Kamilchee Ridge

 

My first time back to this area since we got back to the states.  This was the first hike I did with my new handmade backpack and also the last hike I did before my husband died.  I also got bit by a dog on that hike, my husband was confused and I could not convince him it was a dog bite and not a tick bite.

So lots of memories here.  I put track logs and fresh batteries in my GPS(r) a day or two before.  I was not sure if I still new the way after all this time.  I must have left my GPS(r) on so when I got to the start of my hike the batteries were dead.  

I thought about  going back home to get batteries but,  I opted to use my phone and I had no trouble with navigation.  My phone battery went almostdead very fast, before I knew it, it was down to 20%.   I had upgraded to IOS 16 the night before and it was hogging up my battery indexing stuff I determined when I got home and did a web search.

When I got the the top of the hill, I suddenly was hit with another memory.  I had been sitting in my lunch spot up here when Air New Zealand called me to finalize some details of my second flight to New Zealand to be with the love of my life.  My love who dumped me after I gave up EVERYTHING to be with them. 

 It was one year ago last week that I saw her for the very last time.  I'm still not sure what happened. The more I think about it the more I realize she had some issues with OCD.  I still love her, my heart is still broken.  I'm still bitter and angry.  I want to move on though.

Bella had a good time but she was ready to get in the car and go home at the end of the hike.  She devoured the dogfood I gave her at lunch time.  I'm glad she will eat dogfood instead of just begging for my food.

Bella likes to cuddle at lunch time and that would be wonderful except she won't sit still, so I have to push her away after a bit. 

10 miles 1,000 feet elevation gain according to my phone.

My phone records more miles than my GPS(r) does. 

I use the phone ap Topo GPS.

This road has been widened, that probably means logging in the area soon

Road ends here.  I brush crash to get the the next
road up.  This is a shorter route.

I think these are fried chicken mushrooms Lyophyllum decastes

Lyophyllum decastes I think

She just won't sit still when she cuddles

I was expecting way more snow than this

December days are so dark and dead and dreamy
The sun never really comes up

Lyophyllum decastes I think. 
The mushroom in the above photo is different

Tired dog at the last coffee break

Next are photos from the last hike I did before my husband died and the first hike I did with this pack.

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. 

Dayton Peak

We were happy to find this water.  I did not
pack enough water for this hike, it was not my plan to go this far

I didn't mean to do such a long hike yesterday, but I'm so glad that I did.  Maybe I am coming out of my rut now and can start doing longer hikes regularly.

I finally managed to almost walk the legs off of Bella too.

The view is gone though, little trees have grown up.  So I might not bother ever going back again.  Sad, I felt like I was on top of the world up there looking down at everything.  

9 miles with 800 feet elevation gain.

I made a few wrong turns that added to my mileage.  My Topo GPS ap said we went over ten miles.

On the way out I took a long break at a frozen pond.  The ice was thawing and making all kinds of noises. Bella was very distracted by the sounds.  She was funny to watch.

Rotten Reshi I found on the ground and did not keep