food in search of Bonaparte Lake Resort (NE of Tonasket, WA) where I'll pick up three more days supplies for a quick jaunt up to Oroville, WA. From Oroville I expect to make my next correspondence with the world. Until then I bid you adieu.
Sincerely,
Sam Haraldson
p.s. In my last correspondence I mentioned I might be too busy to respond to any replies to my mail. I don't believe this will be the case so feel free to comment or question whatever you fancy. My response may be short but will be heartfelt.
Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 3
Folks,
I'm in Oroville, Washington and am paying for internet time so this update will be unfortunately short. The public library (probably thanks to our current administration) is closed on Mondays.
I've made it most of the way across the hot, dry desert-like hills of the Okanogan Valley of Eastern Washington. Next up is the high country of the Paysaten Wilderness and North Cascades National Park. This is the part of the trip I've most anticipated. Between these two wild areas I will get to cover literally hundreds of miles of roadless area, broken only by a short ferry trip across Ross Lake.
My pack is at its heaviest right now with 8+ days of food and enough water to get between streams and lakes. I'm in great shape though and can put down twenty plus miles without too much thought now. I still enjoy getting to town and enjoying a cheeseburger and beer though.
A new batch of photos should be ready in the near future and my at-home-tech-support brother will be letting you all know when they're available. It's certainly good having folks such as him, my parents and girlfriend helping out on the home front.
Sincerely,
Sam Haraldson
Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 4
Fans and friends,
I've been walking the Pacific Northwest Trail for forty-eight days. Talk on two pleasurable days before that in Glacier National Park making my way to the official PNT start on the continental divide and that makes for an even fifty days. My mileage is somewhere in the 900 mile range thus far and my current location is Port Townsend, Washington.
The past few days have been a flurry of official PNT signage and trail blazes proving that the trail has a good local following and that locals are supporting it. It is a polar opposite from the off-trail sections and route-finding nightmares of Montana, Idaho and E. Washington.
Since my last update I've walked a seven day stretch without walking a road, walked stretches of the pristine beaches along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and also pounded dozens of miles of tense, high traffic pavement.
The crossing of Ross Lake in between the Paysaten Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park was like awaking from a dreamless sleep and finding yourself in the middle of Times Square. Previously I had been able to make mental notes of all the people I'd seen on the various trails I'd walked. Once I arrived in the lands of Western Washington it became apparent that people here really like to get out and after it in the woods as they were everywhere. I miss the solitude but am happy to see the trails getting good use. On a positive note it has given me a chance to spend time with some fellow campers - a number of whom will be receiving this update. The kindness and generosity of others (I love free beer, thanks, Gary!) in trade for nothing more than some backpacking stories or gear advice has been wonderful.
All the people out in the woods obviously live somewhere and the population density of the area shows. Finding places to camp in these lands which aren't mile after mile of National Forest like in previous sections of the hike can be more difficult. As of late I've had to put some of my stealth camping techniques to the test and have even (gasp!) paid for some state park camping. I travel light and only require a small earth footprint so with a bit of advice from some locals in a pub a choice spot in the local park can be quickly revealed.
Ahead of me lies a nice chunk of state and federal lands encompassing the bulk of the Olympic Peninsula's Olympic Mountain Range and the expansive coast of the Pacific Ocean. I'm ready to get back onto some entire days spent on trails and back to the true backpacking experience.
The latest batch of photos goes into the mail today so when my brother can find some time in his busy schedule he'll put those online for everyone to peruse. My next trail report will probably come post-hike and at that time I look forward to expanding in detail on some sections and answering any questions folks might have.
It's been great hearing people's commentary along the way so feel free to keep that coming. In closing let me leave you with the remark my superstar girlfriend, Sarah leaves me with when we talk on the phone, "happy hiking".
" Sam
Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 5
Fellow Hiking Enthusiasts (and wanna be's) -
My hike along the Pacific Northwest Trail grows near its end. I made excellent time across the Olympic Peninsula of Western Washington thus far, enjoying spectacular views of the the snowy peaked Olympic Mountains and (finally) the Pacific Ocean in all its glory. A near record setting day of 35 miles brought me into the town of Forks, WA last evening where I shared some floor space in a dugout of the local ball diamond with a fellow trekker who is making his way along a 1200 mile bike tour.
I secured permits to hike the Pacific Coast sections of Olympic National Park and set out toward that this afternoon. A few luxurious days hiking the beaches and headlands North and I will reach my final destination at Cape Alava. The excitement builds for the notion of completion but the dawning of an end to something amazing is also upon me.
