Olympic Rainshadow Explorers

weather permitting
Let's attempt this one last time! Right now the forecast is showing full sun. I'm hoping a week of rain will stop all the wildfire smoke.
This is a challenging 7.5 mile round-trip, out and back hike with 2,300 elevation gain/loss that starts at Little Quilcene trailhead at the end of FS 2820. No parking pass required.
There are several trailheads to get to Mt. Townsend. We will be using the trailhead off Lord's Lake Loop Rd to Little Quilcene Rd (NF 2909). The forest service roads will have potholes and ruts so higher clearance vehicles are better.
There are several trailheads with the name Quilcene in them. Make sure you are using the correct route before you leave as there is no cell service out there.
(For some reason the app keeps moving the pin I place on the map. Please check the directions)

We will begin with a steep uphill hike for the first mile or so. We will continue ascending via Dirty Face Ridge where we will have views of the Olympic Mountains to the west. We will take the Mt. Townsend trail to the summit at 6,280 feet elevation. On a clear day, we will be able to see the San Juan Islands, Canada, Mt Baker, Mt. Rainier, the Cascade Range and Seattle.
It can be cold and windy at the top, so bring layers. Depending on the weather, we will either stop for snacks here, or head back down a bit to get out of the wind. I highly recommend bringing trekking poles as the trail can be steep and slippery.
Carpooling from Sequim will leave the John Wayne Marina at 815am.

This is our weekly walk at the Dungeness Recreation Area and the Spit, tides permitting.
This event will take place whether or not I can attend.
Please check the weather before you head out. Stormy weather will cancel this event.
We will park in the dirt lot just past the entry gates. We will walk along the bluff trail, with fabulous views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We will walk down to the Spit, so bring your National Park pass to show the volunteers at the top of the trail (between May and October when the trail to the beach is monitored). One pass will admit 4 walkers. The walk to the Spit is about .5 miles on a paved walkway and includes one short, steep hill to the beach. Depending on the tides and weather, we may walk the beach for a bit before returning back up the hill. We will then take the dirt trail on the east side of the Recreation Area and head back to our cars.
Expect to walk 3.5 to 4 miles with elevation gain/loss around 65 feet.
Leashed dogs are allowed, except on the trail to the Spit. If you bring a dog, you will have to skip the walk down to the beach and take one of the several trails through the park.
Bathrooms are available.
No parking pass required.
Because there are multiple trails to choose from, we may mix it up and explore the other routes in the park.

weather permitting
This is a challenging 11 mile round-trip, out and back hike with 3,500 feet of elevation gain/loss. This trail starts at Upper Big Quilcene Trailhead #833 in the Buckhorn Wilderness of Olympic National Forest. Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful, Senior Lifetime National Park pass or similar is required to be displayed on each vehicle. Dogs are allowed in the National Forest.

Carpooling is encouraged. The final 2 or 3 miles of road to the trailhead has lots of pot holes.

This is a beautiful, well maintained trail that starts out in the forest adjacent to the Quilcene River for about 2 miles or so. We then begin to ascend up the ridge, eventually getting views of the amazing peaks around us. We also traverse 3 short segments of rock fall as we continue up to Marmot Pass at a little over 5 miles up. The views here are stunning and we will find a spot to have snacks and enjoy views of the peaks beyond us in the Olympic Range.
This hike should take about 7 hours to complete.
If you want to summit Buckhorn Mountain, it is about 1 mile and 900 feet of elevation gain.

This is our weekly walk at the Dungeness Recreation Area and the Spit, tides permitting.
This event will take place whether or not I can attend.
Please check the weather before you head out. Stormy weather will cancel this event.
We will park in the dirt lot just past the entry gates. We will walk along the bluff trail, with fabulous views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We will walk down to the Spit, so bring your National Park pass to show the volunteers at the top of the trail (between May and October when the trail to the beach is monitored). One pass will admit 4 walkers. The walk to the Spit is about .5 miles on a paved walkway and includes one short, steep hill to the beach. Depending on the tides and weather, we may walk the beach for a bit before returning back up the hill. We will then take the dirt trail on the east side of the Recreation Area and head back to our cars.
Expect to walk 3.5 to 4 miles with elevation gain/loss around 65 feet.
Leashed dogs are allowed, except on the trail to the Spit. If you bring a dog, you will have to skip the walk down to the beach and take one of the several trails through the park.
Bathrooms are available.
No parking pass required.
Because there are multiple trails to choose from, we may mix it up and explore the other routes in the park.