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and Goingoutside.com

Suzy Allen's Hiking Site

Thanks for dropping by my page, I'm Suzy Allen, this is my hiking page, I'm not quite done with it yet so please give me some slack.

You've gotta bring all this stuff when you head for the outdoors on foot.

LIGHTWEIGHT STOVE

Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to bring fuel for your stove. Well I don't, I have a Trailstove that runs on wood, I just pick up some twigs at my camp site and cook away. I would never consider going back to a gas stove.

FOOD

Rice is the perfect food to bring to the woods. It weighs very little uncooked and contains plenty of carbohydrates, just what you need after a long day of walking.

DUCT TAPE

I love duct tape, I think it's one of the greatest achievements of our civilization. Just imagine where we would be without duct tape.

LAMP

What ever type of lamp you bring make sure it's very dependable. You don't need one that shines very far, you need it mostly around the camp site to find things in the dark.

FOLDING TOOL

Either a Leatherman tool, Swiss Army knife, or something similar will do. These tools are excellent if you need to fix some broken gear.

STEEL WIRE

Steel wire is such a good thing to have handy, you never know when you'll need it but you know that you always will need it for something.

HOW TO FIND WATER

Almost anywhere you go you can find water if you just go downhill, water flows in valleys and accumulates in depressions, it's all just gravity at work.

Look for different vegetation, greener vegetation far away often indicates the presence of water.

Look for a chain of uniform vegetation, this often means that there is a riverbed.

If the riverbed is dry there may be water under the ground, the best place to dig is by the largest plant you can find.

The steeper a slope is the lower the chance of finding water puddles.

Look for flocks of birds, they know where the water is.

Olympic National Park

Port Angeles, WA

Often referred to as "three parks in one", Olympic National Park encompasses three distinctly different ecosystems—rugged glacier capped mountains, over 60 miles of wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth and temperate rain forest. These diverse ecosystems are still largely pristine in character (about 95% of the park is designated wilderness)and are Olympic's gift to you.

Olympic is also known for its biological diversity. Isolated for eons by glacial ice, the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Peninsula has developed its own distinct array of plants and animals. Eight kinds of plants and five kinds of animals are found on the peninsula and live nowhere else in the world.

CONTACTS

Email - OLYM_Visitor_Center@nps.gov

Fax- (360) 565-3147

Write to
600 East Park Avenue
Port Angeles, WA 98362-6798

Phone
Visitor Information - (360) 565-3130
Visitor Information Recorded Message - (360) 565-3131
Visitor Information(TDD) - (360) 565-3016

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The park itself is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Most roads remain open year round, although several are subject to winter closure because of snow. Some campgrounds are open year round, while others close for the winter. Visitor center hours vary throughout the year.

Getting There
PLANE - Horizon Air (an Alaska Airlines affiliate) provoides regularly scheduled flights to Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles from SeaTac Airport and from Victoria, British Columbia.

CAR - From the Seattle/Tacoma area, travelers may reach U.S. 101 by several different routes, either by crossing Puget Sound on one of the Washington State Ferries or by driving south around Puget Sound. Travel time along any of these routes is approximately two-and-a-half to three hours from the Seattle/Tacoma area to Port Angeles, where the main park visitor center and park headquarters are located. All major rental companies serve the SeaTac Airport. Rental cars are also available on the Olympic Peninsula in Port Angeles, Sequim and Grays Harbor.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Port Angeles is served daily from downtown Seattle and SeaTac Airport by Olympic Bus Lines and Tours. Reservations are recommended: call (360) 452-3858. The Clallam Transit System provides service within Port Angeles and commuter services to locations around the northern Olympic Peninsula. For more information, call (360) 452-4511. Car and passenger ferry service is available throughout most of the year between Victoria, British Columbia and Port Angeles. Reservations are not available, but for more information, contact Black Ball Transport, Inc. at (360) 457-4491. Victoria Rapid Transit operates a summer passenger-only ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria. For reservations and information, call (360) 452-8088.

Weather & Climate
Olympic has a moderate marine climate with pleasant summers and mild, wet winters. Summers are generally fair and warm, with high temperatures usually between 65 and 75 degrees F. Summer is the driest season, with heavier precipitation during the rest of the year. Winters are mild, with temperatures at lower elevations in the 30's and 40's. At higher elevations, snowfall is generally heavy, with accumulations of up to 10 feet common. Closer to sea level, much of the precipitation comes as rain, with some infrequent snow fall. At any time of year, visitors should come prepared for a variety of conditions. Rain gear and layered clothing are a must. The Seattle office of the National Weather Service provides up-to-date weather information and forecasts.

Accessibility
Although Olympic is considered a wilderness park by many, nature trails and campgrounds are accessible to anyone seeking nature's solace.

Getting Around
All park destinations can be reached from U.S. Highway 101, which circumnavigates the Olympic Peninsula.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
A. SINGLE VISIT VEHICLE PERMIT
$10.00 for 7 Days
This permit allows all persons traveling with the permit holder in one single private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van) to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.

