OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA :: My first overnight backpacking trip was seven years ago on the Gray Wolf River. Until today, I had never been back. It’s too bad it has taken me so long to return, because it’s a great trail. The river is beautiful and a thick carpet of moss covers everything.
Slides have forced a relocation of the trailhead on Forest Service Road #2870. From there, the trail continues for over 20 miles, eventually connecting with other trails inside Olympic National Park. Unfortunately, another slide swept away the bridge at the four mile point, and it has yet to be replaced. I could see the remnants of the bridge on the other side of the river. A couple other entry points allow access to the rest of the Gray Wolf.
I was all by myself on the trail today. Even in winter, that’s a rare treat on a sunny Saturday in the Northwest. The recent storms left a couple dozen blowdowns scattered along the trail. Most were easy to hop over or slide under, but at one spot several trees had fallen together, creating a long wall that needed to be circled. The entire trail was covered with broken branches and green needles.
According to the Forest Service, it’s eight miles to the broken bridge and back. The trail climbs up and down often, totalling 1000′ in elevation gain on the way in and again on the way out.
Slides have forced a relocation of the trailhead on Forest Service Road #2870. From there, the trail continues for over 20 miles, eventually connecting with other trails inside Olympic National Park. Unfortunately, another slide swept away the bridge at the four mile point, and it has yet to be replaced. I could see the remnants of the bridge on the other side of the river. A couple other entry points allow access to the rest of the Gray Wolf.
I was all by myself on the trail today. Even in winter, that’s a rare treat on a sunny Saturday in the Northwest. The recent storms left a couple dozen blowdowns scattered along the trail. Most were easy to hop over or slide under, but at one spot several trees had fallen together, creating a long wall that needed to be circled. The entire trail was covered with broken branches and green needles.
According to the Forest Service, it’s eight miles to the broken bridge and back. The trail climbs up and down often, totalling 1000′ in elevation gain on the way in and again on the way out.
Good to see Gray Wolf is still in one piece, I was afraid of what it would be like after all the rain this year.
Hi JohnWhat lens’a did you use to get these shots? Very nice!
Thanks,Michael
Thanks, Michael!
I was using the 10-22mm on this hike. I held the camera against a tree or used a mini tripod for most of the shots.
John
Gray wolf, the trail that will never be fully restored.
When using your 10-22mm, do you find yourself on the wide end the 22mm end, in between, or all over? 10mm is so wide even on a APS size frame, I’m wondering how often you use it. Just want an idea how you are using the lens.
It’s mostly stuck on the 10mm mark, although I sometimes zoom in to about 16mm. As you said, 10mm is super-wide, even on an APS sensor.
John