I have been on several adventures in Olympic National park. Pyramid peak was my first big summer hike and it was a hot and long one. Several things stood out to me on this particular adventure.
The first time we did this hike we didn’t make it. There was a sketchy narrow patch and my hiking friend wasn’t trusting the path, so we didn’t continue on. You know when your mind sikes you out? Yeah it was that kind of thing. We came back a few weeks later, and here’s how it went.
Take two, we were determined this day to make it up the hike. It was a warm summer day, we were running on time for once and got to the hike pretty early. When we pull up we get out and start changing into our hiking boots, then out of no where comes this man. Naturally my hiking buddy starts a conversation like she tends to do, while I avoid eye contact because hard pass for me man. Let me remind you WE ARE IN A NO CELL RECEPTION ZONE. The thing about this that rubbed me the wrong way was the fact that there were no other cars at all. That and I just read an article about cannibals that live in national parks and about people who have gone missing, whoops... So it was creepy to me. The entire way up the hike, every time I heard something I told her it was her new friend coming to murder us. I am not a fan of talking to strangers in the woods, especially men. Don’t worry though, she got my mind off of that by reminding me there are cougars in the area.. not the kind of cougars you like to see by the pool or at the bar either. So this was my first time actually being slightly frightened in the woods.
We reached the point where we had previously had to turn around, I went first this time and made it across the sketchy rock area. Once we got through that we were on a mission. Now keep in mind, last summer was the hottest summer I can remember in Washington from any time I had lived here previously. I thought I was going to sweat every drop of water out of my body. Every time we turned a corner, I was hoping it was going to be the top. Thats the part of hiking people leave out of the Instagram posts, the torture and challaneging your body. As much as I love the view at the top, it was most definitely a struggle to make it there.
An hour or two later we are finally almost to the top when we see this little side path, so we decided to go check it out. Why not right? Its already been several hours might as well explore all parts of the trail. When I walked through the trees all of my exhaustion and over heating was forgotten. The view was everything I could have imagined and more. You could see mountains for days and a big beautiful crystal blue lake beneath us. We got so excited, but we had to summit the peak. We went on so we could explore the cabin that was at the top of the hike. We finally made it and wow. a 360 view of mountains, the lake, the Pacific Ocean, the Olympics, and you could even see up to Canada because it was such a clear day. I was so happy that I didn’t give up on this long hot hike, because my expectations for all future hikes went up tremendously that day.
If you ever reach a point on an adventure where you feel so exhausted and beat but you know the finish line will give you that sweet sweet glory, just give it all you’ve got and pull through. Its always worth the prize at the end. I will never forget Pyramid peak. An up coming adventure will be across the lake to Mount Storm king. That adventure will be talked about soon, I am motivated to make it up the slightly steeper mountain. Wish me luck!
*highly recommend trying this hike*
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