Look forward (or not) to a final trail report, statistics and photos upon my completion and return to civilization. It's been fun sharing this all with you.
Sincerely,
Sam Haraldson
Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 6
To Those Fond of the Flora and the Fauna,
This is Sam again with the last of my trail reports in regards to my recent hike of the Pacific Northwest Trail. I arrived at Cape Alava in Olympic National Park, my final destination where the land and trail comes to a muted halt against the ebbing and flowing tides of the vast Pacific Ocean. The previous days hiking North along the coast I took at a slow pace, spending the morning hiking the beach at low tide and the afternoon relaxing in the sun (and rain) at gorgeous beachside campsites. Having never hiked an ocean coastline this was a top-five highlight of the trip for me. Taking the opportunity to slow down and savor my last days on the trail allowed much time for meditation and reflection.
Olympic National Park as a whole is contained within the confines of the Olympic Peninsula and plays host to a very diverse set of ecosystems from alpine peaks and ridges to subalpine meadows to low lying valleys of true rainforest. Due to a seriously damaging storm that took place within the past year the desired route out of the park along the Bogachiel river was now a place of hundreds of fallen tree tangles which the ONP trail crews have thusfar opted not to fix. I exited instead out the parallel Hoh river (a similar but busier rain forest trail). Seventeen miles of trail in the morning and eighteen plus miles of walking asphalt in the afternoon put me at the famous Highway 101 where I hitchhiked into Forks, WA (where I last sent out a trail report).
After attempting to hitchike in the pouring rain for nearly an hour I was finally picked up by a local fellow who was headed back down toward the Hoh river. If I didn't have an agenda I would have joined him, his family and and a few hundred others for a local music and camping gathering they were having but alas I had permits for the National Park, a conclusion of a great hike and a train ride back to the loves of my life in my near future.
Arriving at the ocean for the first time at the mouth of the Hoh river was the most exciting and emotional time of the whole hike - even precluding the somewhat meloncholy finish. I sat upon a large driftwood log, removed my shoes and socks carefully, rolled up my pants legs, put my camera on a slow timer mode and gently walked to the water's edge. I pondered the ocean for a second, looking out over it's vastness at the setting sun, the great colums of rock protruding forth from it's depths and the myriad pelicans and other shore birds before stepping forth into its chilled waters. I stood knee deep in the salty flow and felt my emotions welling up - contrasting the ebbing tide. I heard the camera flash behind me immortalizing that place and those feelings forever but I remained a bit longer, enjoying the feel of the sand gently grating over my feet and legs as the ocean's waves moved it's debris in and out, in and out.
Awaking later than usual the next day I was waved over by the family camped upwind from me a short distance. Their offer of morning coffee turned into coffee, pancakes, fresh trout and much quality conversation. Their kindness was a reminder to me of all the other helpful and sanity-stabilizing niceties folks had provided me on the trail.
Upon completion of those days along the coast I was faced with the possibly difficult task of hitchiking or walking the twenty miles from the Ozette Ranger Station to the town of Everett, WA where I was to catch the Amtrak. My two-month long streak of luck held out and after walking only five or six of the miles of road I was treated to a ride with some backpackers I'd seen on the trail. This was the kind of ride that hitchikers dream about. Not only were the companions in the car excited to discuss their own trip as well as mine they also wanted to stop for burgers along the way and were driving not only to the end of the road I needed to get to, but ALL the way to my final destination of Everett! I couldn't thank them enough and hope that paying most of the cost of the car ferry was at least a small token of my appreciation.
Arriving in Everett, WA I found the nearest hotels to be full which was a small letdown because I was finally ready to sleep under a roof after two months and have a long hot shower. Instead I at least found a dry and warm place to sleep in one of the garden sheds on display in the parking lot at Lowe's. I was able to awake early, have breakfast and check into a hotel early for a long bath and nap. After that it was a twenty-four hour wait for the next available Amtrak train.
I met some great folks with whom we shared great times and stories all the way from Everett to my exit at St. Paul, MN. Most of them were headed onward to Chicago and I wish them the best of luck in their pursuits at college, marriage and the other trials, tribulations and joys of life they were headed into and away from via the train.
That concludes the final report from the Pacific Northwest Trail. I will have more messages to send out as the last batch of photos are placed online as well as my journal entries and an extensive trip profile including all statistics and GPS datas I collected throughout the journey. These items will be available for perusal at your leisure by visiting http://samh.net/backpacking and clicking the links into backpacking and then Pacific Northwest Trail.
