Ten running miles, but 26 total on my feet. High Divide Loop in the Olympics, incredible day on the mountain. Since it's been a week and my brain is foggy from a few days of corporate meetings for work, the abbreviated report:
I went up with a group of guys that invited me for the hike. The High Divide is a trail that heads north to south into the Olympics, and is about the best view of Mount Olympus you can get on foot. It's an 18-mile loop most people do as an overnight. We broke up into a fast group and slower group at the start. We headed up past Deer Lake (where there were two deer) and the 7 Lakes Basin. Then the three of us hiked a two-mile extension down to a lake for lunch (Lunch Lake, of course) and back up through some snow. Really fun first 1/3 of the hike, weather was beautiful and we were moving, and I had a ton of energy. Then I left the group and ran a few miles up to the High Divide Crest. I passed a group of six mountain goats, a lot of hikers, including a woman who said "you shouldn't be smiling that much." I guess it showed. Felt great climbing, it's not an intense uphill but does gain 4k, so I really was feeling it. After the High Divide I picked a spur trail out to Cat Basin and the Cat Walk. Another downhill and climb out of the basin, then I was on a really steep slope looking at Olympus and down through the Hoh River Valley. I kept moving, but slowed some of the run because I didn't want to slide down a few thousand feet. Footing was a bit dodgy, and it struck me how alone I was.
Finally the "Cat's Walk" was too shifty to keep running, and I headed back that trail. Had to walk 1/2 a mile or so on the last uphill, I was pretty gassed, had tweaked my ankel and had been out of water longer than I planned. Played it safe. When it leveled out I took off again through some snow fields. After the miles on the trail I met the team again at Heart Lake, cooled my feet in a stream and then got ready to go. I probably could have run down the last 7, though it would have beat me up considering the ankle and some cramping. And I wanted some more time with the guys, so I hiked with Tim and got to know him. Finished and drank what has to have been one of the best three beers of my life. So thirsty. I'd recommend it any day of the week, and I'm going back to run the whole thing at some point.
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