Backpack - Seven Lakes Basin & High Divide

Meet at Sol Duc River Trail, mid-morning, shuttle with half the cars to the Bogachiel TH near Forks, WA.  More information to follow.  Entrance fee or National Park Pass required to enter  at Sol Duc River Road.

This will be an unique trip that ties together two very different parts of Olympic National Park--The Bogachiel River Trail and the Seven Lakes Basin Loop.  It is a one-way shuttle trip that will require multiple cars and travel between two trailheads.  The Bogie is a classic rainforest valley with giant moss draped trees and riverside camps.  It is a quiet place with few visitors and a calm contemplative vibe.  The Seven Lakes Basin, in contrast is a highly popular and busy, higher elevation, sub-alpine area.  It contains open views, mountain views, meadows, flowers and many, many lakes.  With this trip you get two trips in one.  The park service has not yet opened permits for the Seven Lakes portion of the trip as it is deemed "early season" and they are awaiting to see where the snow-melt is before granting permits.  We will gain our permits about 3-5 days before the trip--when the park service avails.

This trip will involve some snow travel and Microspikes will likely be required.  We will be visiting  lakes in the upper basin that few ever see--Sol Duc, Long, Clear, Morganroth, Noname and No. 8.  I intend to get permits to camp at offbeat camps at Deer Lake Potholes and Morganroth Lake.  We will spend some time traveling on rough and/or overgrown boot-paths that connect the lesser known lakes.  There may be off-trail travel to  ascend Heart Lake Peak.  Participants need to come with a sense of adventure and flexibility.  This trip is about 50 miles and roughly 12,000' of total gain.  The permit fee will be $34 per person.

Here is the Gaia route:  https://www.gaiagps.com/public/ihMMqMZ5JdAQXB2tkA6xxXTV/

This is a Leader's Permission Trip.  Please use the tab in the right sidebar to request permission.  In requesting permission, please answer the  following questions:

1)  What backpacking trips have you done in the past year?  Please list location, mileage and elevation gain.

2)  What activities have you been doing this Winter and Spring that demonstrate that you can comfortably complete this trip?

3) Are you comfortable with travel on snow?  Will you bring microspikes if required?

4) Are you comfortable with travel on rough boot-paths?

5)  Are you open to taking the optional off-trail trip to Heart Lake Peak if the ridge route looks safe?

6)  Will you bring a Bear Canister that can hold two days of food for nights three and four.  We can hang food the first two nights.

Thanks.  I hope you can join me.  This should be quite a novel trip.  Rob