Dosewallips after the storm

Hoarfrost

After not hiking for over a week I was more than ready to get out.  My nerves were frazzled.  Recently the washout before the washout on Dosewallips came back.  When I heard this I decided to hike up there and see what other damage may have been done to the area after the recent floods.

It was the day after Christmas so there was not a lot of daylight to work with.  I got up early and was on the road by 7:20.  I found the washout before the washout and I decided that a Jeep Wrangler could get through it.  Maybe even a Jeep Cherokee could do the job if not for two big rocks sticking up waiting to catch the differential.

I walked to the old closed car campground and had my lunch and tea there.  I cooked my lunch as I still have plenty of food left over from my PCT planning.  This was my first time using my new purple titanium cup.  The purple coloring on it might be fragile, so I don’t know what will happen the first time I put it over an alcohol flame. I’m hoping that the gentle alcohol flame will not discolor it.

My lunch was rice with dehydrated hamburger with a few spoons full of powdered beans and dehydrated bell peppers.  I get huge cans of minced dehydrated bell peppers at Wal-Mart for about $12.00.  My coffee was Vinacafe brand 3 in 1 instant.  I love that stuff!  I packed chop sticks because I saw them in the store and I just had to buy them.

On my way out just before I reached Elkhorn camp my legs began to hurt with each step, so I knew I was near the 12 mile mark.  It never fails, when I hit 12 miles I start hurting.  I took a break at Elkhorn to have a second cup of coffee even though I knew it meant that I might be hiking out in the dark.

The second break did my body wonders and I hiked the rest of the way out without pain.  I used my USB hand warmer during my breaks and during the last hour or so of my hike.  My hand warmer worked out really well for me it kept my hands warm and  I was able to avoid having to dig into my pack to look for my headlamp because my hand warmer has a small flashlight built in.  

As I approached the parking area a car drove up.  I hoped that nice people were in the car.  I saw the movie “Wild” just before Christmas and there were enough creeping rapey scenes in the movie, that I might be a little bit on edge for the next few hikes.  A man got out of the car and asked me how to get to Dosewallips State park.  Poor guy, he was a long way off track.  He had seen the signs for the National park and turned off the highway about ½ mile too soon.  I gave him directions and he took off in a hurry hoping to reach camp in time as the sun had already set.

  I don’t like driving in the twilight, I’d rather drive in the dark, so  when I got to my car I had a cup of tea from my waiting thermos and I sent a text message home.  The tea in my thermos was still hot, but not nearly as hot as it was when I first brewed it.

I’m going to call it

13.5 miles with 1,100 feet elevation gain.

The washout before the washout

Sunset