Going for Olympic Gold

I was not able to attend the real Summer Olympic Games in London, therefore I had to create the Slater Olympic National Park Games. I was a contender in the following events: camping, hiking and relaxing. Game on.

My Campsite 

Camping. The key to a good camping experience is to select the right campsite. As a solo camper, I opted against the backcountry camping because I am not quite comfortable in all of my navigational and survival skills. In Olympic National Park there are a plethora of good campgrounds. Without a car, the number of easily accessible campgrounds is limited. I selected the Fairholme National Park campground located on Lake Crescent. It was a short walk from a bus stop (by bus stop I mean a grassy patch on the side of the road) and was located on the shores of Lake Crescent. When first arriving at a campground, it is important to check out all of the sites before you select one. In Fairholme there are secluded sites up on the hill that feel very much like you are backcountry camping but there are also walk-in sites at the bottom of the hill that are prime lakefront property. I selected site 90, on the shores of the lake but also the furthest campground so I had neighbors on one side but the rugged wilderness on the other side. There are no shortages of trees in Olympic National Park so the hammock hanging was a piece of cake. The other benefit of being a wooded area was quickly realized during a late night thunderstorm. Thunder and lightening in a tent can be a harrowing experience but the enormous trees protecting me eased my discomfort. My tent was barely wet in the morning. Protection from the elements, check. Scenic view, check. Proper hammock hanging, check. Limited human interaction, check. Gold Medal #1. These games are off to a great start.  

"The Slide" on Pyramid Peak Trail

Hiking. Once again, not having a car limited my hiking options, but I still had some pretty good options. The campsite information board did not have any listings of hiking trails in the area, but thankfully when at the National Park Visitor’s Center at Hurricane Ridge I purchased some topographical maps of a few areas in the park, and luckily one of those was of the Lake Crescent area. It had hiking trails identified. The main event hike of the week was to Pyramid Peak. It was a short 3.5 mile hike to the top but the trailhead was 3.5 miles down an old park road. Round trip on the day it would be about a 14 mile trek.  At the beginning of the trail there was a warning sign of dangerous trail conditions at the “Slide Area.” It peaked my curiosity, so I figured I would check it out. Along the trail I met a couple that had made it about 3 miles and hit the slide area and turned around. The woman said, “You’ll keep thinking you’re at the slide area but then you’ll really be at the slide area and know it.” She was right. There were what I like to call mini-slides along the route with downed trees and rocks but when I got to the landslide, it was a legit landslide. The side of the mountain was completely wiped out of trees and all that remained was loose dirt and patches of rocks sticking out. I took my time assessing whether there was a safe route around, maybe walking down the hill a bit and crossing over. I saw footsteps of others who had trekked across where I assume the trail used to be but I lost my footing a few times just getting towards that point. As disappointing as it was to be so close to the top, I turned around. Maybe, and I stress maybe, if I was with someone else I might have made a go of it but if I fell and was hurt badly, there might not be anyone up there for days. I have my first aid and survival kit, food and water but not enough to keep me warm overnight. In the risk versus reward analysis, risk won. Unfortunately they don’t give medals for good decision making.  A minor setback, but let’s see if I can rebound in my next event! 

Sunset View from the hammock

Relaxing.  It took me a few days into this trip to really chill-out. Usually when I am on a trip I get myself so concerned with seeing everything that I can that I end up running myself ragged for a few weeks and never relaxing. I come home and need a vacation from the vacation. I was conscious this trip to not let that happen.  I tried to create an atmosphere of relaxation. Camping in the same spot for 5 nights would provide opportunities to explore the area but also the chance to sit back and enjoy the scenery. My gear for the relaxation event included, a Brazilian hammock, four books and yarn. The view of the lake from my hammock was breathtaking but I can stare out at the water for only so long. I needed something to do while I was lounging around. I read two of the books (Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park and John Krakauer’s Into The Wild).  The big relaxation win was the kickass scarf I crocheted while lying in the hammock. I hadn’t crocheted in a long time but there was a JoAnne Fabric store near my hotel in Port Angeles and I thought it might be a good relaxation tool. It was the best $8 I spent on this trip. I didn’t do anything fancy. A scarf is about as simple of a project as you can get, but that was the beauty of it. I didn’t have to think. My hands just did it and my mind was clear to think or not think about something else. Between reading, crocheting and napping in the hammock, I was finally able to relax, definitely gold medal material. 

Coming home with two gold medals and the knowledge that I gave it my all in the other event, I feel pretty proud of my accomplishments. After a hot meal and an even hotter shower I will be ready for my Today Show interview showing off my bling! Take that Michael Phelps.