I have sincerely enjoyed both informing everyone of these pursuits as well as hearing your feedback. If at this time you wish to stop receiving my mailings please opt out by replying with a request to be removed from the backpacking listserv. If you don't mind a random message from me at times I will send out in-frequent updates in regards to the progress of the trip profile.
Sincerely,
Sam Haraldson
Pacific Northwest Trail Report
Interested Parties -
It's been some time since I last wrote with an update on my hike along the Pacific Northwest Trail. I've been done hiking for just over a month now, have settled back into city life in terms of apartment living, going back to work and spending time with family and friends. Life on the trail was minimal and straightforward but at the same time strenuous and consuming. I found time for little more than eating, hiking and sleeping. Re-entry into the swing of society in which time isn't determined by the rising and setting of the sun but rather the whim of the individual I've found myself operating later into the night, sleeping past sunrise and generally doing the things normal folks do.
City life has allowed me time to go over the images and words I captured to my camera and journal. I would like to share with you my fellow hikers, family and friends these words and pictures so that you may live vicariously through them, dream that you too may experience such things and relate them to your own adventures.
All my Web media is either available within the backpacking section of my Web site or via links there-in. Below are links directly to my photo galleries, (with many more photos than in previous releases), trail journals and videos at TrailJournals.com, Google Images and YouTube.
I would like to thank you all for the wonderful responses I received in regards to my mailings, the comments on my photos and questions of all sorts. In the coming months I will be presenting my thru hike in person at a number of locations such as W-Trek Outfitters in Duluth, MN, the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo in Minneapolis, MN and others TBA. If this is something you are interested please contact me for more information.
Gear Notes:
My gearlist is best viewed as a spreadsheet:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4n3O6NDaH_2Vw
Trip: Montana, Idaho and Washington - Pacific Northwest Trail Date: 6/21/2007 Trip Report: Intro: On June 21st, 2007 I begin walking at Glacier National Park with intent to move westward roughly 1200 miles reaching my goal of the Pacific Ocean in late August or early September. On August 20th, 2007 I reached that goal with a lightness in my step and a smile upon my face. Sixty-one glorious days of backpacking through the highlands and lowlands of the Pacific Northwest were an enlightening time for me both physically and mentally. Along the way I was cheered on by friends, family, friends of friends and friends of family - all of whom kept me motivated and proud of myself as well as proud of them for living vicariously through this in hopes that they too can someday challenge themselves to a task that I could follow from a afar, jealous of their endeavors. Trail Journals: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=4311 Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/sam.haraldson/UltralightBackpackingPacificNorthwestTrailThruHike Videos: http://youtube.com/sharaldson Trip Stats: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4nyxPuFqsqnQg%3Cbr Gear List: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4n3O6NDaH_2Vw'>http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4n3O6NDaH_2Vw Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 1 Firstly, my apologies if this arrives in your inbox twice as I'd rather you got this twice than not at all. Secondly, many of you haven't heard from me in months or years so read on to find out what I'm up to nowadays. For those of you who are in-the-know, read on as you're probably interested in hearing how things are going. On Thursday, June 21st I set off from Chief Mountain Ranger Station at Glacier National Park, embarking on the 1200 mile Pacific Northwest Trail ( http://pnt.org'>http://pnt.org ). At that time all my research and planning was put behind me and it was time to walk. I'm am currently one day ahead of schedule but will more than likely end behind schedule as I come across an interesting place or two to stop and spend a day. I plan to be done hiking sometime after August 24th. As of today, July 5th, 2007 I have reached the small town of Bonner's Ferry, Idaho approximately 225 miles from where I started. I have been averaging roughly 18 or 19 miles of hiking per day. Primarily I hike on hiking trails, secondly, Forest Service logging roads and thirdly (but rarely fortunately) asphalt highways. The gear I've chosen to carry with me was all selected (and some handmade by my girlfriend and I) for both it's durability and lightweight. Thusfar I am quite happy with my choices in gear as all is holding up well and not weighing me down. For those amongst you whom consider yourselves gear heads, you can view my gear list at my Web site ( http://samh.net/backpacking'>http://samh.net/backpacking'>http://samh.net/backpacking ). I have mailed one memory card of digital pictures home and my brother has kindly offered to put those up on my Web site for viewing. Perhaps he will copy all the e-mail addresses to whom I've sent this message and let you know when those are available for viewing. I've seen very few people on the trails thusfar as Northwest