Category Archives: Spring

Sailing on the Lady Washington- Part Two (Monday)

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Monday Morning, March 14th, The Golden Gate

Read Part One HERE.

Lady Washington passes through the Golden Gate

Though Shawna, the new cook, had served breakfast early, we cast off later than Captain JB had planned. The crew had lashed the aluminum walkway to the side of the ship and made fast all the other gear, but we waited. The captain spent time radioing the Coast Guard and timing our departure with the tide change. He wanted a slack tide for the moment when the Lady Washington would cross from the San Francisco Bay into the open ocean. There was no sense fighting stronger tidal currents than we had to.

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Sailing on the Lady Washington part one

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By Bret Wirta

Sunday afternoon, March 13th 2011, San Francisco Bay

Lady Washington Sails

I have always been fascinated by the Tall Ship Lady Washington. Our official State Ship, she provides education and entertainment as she sails up and down the West Coast. She regularly calls on ports on the Olympic Peninsula. My family and I watched Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks aboard her last summer. Millions recognize her as the HMS Endeavor from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean". So when I heard about the chance to sail on her as a passenger for four days from San Francisco to Eureka on the open sea, I bought myself a ticket. What I really purchased was one of the most adventure-packed few days I’ve experienced in quite a while.

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Slab Camp Trail Hiking Review

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By Bret Wirta

May 05, 2009

Distance: 6.2 miles One-Way. Elevation Change: 940 Feet.

Start of the Slab Camp Trail

Start of the Slab Camp Trail

I hiked the Slab Creek Trail from the trailhead to the bridge on Gray Wolf River. This trail is in the Buckhorn Wilderness section of the Olympic National Forest. The Slab Camp Trail joins the Gray Wolf River Trail upstream of the washed-out bridge site, so it affords access to the upper Gray Wolf River and the interior of the Olympic National Park.

It was about a twenty minute drive to the trailhead from the Quality Inn in Sequim. In a field along the road sat a beautiful bobcat enjoying the spring sunshine and waiting for lunch to make an appearance. There was plenty of parking at the trailhead. I signed in at 9:30am. I didn’t need a permit because this was just a day hike.

CLICK HERE for PDF – Slab Camp Trail Hike FS #838

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Gray Wolf Trail Hiking Review

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By Bret Wirta

April 23, 2009

Distance: 4.2 miles One-Way. Elevation Gain: 250 Feet.

Gray Wolf Trail along the river

Gray Wolf Trail along the river

Thursday, April 23, 2009. I parked at the Gray Wolf trailhead. There was a poem at the sign-in board lamenting the loss of wolves in the valley and saying if they ever wanted to return the valley was waiting for them. It took me about half an hour of easy hiking to reach the river. There were lots of blow-downs that had been cleared. (Thank you trail crews!) The Gray Wolf is a tumbling, frothy river with a greenish blue hue. Moss hung from the branches and ferns were everywhere.

A bald Eagle flew to the tree above me and sat patiently, searching the valley for its next meal. I walked for an hour and a half and at four and a half miles from the trailhead the bridge crossing the river had been washed away. The steep valley sides were hundreds of feet high. I could travel no further up-river. Access to the Olympic National Park through the Gray Wolf River trailhead isn’t possible without that bridge, but there are some alternative trailheads that drop down into the Gray Wolf River valley further upstream like Slab Camp Trail. I’m going to try one of those alternatives next time.

CLICK HERE for PDF – Slab Camp Trail Hike FS #838

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