For his bachelor party this August, NORSA member Dan Marino decided to host his close buddies on an epic journey to see one of the last glaciers remaining in the contiguous 48 United States: Blue Glacier. The glorious glacier sits on the slopes of Mt. Olympus in Washington State's Olympic National Park and feeds the glacial Hoh River.
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| The trekkers at the trailhead. |
Joined by NORSA members Tom Saffell and Manuel Dominguez as well as his close friends and soon-to-be NORSA members, Eric Maxon and Adam Wodka, Dan embarked on a long hike that would take three full days and require all the expedition members' stamina and endurance.
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| Log crossing a tributary of the Hoh River |
After checking in at the lodge and getting a camping permit, the quintet of adventurers started their hike up the Hoh River Trail. Immediately they were immersed in the magical temperate Hoh rain forest, with it's massive trees and intense blue water flowing along the trail. After 8.5 long miles, the crew arrived at their base camp along the shore of the mighty Hoh River, where they promptly soothed their barking dogs and enjoyed a hearty meal and good night's sleep.
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| Sunset camaraderie at the Hoh River campsite |
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| A view from the wood bridge high above the Hoh River |
Little did they know that the 8.5 mile stroll in the woods was the beginning of a grueling uphill slog that would span a full 20 miles the following day. Waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, the gang looked forward to checking out the glacier atop Mt. Olympus and set out along the trail after a quick breakfast and a check of their campsite. Mile after mile, the team started to slow their pace as fatigue set in.
At Elk Lake, about 2/3 of the way up to the glacier, the team stopped to take a dip and swim with the trout in the lake. After pausing for a quick lunch, two mindsets began to take over: the get-the-hard-part-over-with mentality and the slow-and-steady-wins-the-race frame of mind. The team then split into two sub-teams with Manny, Adam, and Eric shooting forward at breakneck pace to race to the top, while Dan and Tom continued at a subdued, but solid pace.
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| The crew after swimming and having a quick snack at Elk Lake |
Thank goodness the team had stopped at REI and acquired a second water filter before the hike. It was only by chance that Manny, Eric, and Adam had their own filter when the group split up. Considering that each hiker drank about 3 liters of glacier water flowing down the mountain that day, it could've been a much sadder story if someone picked up giardia or another nasty bug on the trip!
Though the two teams never crossed paths again until returning to base camp, everyone made it to the summit and was treated to spectacular views of beautiful Blue Glacier.
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| The Hoh River flowing down Mt. Olympus on it's way to the Pacific |
On the way back down the mountain, a herd of Roosevelt elk moseyed across the trail just near the campsite, welcoming the hikers back from their extremely tiring trek. Upon their reunion the reconstituted team shared war stories about their encounters on the trail with other hikers, tiny frogs, their experience at the summit, and their now-crippled feet. After some brief ice-bathing in the Hoh River to cool their aching toes, dinner followed and a generally sense of pride and accomplishment settled over the crew.
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| The bachelor at the mountaintop... admiring Blue Glacier |
Waking early the next day, the team was ready for the next adventure: the bars in Victoria, Canada! But they still had 8.5 miles of rain forest between them and the rental car. Nothing for it but to stand tall on their wobbly legs and head out of the park. Several hours later, everyone had successfully hobbled to the minivan and was rejoicing to be alive, if a bit beat up. Although the team missed the first ferry over to Victoria, they enjoyed several card games and beers at a local watering hole in Port Townsend, WA, before crossing the bay.
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| Dudes on a log, resting by the river before more hiking |
While this trip certainly pushed everyone's limits, not one of the crew members would have done anything differently. The gorgeous views of the glacier, the companionship of the campsite, and the total experience were all well worth the effort expended!
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| Happy to be back at the trailhead! |
