Deer Lake, Olympic National Park - June 16, 2015

Deer Lake, Olympic National Park - June 16, 2015

Anders, Craig, Charlie and I camped this evening on the grassy shores of a small lake adjacent to Deer Lake. We hiked out of Sol Duc this afternoon about four miles to the site. The beauty of these mountain lakes touch me every time. It's very comforting to know that in a short amount of time I can be deep into the wilderness.

Craig brought his fishing pole, which was a great idea. At first, he thought that he'd forgotten his lures. I heard him utter the word "Unbelievable" about five times during diner having thought that the lures were at home. They finally turned up. It was a great relief. We both did a little fishing after dinner. He caught a small trout that he decided to throw back. I had a couple hits, but couldn't set the hook. Trout seem plentiful in these lakes. I enjoy watching them touch the surface of the water. These also love to jump. Charlie said that while he was watching a fly hover over the lake water, a trout leapt from the depths and snatched it out of the air. Glimpses of wonder keep drawing me back to the wild places.

Campsite Near Lake Adjacent to Deer Lake - Olympic National Park

The mosquitoes are pretty bad up here; I'm glad that I packed my new lightweight tent. Having the big screen really keeps me comfortable. I've moved away from the bivy sack I've had the past two backpacking trips. Tent materials are getting so light, it's hard to justify the small weight savings of the bivy.

We have two small streams near our campground. The sound is soothing. I should get an audio recording in the morning. I expect to get a peaceful night sleep.

I have taken several panoramic shots with my iPhone up here. I enjoy taking them. I imagine that there will be plenty of opportunities for shots tomorrow when we hike the high divide.