Montana (where I've spent 99% of my time) is not very populated. I get my share of socializing however when I come down out of the mountains and have to walk through a town to pick up another package of food from the post office. Last night I even hiked a bit extra to get into town to watch the Independance Day fireworks (and more importantly eat a couple double cheeseburgers). I won't be checking my e-mail again for quite some time so if your comments can wait until after I've complete my journey it would be most appreciated as my Internet time is limited at public libraries. Although if you'd like to comment quickly I do like hearing how everyone is doing. Feel free to reply to this message or use the Contact Form on my Web site ( http://samh.net/backpacking ) To close I'll quote an individual whom I met one night camping, "Don't live life - experience it." Sincerely, Sam Haraldson Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 2 Folks, Day twenty-two on the Pacific Northwest Trail ( http://pnt.org ). I've been averaging somewhere near twenty miles per day. My shortest day was thirteen miles and my longest was thirty-seven. It's only rained on me once so I'm awaiting some kind of torrential downpour. It would be a welcome respite from the temps which have topped 105 deg. F. Early morning hiking has been a necessity to keep cool and I've been consuming upwards of two gallons of water a day. The snow that plagued my weary ankles in the high country of Western Montana and into Idaho is gone in all but the smallest little patches now. With the disappearance of the snow will also come the disappearance of some of the small snow-melt creeks which made stocking up on water so easy. I'll have to pay close attention to "tanking up" with water when the chance arises and have made notes in my trail guides as to where the best water resources are in the upcoming miles. I'm now in the sere brown hills of Eastern Washington which albeit not the tremendous peaks and valleys of Montana's Rocky Mountains or Idaho's Selkirks still hold their own in elevation gain/loss (especially compared with my homeland of Minnesota). The area I am about to embark into is not as highly developed from a recreational standpoint so more of my immediate travels will be on Forest Service roads than on trails. The roads provide good grade and level walking and typically are closed to vehicular traffic so they still provide for quality walking. I've seen some diverse landscapes, from the rocky balds and snow packed heights of Boulder Pass in Glacier National Park to the old growth cedar forests, complete with trees in excess of eight feet in diameter of the Salmo Priest Wilderness. Next is the drier hills of Easter Washington's Kettle Crest with the deep canyons of the Paysaten Wilderness and the lush expanses of North Cascades National Park to follow. Alas, I get ahead of myself. I've much country to explore in Colville and Okanagan National Forests first and you'll hear from me again mid-exploration of those lands. Tomorrow morning I set off with eight days of food in search of Bonaparte Lake Resort (NE of Tonasket, WA) where I'll pick up three more days supplies for a quick jaunt up to Oroville, WA. From Oroville I expect to make my next correspondence with the world. Until then I bid you adieu. Sincerely, Sam Haraldson p.s. In my last correspondence I mentioned I might be too busy to respond to any replies to my mail. I don't believe this will be the case so feel free to comment or question whatever you fancy. My response may be short but will be heartfelt. Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 3 Folks, I'm in Oroville, Washington and am paying for internet time so this update will be unfortunately short. The public library (probably thanks to our current administration) is closed on Mondays. I've made it most of the way across the hot, dry desert-like hills of the Okanogan Valley of Eastern Washington. Next up is the high country of the Paysaten Wilderness and North Cascades National Park. This is the part of the trip I've most anticipated. Between these two wild areas I will get to cover literally hundreds of miles of roadless area, broken only by a short ferry trip across Ross Lake. My pack is at its heaviest right now with 8+ days of food and enough water to get between streams and lakes. I'm in great shape though and can put down twenty plus miles without too much thought now. I still enjoy getting to town and enjoying a cheeseburger and beer though. A new batch of photos should be ready in the near future and my at-home-tech-support brother will be letting you all know when they're available. It's certainly good having folks such as him, my parents and girlfriend helping out on the home front. Sincerely, Sam Haraldson Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 4 Fans and friends, I've been walking the Pacific Northwest Trail for forty-eight days. Talk on two pleasurable days before that in Glacier National Park making my way to the official PNT start on the continental divide and that makes for an even fifty days. My mileage is somewhere in the 900 mile range thus far and my current location is Port Townsend, Washington. The past few days have been a flurry of official PNT signage and trail blazes proving that the trail has a good local following and that locals are supporting it. It is a polar opposite from the off-trail sections and route-finding nightmares of Montana, Idaho and E. Washington. Since my last update I've walked a seven day stretch without walking a road, walked stretches of the