Mt Carrie, Cat Peak, Cat Lake,  Olympic National Park,  Sep 21, 2009 - Sep 25, 2009     page 80 / 80

The hike was a pleasant one, despite turning out quite different than I had planned. It was more relaxing than some of the treks I have done in recent years, though certainly filled with great scenery and plenty of solitude.

As I walked across the Sol Duc parking lot, I saw ranger Mark walking the opposite direction. He greeted me by name and I told him about my trip. He and his partner were heading into the woods for another few days. Having cut my trip short by three days, I suggested that the park could provide me with a refund for the unused portion of my permit. He reached into his pocket for some cash, but found none. Better luck next time!

After I returned home, I spent some time taking inventory of my remaining food. At the rate I was going, I probably could have stayed in the woods not eight days, but nine or ten! No wonder my pack seemed overloaded. Perhaps a little more precise planning will allow me to return more comfortably in the future.