Overnight Backpacking on Buckhorn Mountain, Olympic Peninsula
Buckhorn Mountain, Olympic Peninsula
Date: June 11-12
Length: 13.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 4,477 feet
Highest Point: 6,988 feet
The Buckhorn Wilderness is located in the Northeast of the Olympic National Forest on the Washington Peninsula. The area is filled with old-growth forests in the lower sections and alpine meadows and rocky peaks in the upper elevation. The hike itself to the peak of Buckhorn Mountain is relatively easy for the first few miles, then starts to slowly gain elevation until the alpine meadows, where the last miles are extremely steep with shale rock and sandy patches.
Sunday morning our group met early and were tasked with putting together our packs for the journey. Packing for the first landscape photography backpacking trip of the year is always a challenge trying to make sure you don’t forget anything important. At around 8:30 AM, we made our way to the Edmonds-Kingston ferry. After a short 15-minute sunny ride, we were on the peninsula. Definitely easier than driving all the way around through Tacoma and Olympia. From here, we drove on through quiet island towns towards the Buckhorn Wilderness. After a bumpy ride up the mountain road, we finally made it to the trailhead.
The beginning of this hike follows a river through a gorgeous old-growth forest. It is flat for the first few miles, but then starts to gain elevation. The gain is noticeable, but nothing too challenging. With the early morning light rays streaming through the trees onto the green forest canopy, this section was enjoyable.
After a couple of hours, we finally started to come across rock strewn avalanche paths marking us close to the alpine region. Views of the surrounding peaks were bathed in full sun at this point. I have not been on many hikes on the Olympic Peninsula, and it was cool to see small differences from the Cascade Mountain range. Particularly the green tree cover reaching higher up onto the peaks.
We stopped for a short break at a small creek, which is the last water source before the final stretch to the top. Funny how the action of taking a heavy pack off is somehow more painful than carrying it. We made our way through several small meadows with the only sound around being small birds and the occasional marmot. The final elevation push loomed ahead of us, but the epic views of mountain peaks draped in moving clouds somehow eased our minds.
This section of the hike is by far the most challenging. The short mile-long trek up a steep mountain slope is covered in shale rock and sandy patches which can easily make you lose your step if not careful. Breaks came more frequently now as we attempted to keep our breath and force our legs to keep climbing.
After a few false summits, we were finally granted an epic landscape vista of the surrounding peaks, views of the sound, and even glances of Mt Rainier. We found a small flat spot with a tiny rock wall to keep the incoming winds at bay. The weather had been clear for our whole trek, but once we set down our packs, our viewpoint suddenly became enveloped by fast-moving clouds and wind. Setting up our tent in our own personal cloud home was a trip, and we definitely felt the alpine chill now.
We set up camp, making sure to secure the tent with our hiking poles and tent pegs. Jetboil dinner time and celebratory fireball warmed our bellies as sat in awe at this other-worldly landscape. After a short while, the wind began to settle and all of a sudden the clouds passed through to reveal the snow-covered peaks around us and all the pain from the hike up drifted away (some of it anyway).
The setting sun was getting low and the surrounding alpine was bathed in a warm yellow glow. This is what it’s all about.
The warm glow of the setting sun soon gave way to an unreal display of alpenglow on the surrounding peaks. The sky lit up with rich purples, blues, and orange hues. We spent the remaining light enjoying our vista, and taking in the magic of the alpine regions of Washington State. The landscape was evolving every few seconds as the wind pushed the clouds in and around the peaks, granting us fresh views on still standing mountaintops.
With the light fading and the wind still strong, we settled in for the night. Though sleep did not come easy as our spot did not provide ample wind cover. Our tent cover was apparently not ready for sleep and continued to dance the night away right in our ears. It became even humorous after the constant flapping got more intense as the night went on. I was even worried that the tent poles wouldn’t hold against the constant gales. Props to my Marmot 3P tent; that boy held up very well.
Morning came and the wind had somewhat died down. The morning light was spectacular, with the light coming from the east, the mountains to our went were now the ones lit up with the glow.
We had camped a way down from the actual Buckhorn Mountain peak, so after breakfast and coffee, we headed up the winding rocky path toward our goal. The trail was noticeably less steep than our ascent which my legs thanked me for. Finally we had reached our destination, atop an epic landscape filled with jagged mountaintops and hazy views of the Puget Sound. Even Mt Rainier made an appearance to our east.
Solitude in the alpine regions of Washington is something to be treasured.