pristine beaches along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and also pounded dozens of miles of tense, high traffic pavement. The crossing of Ross Lake in between the Paysaten Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park was like awaking from a dreamless sleep and finding yourself in the middle of Times Square. Previously I had been able to make mental notes of all the people I'd seen on the various trails I'd walked. Once I arrived in the lands of Western Washington it became apparent that people here really like to get out and after it in the woods as they were everywhere. I miss the solitude but am happy to see the trails getting good use. On a positive note it has given me a chance to spend time with some fellow campers - a number of whom will be receiving this update. The kindness and generosity of others (I love free beer, thanks, Gary!) in trade for nothing more than some backpacking stories or gear advice has been wonderful. All the people out in the woods obviously live somewhere and the population density of the area shows. Finding places to camp in these lands which aren't mile after mile of National Forest like in previous sections of the hike can be more difficult. As of late I've had to put some of my stealth camping techniques to the test and have even (gasp!) paid for some state park camping. I travel light and only require a small earth footprint so with a bit of advice from some locals in a pub a choice spot in the local park can be quickly revealed. Ahead of me lies a nice chunk of state and federal lands encompassing the bulk of the Olympic Peninsula's Olympic Mountain Range and the expansive coast of the Pacific Ocean. I'm ready to get back onto some entire days spent on trails and back to the true backpacking experience. The latest batch of photos goes into the mail today so when my brother can find some time in his busy schedule he'll put those online for everyone to peruse. My next trail report will probably come post-hike and at that time I look forward to expanding in detail on some sections and answering any questions folks might have. It's been great hearing people's commentary along the way so feel free to keep that coming. In closing let me leave you with the remark my superstar girlfriend, Sarah leaves me with when we talk on the phone, "happy hiking". " Sam Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 5 Fellow Hiking Enthusiasts (and wanna be's) - My hike along the Pacific Northwest Trail grows near its end. I made excellent time across the Olympic Peninsula of Western Washington thus far, enjoying spectacular views of the the snowy peaked Olympic Mountains and (finally) the Pacific Ocean in all its glory. A near record setting day of 35 miles brought me into the town of Forks, WA last evening where I shared some floor space in a dugout of the local ball diamond with a fellow trekker who is making his way along a 1200 mile bike tour. I secured permits to hike the Pacific Coast sections of Olympic National Park and set out toward that this afternoon. A few luxurious days hiking the beaches and headlands North and I will reach my final destination at Cape Alava. The excitement builds for the notion of completion but the dawning of an end to something amazing is also upon me. Look forward (or not) to a final trail report, statistics and photos upon my completion and return to civilization. It's been fun sharing this all with you. Sincerely, Sam Haraldson Pacific Northwest Trail Report No. 6 To Those Fond of the Flora and the Fauna, This is Sam again with the last of my trail reports in regards to my recent hike of the Pacific Northwest Trail. I arrived at Cape Alava in Olympic National Park, my final destination where the land and trail comes to a muted halt against the ebbing and flowing tides of the vast Pacific Ocean. The previous days hiking North along the coast I took at a slow pace, spending the morning hiking the beach at low tide and the afternoon relaxing in the sun (and rain) at gorgeous beachside campsites. Having never hiked an ocean coastline this was a top-five highlight of the trip for me. Taking the opportunity to slow down and savor my last days on the trail allowed much time for meditation and reflection. Olympic National Park as a whole is contained within the confines of the Olympic Peninsula and plays host to a very diverse set of ecosystems from alpine peaks and ridges to subalpine meadows to low lying valleys of true rainforest. Due to a seriously damaging storm that took place within the past year the desired route out of the park along the Bogachiel river was now a place of hundreds of fallen tree tangles which the ONP trail crews have thusfar opted not to fix. I exited instead out the parallel Hoh river (a similar but busier rain forest trail). Seventeen miles of trail in the morning and eighteen plus miles of walking asphalt in the afternoon put me at the famous Highway 101 where I hitchhiked into Forks, WA (where I last sent out a trail report). After attempting to hitchike in the pouring rain for nearly an hour I was finally picked up by a local fellow who was headed back down toward the Hoh river. If I didn't have an agenda I would have joined him, his family and and a few hundred others for a local music and camping gathering they were having but alas I had permits for the National Park, a conclusion of a great hike and a train ride back to the loves of my life in my near future. Arriving at the ocean for the first time at the mouth of the Hoh river was the most exciting and emotional time of the whole