B. SINGLE VISIT INDIVIDUAL PERMIT
$5.00 for 7 Days
This permit allows an individual traveling on foot, horseback, motorcycle, or in a vehicle owned by a non-profit organization to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.

C. OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK ANNUAL PASS
$20.00 for Annual
This pass allows all persons traveling with the passholder in one single non-commercial vehicle, or the passholder and his/her family (spouse, children, parents) traveling by means other than a single private non-commercial vehicle, unlimited entry to the park for 1 year from the month of purchase.

Permits
CAMPGROUND
$8.00 - $12.00 for One Time
There are nightly fees (ranging from $8.00 to $12.00) for most park campgrounds.

OZETTE PARKING FEE
$1.00 for One Time
The Ozette Parking Fee is $1.00 per car, per day. A self-registration station is located at the south end of the parking lot.

WILDERNESS PERMIT REGISTRATION FEE
$5.00 plus... for 14 Days
The Permit Registration Fee is $5.00 for a single permit good for up to 14 days and a maximum of 12 people. The Individual Nightly Fee is $2.00 per person per night for any overnight stay in the park backcountry. Persons 16 years old and younger are exempt from this fee. A Frequent Hiker Pass will be available for $30.00 per person per year. This is an annual, non-transferable pass, good for twelve months from the date of issue. It covers all wilderness use fees for the pass holder. Additional Frequent Hiker Passes for members of the same household will cost $15.00. Maximum fee amounts have been set at $50.00 for groups of one to six for up to 14 nights and $100.00 for groups of seven to twelve for up to 14 nights. (Without the fee cap, a 6-person group staying 14 nights would be charged $173.00.)

Special Use Permits
COMMERCIAL TOUR FEE

For information on Commercial Tour fees, please click on "more info..."

CAMPING

Olympic National Park Campgrounds
The National Park Service operates 16 campgrounds with a total of 910 sites. Camping fees at park campgrounds range from $8.00 to $12.00, depending on the services and amenities provided at each one. All are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some remain open throughout the winter. Go to "In-Depth" to visit Olympic's expanded website for detailed information.
For More Information on this campground please call (360) 565-3130

LODGING

Kalaloch Lodge
Open All Year
For More Information on this lodging please call (360) 962-2271

Lake Crescent Lodge
Open from late April until October
For More Information on this lodging please call (360) 928-3211

Log Cabin Resort
Open most of the year. Call for dates and reservations.
For More Information on this lodging please call (360) 928-3325

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort
Call for dates and reservations.
For More Information on this lodging please call (360) 327-3583

FACILITIES

VISITOR CENTERS AND EXHIBITS
Phone - (360) 565-3130
Available Facilities - Visitor Centers are located in Port Angeles, Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh rain forest. Each of these provides exhibits and visitor information. The Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles is open and staffed year-round and serves as the park's primary information and orientation center. The Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Visitor Centers are open throughout the year (when road and weather conditions allow), but may be self-service during the winter months. Exhibits are also located at the following ranger stations: Staircase, Storm King (at Lake Crescent), Ozette and Kalaloch.

Wilderness Information Centers
WILDERNESS INFORMATION CENTER (WIC)
October 1 through March 31 As staff is available
April 1 through June 19 8:00 to 4:30 7 days a week
Phone - (360) 565-3100
Location - The WIC is located one mile from Hightway 101, behind the Olympic Naitonal Park Visitor Center at 3002 Mount Angeles Road in Port Angeles.
Available Facilities - In the early stages of trip planning call or write the WIC. Staff members provide current trail reports, trip planning, safety and weather (subject to change!) and Leave No Trace tips. For current trail conditions check out the WIC on-line (www.nps.gov/olym/wic/trailinfo.htm). Visit the WIC for more informaiton, to obtain reservations for any quota area, or to obtain a Wilderness Camping Permit for any park location. Bear canisters are available for loan for a suggested $3 donation.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

LIGHTWEIGHT STOVE		Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to bring fuel for your stove. Well I don't, I have a Trailstove that runs on wood, I just pick up some twigs at my camp site and cook away. I would never consider going back to a gas stove.
FOOD		Rice is the perfect food to bring to the woods. It weighs very little uncooked and contains plenty of carbohydrates, just what you need after a long day of walking.
DUCT TAPE		I love duct tape, I think it's one of the greatest achievements of our civilization. Just imagine where we would be without duct tape.
LAMP		What ever type of lamp you bring make sure it's very dependable. You don't need one that shines very far, you need it mostly around the camp site to find things in the dark.
FOLDING TOOL		Either a Leatherman tool, Swiss Army knife, or something similar will do. These tools are excellent if you need to fix some broken gear.
STEEL WIRE		Steel wire is such a good thing to have handy, you never know when you'll need it but you know that you always will need it for something.