A Summer of Leisure Ruined

[riverkeeper]

This coming summer I planned to establish a large garden, paint the house and other stuff like that with approx 2 or so BP trips each month of 3-4 days each.

But yesterday Spousette accepted a job as Backcountry Ranger in the local LARGE(!) National Park and I am “expected” to join her on 2 tours/month of about 10 days each.

It coulda been worse … she coulda tried to help me with the garden and painting! ;)

The Hammock Part? --- I exclusively use a hammock BUT she wants to rely on her 1 person tent ... a MSR Hubba. Occasionally she naps in my hammer but the knots and bizarrness are off-putting. The Garda Ring Thing might help now. One or two of the DIY Mutts will be conveniently cached for her re-evaluation.

[fin]

Wow, too bad for you.:rolleyes:

I wish I had problems like that.:lol:

[lori]

Some people's problems are other people's dreams....

[Duncan]

But yesterday Spousette accepted a job as Backcountry Ranger in the local LARGE(!) National Park and I am “expected” to join her on 2 tours/month of about 10 days each.


That, sir, is really terrible, horrific.
What a shame. I mean, painting the house is much more fun... :scared:

Enjoy your summer!
Duncan.

[travlinman]

Sounds like it could be posh, no need for a shelter if you can stay in those ranger cabins. Sounds like an excuse for a light pack?

TM

[riverkeeper]

I cannot find my response to a member PM so assume it was bollixed by me, so a redo is here.

The Hood Canal Bridge will close for 6 weeks on 1 May!

The 9 mile Ozette Triangle Hike, you mentioned, is a good intro to beach hiking/BPng. Other sections have some overland hiking to cut across the unhikable ‘heads’ … these trails can be really REALLY mucky this time of year but lead to fantastic locations… Trail Crew advised last week that all the blowdowns are cut out!!!

Both trails TO the beach are mostly on SLIPPERY boardwalks. The 3 mile beach section is on OK rock and sand and has Makah petraglyphs at Wedding Rock.

In this section I’ve only camped near Sand Beach I recall (25+ yrs ago) which is a little south of the the beach access point of the Ozette Trail. This is lovely but I prefer other places on the Olympic beach.

It can be very windy and cool. The vegetation in the woods in some locations is far too dense for a hammock or tent .. so hiking an additional 1/4 or so can usually fix that. In hot weather I hang on the windy side of prominent points and vv in cool weather.

I believe this section is hikable in high tide but you should research that, permits, water, food storage related to raccoons (hardsided container -- plastic bucket-- required not necc a bear can) and other topics:

Wilderness Info Center online info+phone#.
http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/wic.htm

Campgrounds--
http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

Best to you … if you backpack at all, plan to stay.... to be flexible long tree huggers should go too.

[riverkeeper]

Sounds like it could be posh, no need for a shelter if you can stay in those ranger cabins. Sounds like an excuse for a light pack?

TM

WE will stay in-near cabins about 5 nights on most tours....if we did much more than that we would not be doing our/her job. I stay outside sometimes hanging from the porch, spouse usually sleeps in when available.

A Patrol means to hike much of a day and some days do trail work most of the day .. cut vege, trail-camp repair etc. Always check camp and chat with viz. Hard work but satisfying .... and I've got a hammer to fix the back at night.

"Posh" -- not applicable. The Mickey Mouse Club meet nightly in the cabins. ETC.

"light pack" -- I wish. Park radio + extra batteries, extra-maps, BIG first aid stuff, BEAR CAN, administrative paper/forms/book....sometimes tools and repair items for bear wires, toilets ETC.

On the plus side -- we can stage food at locations 1 and 1 1/2 days in, We can cache SB, pad, tent-hammock, stove and some other minor gear at 1 day in.

Thanks for the good quasi-question!

[travlinman]

Ahh yes the government required gear radio etc, forgot about that! Enjoy your summer anyway, nothing like the NW in the less rainy season.

TM

[Shadowmoss]

Thanks for the info on the hike. I'm going to try it next weekend unless the weather is really rainy. A little rain probably won't stop me.

[riverkeeper]

Ahh yes the government required gear radio etc, forgot about that! Enjoy your summer anyway, nothing like the NW in the less rainy season.

TM

Hey -- nothing quite like the high sierra in summer!!!(Except maybe the Wind River Range). Worked Sequoia NP east side about 10 years ago.


BTW Travelinman -- you are correct in this sense ... many if not most bc assignments are based in one location ... a wall tent or cabin from which the ranger ranges. While we could almost satisfactorily do this job in that fashion, more distant ranging is necessary to do a really good one ... cuz other rangers will be covering the close in bc while we often go deep.

[Shadowmoss]

**shadowmoss notes the use of the term 'less rainy season' for summer and whimpers softly**

Funny, I used to actually like rain...

[Shadowmoss]

Questions: At the NPS campgrounds will I be hassled when I put up my hammock? I've seen no mention of anything either way on any sites. Also, do you know about State Rec areas and hammocks? There is one between me and Mt. Rainier that I've thought about running over and doing an overnighter in to test gear. Also, the county campgrounds along the shore north of 101, any ideas on their rules regarding hammocks? I stopped by the lighthouse one (I'm not even going to try to spell it from memory, starts with a D and is east of Port Angeles), and no one was around on a late Sunday afternoon to answer questions in the campground. I'm planning on begging forgiveness if hassled and taking my (cough) tent as a backup.

Will my yearly pass ($80 one, forget the official name) pay for camping, or just admission?

If it really is the President's Sale at REI next weekend I may not go over as far as Ozette (especially since the bridge to get there from the north will be closed), and plan to go up to Seattle REI and get a bear cannister. As much as I want to get out around here this, ummm, 'less rainy season', I may as well have the right gear.

[riverkeeper]

sm--
I can't finish this before I gotta go. A few Rangers on the Elwha and one on the Boggie have used hammocks since I introduced them in 2004 while I worked in the park.

Virtually everyone used to know of that but that was then .. so hassle in the bc is unlikely but not impossible ... use big huggers and try to avoid wrapping on tree moss. People and things change.

An additional fee will be charged at some if not all campgrounds ... free in winter but I think that's over.... the spring peepers seem to think so.

The state and county parks ... some of them are real purty .. do no know the rules and suspect they don't either. 'Dungness' is the word.

If you plan to camp where there are bear wires AND few raccoons (cougar chow) you can hang your food w/o a bear can. On the coast they think coons can get to any hung food hence the hard sided container rule in some areas. We both have full size (7day) and 1/2 size (4day) bear cans + we each have Ursaks.... the answer to the obvious question is 'goats' and the park's POV and experiences. Cans can be rented.

Gotta go.

[riverkeeper]

SM--
A quick followup.
Contact the WIC for a Trip Planner Map which reveals campsite and food protection guidelines.

You could go the southern route to the Quinault (if open) and esp the Hoh (Elk!) in adequate weather. Personally I avoid the coast muck until July-August and even then you'll get wet and muddy boots....there are aspects of hiking the coast that are not physically difficult or require unique skill but are mentally challenging for some .... the rope ladders....to go up and down the mud cliffs....don't worry there are hand ropes to help.
Best