Deer Park loop, Olympic National Park

Another weekend with Plain closed meant it was time for another "classic" route.

The Olympic Mountains look so close from Seattle, but including a ferry ride, driving through small towns and a winding 15-mile FS road, it takes just as long as heading to North Cascades National Park.

This loop, approximately 43 miles according to park maps, starts from Deer Park and heads to Obstruction Point, down into Grand Valley and over the pass, up Cameron Creek and over the pass, down the Dosewallips and, you got it, over Gray Wolf Pass, following the river down to Three Forks and ending with a will-to-live-killing four mile, 3200' climb back to Deer Park to finish the day.

The views are fantastic, there is varied terrain throughout and with the exception of an avalanche debris zone descending to Cameron Creek and the usual brush issues, the trails are quite a bit better maintained than what I come to expect from the North Cascades.

Go do this loop. Seriously.

From Deer Park to Obstruction Point

Deer along the trail

Pretty much the view the whole way toward Obstruction Point

Looking back toward Deer Park, Baker and Shuksan across the Sound

Looking up Grand Valley from along the ridge; Grand and Moose lakes visible

Mt. Olympus

Descending from Obstruction Point into Grand Valley

Marmot along the trail

Moose Lake

Flowers all day...

Gladys Lake

Along the trail to Grand Pass

They're everywhere...

Decently-steep trail to Grand Pass; the other side is steeper yet

Tarn at Grand Pass

Descent from Grand Pass toward Cameron Creek 

A field of Avalanche Lily

Looking back up from Cameron Creek at the avalanche debris that has taken out a good chunk of trail; a bushwhack trail is fairly easy to find

Cameron Creek trail 

Upper Cameron Basin

Looking up at Cameron Pass (very top R of picture)

Upper Cameron Basin from below the pass

Small snow patch before Cameron Pass; easy to go up, might be nice to have some poles if you come down

Cameron Pass

Looking toward Lost Pass, Mt. Anderson with glaciers in the background

Looking back toward Cameron Pass, top left, from Lost Pass

Zoom of the trail heading back toward Cameron Pass

Dose Meadows marmot

Looking down the Dosewallips River valley, with Little Mystery (r), Mystery and Deception

Up and away, almost 3000' to Gray Wolf Pass

Great Paintbrush show; a few hundred feet up red gave way to pink

Point 6485' above Gray Wolf Pass, at the bottom right of the peak

A lonely sign atop Gray Wolf Pass

Looking down (north) the Gray Wolf River valley

Ancient canteen below Gray Wolf Pass

Feeding into Gray Wolf River, ridge west of 6485' behind

Gray Wolf marmot

Lower down on the Gray Wolf trail

Last sign for the day at Three Forks; 4.3 miles and 3200' up to Deer Park

Getting close to Deer Park...

...at the bottom left of Blue Mountain

Trying to muster a smile before entering Deer Park