Skyline Trail,  Olympic National Park,  Jul 12, 2005 - Jul 16, 2005     page 2 / 52

The trail rose gently. The air was cool and damp. An occasional drizzle was felt on our skin. We passed a young family as we neared Irely Lake, roughly one mile from the car. The lake was rather still and somewhat swampy.

From there, the trail grade increased substantially. Our pace slowed a bit to adjust to the climbing. We brushed against wet bushes along the narrowing, lesser used trail.

We crossed Big Creek around 3:15PM. The creek flows through a narrow gorge. It's rather impressive. A few camping sites can be found nearby. A steady rain had returned. I donned my rain gear and we had a quick snack while standing under a tree for shelter.