Big Creek

 The trials are so much busier than they were when I first started hiking in the Olympics, but I had a job in Hoodsport so I decided to walk the Big Creek trail to the overlook.  I used to be guaranteed solitude on this route.  I always had the connector trail all to myself.  Those days are long over.  The only solitude I find is when I go completely off trail.

It started to hail at the beginning of this walk but no precipitation was forecast until 4pm, so I shrugged it off.  But soon it began to stick a bit, still I shrugged it off.  

By the time I reached the connector trail it was snowing but I figured I was up high enough that it was probably still rain down at the road.  But just as I reached the first switchback that is clearly on an old road I could see the snow was coming down hard.  Uh oh!

I decided I better turn back if I wanted to have any chance of being able to drive home. Also my shoes were starting to get wet.  I was not prepared for snow!

I took a short cut on the way down.  Two other cars were leaving the parking lot as I got back down to my car.  Everyone had left or was leaving fast.

On the road there was heavy snow coming down but I knew that I had time to get back down to the Hood Canal where I suspected it would be raining.

I made it out just fine and it was dry down on the canal.  I killed some time in my car just wanting to be away from home.

  There is a horrible loud construction project that stages all it's machines and piles of dirt and garbage behind my house. This is the fourth month of it and it is driving me up the walls.  My PTSD is in overdrive with then noise, vibrations and lack of privacy in my home. 

I try to get out of the house before they get going in the morning and try not to return until they are done.  

This was Bella's first time on a trail with lots of people (we saw about a dozen other hikers) and she did well.  She is timid so she does not pester people at all. 

4.5 miles with 1,250 elevation gain

My steepest hike this year.