backpacking in Enchanted Valley

Adrienne, Marin, and I drove up on Friday morning to the Olympic peninsula for a 3-day backpacking trip along the Quinault River. We parked at the Gates Creek trailhead and hiked in 7 miles to O'Neil camp. It was a long uphill slog with very heavy packs, hard going. We set up our tent, filtered water, ate dinner, and were asleep by 8:30.

 

The river gorge as we went over Pony Bridge.

Our gorgeous campsite, next to the river (for filtering fresh water), under this enormous maple tree.

 

 

On Saturday, we left the tent and stoves and most of our food behind at camp, and hiked 7 miles (14 roundtrip) along the river to Enchanted Valley, where an old chalet stands. The valley is beautiful, surrounded by tall snow-capped peaks and spring waterfalls. The trail was mostly flat, tracing the river, with amazing moss, ferns, cedars, alders, maples, etc. A remote and gorgeous rainforest.

 

 

 

 

This was our view entering into the Enchanted Valley - snowy peaks surrounding us, and spring waterfalls coming down the cliff faces,

 

 

 

This chalet was built in the 1930s, briefly in use as a place to get hot food and stay overnight, and then used as emergency shelter and mostly left to decay.

It was good to return to camp in the late afternoon, to rest, eat, play cards, and just hang out under our giant maple. 

On Sunday we woke up, ate breakfast, packed up, and hiked back out to the car. We were at the car by 11, just in time -- a heavy rain started as we were driving out. After a stop for Salvadorean tacos and pupusas, we were home by 4, in time for mother's day dinners and hugs.

Happy Mother's Day!

Funny cards, gorgeous flowers, lots of chocolates, sweet family. And a weekend backpacking trip to the Olympic National Forest with friends. 💜💜💜

Liesl: Presidents Cup

Liesl's PCU 2010 team also played in the Presidents Cup, but they were sadly less successful -- her team lost 3-2 in the championship game on Saturday. They played against Medford, a team that beat them twice in regular season play, and also beat them last year in the Presidents Cup, so it felt especially bitter. Liesl played center defense and played well, but it wasn't enough this time. It'll be good to get a break from soccer for a little while.

 

Seb: Presidents Cup

Seb and the PCU 06/07 team played against CTC in the President's Cup final on Saturday afternoon at THPRD. They started off a little slow and tentative, in their own end zone defending some good attacks. But then they had a counterattack and a corner kick, and scored at about 10 mins in. And then the game was a good match, back and forth, both teams having chances. It was still 1-0 at the half, and remained 1-0 for most of the second half.

In the 89th minute of the 90-minute game, Seb took a shot from midfield. The keeper misread the ball, then scrambled backward and fell into the net, and it was a goal. The boys went wild in celebration and the game was over, 2-0. Such a finish!

 

 

 

 

Medal ceremony. First time winning the Presidents Cup -- Seb's LYS teams won the Founders Cup twice, but never this one. It means they go on to the regional championships in Boise in June, which is really cool.

Dance performance

Liesl takes a dance class at her middle school (instead of regular PE). So she gets to do tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop every day for 40 minutes, which is amazing! They have been working for a few months on three pieces of choreography for a spring show, which took place on Weds and Thurs of this week. They were great - first a tap routine, then contemporary, then salsa, and then a celebratory disco number. I took some very poor-quality videos from my seat, which can be seen here.

With Diya and Ella before the salsa routine

Dressed up for disco