[TR] Mount Carrie - Smoot Direct 09/11/2022

[JasonG]

Trip: Mount Carrie - Smoot Direct

Trip Date: 09/11/2022

Trip Report:

 

Perhaps the only upside to shattering my thumb this spring is that I have been catching up on my Smoots this summer.  In fact, I'm at 99 after an ascent of Carrie a few weeks ago with @cfire.  With each peak, I'm pretty impressed with this list ( it is back in print!).  Not many bad outings in the book and some are very, very good.  This is one of them, not for any classic climbing but for jaw dropping views across the valley at the Olympus massif.  And so you'd better like pictures of Olympus, because you're about to be assaulted.

 

Given the long drive we did the trip over three reasonable days:  Day 1 was up the Sol Duc to the High Divide (prepare for combat parking at the TH);  Day 2 was out to Carrie and back;  And Day 3 was finishing the High Divide West to the headwaters of the Bogachiel and back to the Sol Duc.  Every day we saw bears out and about, fattening up on berries before the winter snows come.  We also saw quite a few people doing the loop in a day (the Olympics version of the Enchantments thru hike?), since permits are hard to get.  Despite that, this is a busy loop, lots of people everywhere but Carrie (we saw nobody on our ascent). But, as you'll see below, it is worth the hassle of planning ahead.  The High Divide is about as Olympics as it gets!

Heart Lake:

Carrie in the smoke out there:

Olympus!

Summit views to the SE.  No idea what most of these peaks are, but I know @olyclimber does!:

We enjoyed watching the ravens on the summit.  They were battling with each other and raptors that invaded "their" territory:

Cumbre!

Heading down, Hoh below:

Carrie is choss pile on the right.  Not as bad as it looks though!

I lugged my tripod all the way in, but should have looked a bit more closely at the moon phase:

The classic Sol Duc falls (I cropped out the crowds):

The trusty Civic is still intact with beers inside!

Gear Notes:
Clothes, shoes, whiskey.

Approach Notes:
High Divide, clockwise

[olyclimber]

I came in 14th in my race, in the heat and smoke at Marymoor. I wiped out twice. Wish I could have joined you, but this cyclocross stuff is turning out to be pretty fun. Got my 4th race in Arlington on Sunday. 
 

I will definitely go camp at this spot next year.  Glad you got to tick it off, it is beautiful back in there.

[tanstaafl]

I've been waiting for this one.  As usual the pics do not disappoint.  Looks like a fabulous trip; what gorgeous colors in that Heart Lake photo.

[Kuato]

Thanks for the post.  Nice pictures too.  I've been thinking about this peak.  The views in the Olympics are the best part.

[Fairweather]

Those are some great photos of a great looking trip. Just when I'm ready to ditch my real camera for my phone cam you have to go and post photos like this!

[JasonG]

Thanks!  Yes, a real camera still does things a phone can't do, at least for now.   But I would like to find something not quite as heavy.  Got to convince the finance minister that I NEED a mirrorless full-frame camera.📷

[Fairweather]

I spent a few days XC in the Olympics this last summer. Can you name the lake?

[JasonG]

I can't, but I bet @olyclimber can....