A Journey To The Heart
September came and went in a blink of an eye. It was over before it began, it felt like.
During that month, I lived on the road, residing in my trusty truck, "Brandi". My girlfriend Annie and I had meticulously planned our trip for several months with the primary objective of reaching Denver, Colorado to witness a performance by "The Head and The Heart" at the prestigious Red Rocks Amphitheater. The tickets were a gift from Annie, either for my birthday or Christmas, however, we couldn't quite recall which.
As September approached, it was time to embark on our journey. Our only set stops were to visit my parents in Idaho for a couple of days and then finally reaching Denver. The rest of our trip was spontaneous, discovering new places and experiences along the way. Our itinerary consisted of scenic hikes, relaxing by tranquil lakes, and exploring uncharted territories. Our route took us through Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oregon.
This visual diary below is a recollection of our trip. All the pictures were captured using my Nikon Z7 and Fujifilm X100v cameras, and processed with Adobe Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Nik Plugins , and Lumenzia.
Kalaloch Beach - Overnight Trip
Very much glamping for the night. Flat and paved parking. Even a picnic bench!
Walking along the beach. Olympic National Park.
It’s been years since I had last been to Kalaloch beach. The last time I had been there was in 2016 with Annie. Heading to the Washington coast is something we never get tired of. I don’t think anyone can ever get enough of it, to be honest. There is something about the Washington beaches that always leave you wanting more.
Recently, Annie and I purchased a rooftop tent from Free Spirit Recreation. We’ve only been able to get out once before in it for a quick trip. The occasion arose once again where we could take off for a quick overnight trip. Though it had been slightly planned as we knew we might be able to get away. The planning I put into it was to pull a steak from the freezer, defrost it and add a little salt and pepper onto it 24 hours before. If you don’t know me, I love to cook.
We loaded up the truck and headed out to the beach. Taking a few back ways on our way there. I always enjoy slowing down and taking time to meander through the small towns on the way to wherever we are going.
Driftwood.
After a couple of hours of driving we made it out to Kalaloch and it was a beautiful and overcast day on the beach. The wind wasn’t too bad until later in the afternoon. We were able to walk a few miles on the beach before it really picked up on our hike back to the campsite. The tide was coming in while we were out on the northern edge of Kalaloch. Wandering around and watching the waves crash over the rocks is a thing of beauty.
Annie, wandering the beach and going to look at the tide pools.
After a few hours around at camp, the winds and rain came barreling into the coast. We knew this was going to happen but I did not believe it would rain as hard as I thought it would. I should have known better. The rest of our evening was spent up in the RTT having a couple of beers, playing war and 10,000 while the wind and rain battered the tent. I slept through most of all the storm, I guess Annie didn’t. Needless to say, I got a great night of sleep.🤷♂️
The next morning we packed up and headed off towards Port Angeles on a mission. Mainly myself because I was really craving Frugals. As we were leaving, the clouds were beginning to break and the morning light was starting to shine through. I can’t wait for more sunny days and more days on the beach.
Until next time, Kalaoch…
Into The Buckhorn Wilderness
Day one: Tubal Cain Trailhead to Buckhorn Lake.
The start of the trip was a late one. Annie had to open at work. She was up at 3:50 AM. After she was off and back home, she was able to switch a shift around, and then we were off after that!
Arriving at the trailhead late meant the parking would be a little cramped when we would pull in. It didn’t help that anyone at the trailhead knew how to park, at all.
We loaded the last few things into our packs, and we were off into the forest. The first few miles was a gradual climb up through wild rhododendrons that were just about in full bloom. As you make your way up, you have a trail to your left that takes you into Tull Canyon and the Tubal Cain Mine. Tull Canyon is the almost final resting place of an SB-17, a search and rescue variant of a B-17. The SB-17 collided with a mountain ridge en route to a search and rescue operation. A few flight crew members did not survive the impact and slide down into the valley. After the wreck, the fuselage was salvaged and is now one of the two remaining B-17’s that are airworthy.
We made our way across copper creek and began the real part of the climb. The trail switchbacks it was through the forest and spits you out on an almost wide open hill side. That’s when you get your first real glimpse of Buckhorn Mountain. You’ll never forget that first glance. As we worked our way to the cutoff for Buckhorn Lake we slowed down and soaked up the sun and views. At 5.6 miles, you will reach the cut-off to the lake. Two creeks and a bit more climbing later, you follow a steep and rooted trail to the lake.
Buckhorn Lake was the highest I have ever seen it. We dropped our packs, set up camp and reluctantly dunked ourselves into the lake. It was a shock to the system. Rinsing off sweat had never been so difficult. After that, we rushed back to change and hang up the sweaty clothes we washed off. Then it was time to make dinner, have a nip of whiskey, and watch the sunset from our tent. That night was a beautiful one. Camped right on the lake, Buckhorn Mountain towering above and the rush of the waterfall that feeds the lake.
Buckhorn Lake to Iron Peak
It was a clear morning on the lake. We woke, made coffee, and broke down camp. The original plan was to hike from Buckhorn Lake to the Charlia Lakes. Once again, were back, zigzagging through the trees. After a quick mile and half, you break from the trees and fully witness the majesty that is the Olympics. You have a 360 degree view of the mountains. It’s one of those views you never tire of. Now that we had broken from the trees, the fun begins again. The snow was still covering much of the trail in the higher elevation. Instead of switch backing your way up, it’s a straight climb up the snow and hillside to try and avoid most of the snow. Once you make your way past, you’ll reach the saddle below Iron Mountain. You can see for miles. It was when we were reach the top of the saddle, we realized that reach Charlia lakes was out of the question. Seeing how much snow was still covering the area to the south of Marmot pass, we decided to have a shorter day, and camp on the saddle. That’s okay though. From our tent we could see Seattle, Mount Rainier, Adams, and St Helen’s.
The next morning was an uneventful one. We packed up and headed straight back down to the car. There were swarms of day hikers and the weekend was approaching. We thought it would be best for us to just pick up camp and head back home. We did make it back to the car in just over 2 hours.