hike - even precluding the somewhat meloncholy finish. I sat upon a large driftwood log, removed my shoes and socks carefully, rolled up my pants legs, put my camera on a slow timer mode and gently walked to the water's edge. I pondered the ocean for a second, looking out over it's vastness at the setting sun, the great colums of rock protruding forth from it's depths and the myriad pelicans and other shore birds before stepping forth into its chilled waters. I stood knee deep in the salty flow and felt my emotions welling up - contrasting the ebbing tide. I heard the camera flash behind me immortalizing that place and those feelings forever but I remained a bit longer, enjoying the feel of the sand gently grating over my feet and legs as the ocean's waves moved it's debris in and out, in and out. Awaking later than usual the next day I was waved over by the family camped upwind from me a short distance. Their offer of morning coffee turned into coffee, pancakes, fresh trout and much quality conversation. Their kindness was a reminder to me of all the other helpful and sanity-stabilizing niceties folks had provided me on the trail. Upon completion of those days along the coast I was faced with the possibly difficult task of hitchiking or walking the twenty miles from the Ozette Ranger Station to the town of Everett, WA where I was to catch the Amtrak. My two-month long streak of luck held out and after walking only five or six of the miles of road I was treated to a ride with some backpackers I'd seen on the trail. This was the kind of ride that hitchikers dream about. Not only were the companions in the car excited to discuss their own trip as well as mine they also wanted to stop for burgers along the way and were driving not only to the end of the road I needed to get to, but ALL the way to my final destination of Everett! I couldn't thank them enough and hope that paying most of the cost of the car ferry was at least a small token of my appreciation. Arriving in Everett, WA I found the nearest hotels to be full which was a small letdown because I was finally ready to sleep under a roof after two months and have a long hot shower. Instead I at least found a dry and warm place to sleep in one of the garden sheds on display in the parking lot at Lowe's. I was able to awake early, have breakfast and check into a hotel early for a long bath and nap. After that it was a twenty-four hour wait for the next available Amtrak train. I met some great folks with whom we shared great times and stories all the way from Everett to my exit at St. Paul, MN. Most of them were headed onward to Chicago and I wish them the best of luck in their pursuits at college, marriage and the other trials, tribulations and joys of life they were headed into and away from via the train. That concludes the final report from the Pacific Northwest Trail. I will have more messages to send out as the last batch of photos are placed online as well as my journal entries and an extensive trip profile including all statistics and GPS datas I collected throughout the journey. These items will be available for perusal at your leisure by visiting http://samh.net/backpacking and clicking the links into backpacking and then Pacific Northwest Trail. I have sincerely enjoyed both informing everyone of these pursuits as well as hearing your feedback. If at this time you wish to stop receiving my mailings please opt out by replying with a request to be removed from the backpacking listserv. If you don't mind a random message from me at times I will send out in-frequent updates in regards to the progress of the trip profile. Sincerely, Sam Haraldson Pacific Northwest Trail Report Interested Parties - It's been some time since I last wrote with an update on my hike along the Pacific Northwest Trail. I've been done hiking for just over a month now, have settled back into city life in terms of apartment living, going back to work and spending time with family and friends. Life on the trail was minimal and straightforward but at the same time strenuous and consuming. I found time for little more than eating, hiking and sleeping. Re-entry into the swing of society in which time isn't determined by the rising and setting of the sun but rather the whim of the individual I've found myself operating later into the night, sleeping past sunrise and generally doing the things normal folks do. City life has allowed me time to go over the images and words I captured to my camera and journal. I would like to share with you my fellow hikers, family and friends these words and pictures so that you may live vicariously through them, dream that you too may experience such things and relate them to your own adventures. All my Web media is either available within the backpacking section of my Web site or via links there-in. Below are links directly to my photo galleries, (with many more photos than in previous releases), trail journals and videos at TrailJournals.com, Google Images and YouTube. I would like to thank you all for the wonderful responses I received in regards to my mailings, the comments on my photos and questions of all sorts. In the coming months I will be presenting my thru hike in person at a number of locations such as W-Trek Outfitters in Duluth, MN, the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo in Minneapolis, MN and others TBA. If this is something you are interested please contact me for more information. Gear Notes: My gearlist is best viewed as a spreadsheet: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pLvFrzvWtc4n3O6NDaH_2Vw