Trip Date: September 12-14, 2008
Mt. Carrie Climbing Trip & Seven Lakes Loop: Bridge Creek to Canyon Creek
Sol Duc Park aka Soleduck Park
Heart Lake
High Divide
Cat Basin
The Catwalk
Mount Carrie (6995′)
Bogachiel Peak / Lookout (5474′)
Bogachiel Pass
Deer Lake
Trip Report Summary
Region: Olympic Mountains (Washington)
Sub-Region: Mt. Olympus – Bailey Range Group
Area: Olympic National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Sol Duc River Trailhead at end of Sol Duc Hot Springs Road (Elev. 2000 feet)
Way Points: Sol Duc River & Sol Duc Falls & Appleton Pass Trail junction & Bridge Creek & Sol Duc Park & Heart Lake & Heart Lake Saddle & East High Divide & Cat Basin & Heart Lake Saddle & West High Divide & Bogachiel Pass & Lunch Lake Trail junction & Deer Lake & Canyon Creek & Sol Duc River Bridge (trail hike)
Campsites: Cat Basin & Heart Lake Saddle on High Divide
Sidetrip: The Catwalk (trail hike & rock scramble)
Summit: Mt. Carrie (off-trail hike & rock scramble via Southwest Ridge—Southwest Basin)
Summit: Bogachiel Peak (hike via lookout trail)
Approximate Stats (excluding sidetrips): 18.5 miles traveled; 3500 feet gained & lost.
Approximate Stats (including sidetrips): 29 miles traveled; 7000 feet gained & lost.
Full Trip Report
During a weekend of beautiful autumn weather, Eileen and Jim A. and I spent three days in the Olympics doing the superb Seven Lakes Loop.
Day 1: Trailhead to Cat Basin
On Friday, we hiked up the Sol Duc River, through Sol Duc Park, past Heart Lake, and over to Cat Basin (8.2 hours from TH). The mosquitoes were surprisingly bad there, but only for an hour or two at sunup and sundown. The night was frost-eee!
- Heart Lake
- Camp In Cat Basin
Day 2 (AM): Mt. Carrie Summit Climb
On Saturday, Jim A spent the day stalking and photographing bears (we saw two above camp and several others elsewhere), while Eileen and I headed out for Mt Carrie. The crux of the climb was the scrambling traverse across the “Catwalk,” which is a jagged ridge crest between Cat and Carrie; the rest of Carrie was a H.I.P. (hands-in-pockets) ascent.
- Nearing Mt Carrie Summit
We reached the summit in early afternoon (4.7 hours from camp) and parked ourselves on the summit for a long gander at the surrounding peaks.
- Mt Anderson From Summit
- Mt Christie To Mt Meany Pano
- Mt Deception and Mt Mystery From Summit
Day 2 (PM): Cat Basin to Heart Lake Saddle
After returning to Cat Basin, we packed up and moved camp over to the ridge saddle directly above Heart Lake, with a fabulous view of Mt. Olympus directly to the south. (Although camping in normally not allowed here, a park ranger directed us to a trailside clearing due to the late hour.)
- Mount Olympus from High Divide
Day 3: Heart Lake Saddle to Trailhead
On Sunday, we continued westward along the scenic High Divide Trail above Seven Lakes Basin. With Mt Olympus on our left, …
- Mt Olympus and High Divide Trail
… lupine fields ahead, …
- Lupine Above Seven Lakes Basin
…. and lake-studded parklands on our right, ….
- Seven Lakes Basin and Mt Carrie
… we got an eyeful of alpine splendor. A short sidetrip up Bogachiel Peak and a quick dip in Deer Lake punctuated our hike back down to the Sol Duc River Trailhead.
Route Map & Profile
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Photo Gallery
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