Royal Basin via Royal Lake — Tuesday, Jun. 27, 2023

As noted in previous trip reports there are boulders on the road in two separate places. The rangers in Quilcene say they are working on removing them. A low clearance car ought to be able to navigate the road, but there are a few deep potholes.

We did not see any bears or bear scat. All the same, as per regulations, we had bear cans for our food and toothpaste. And our wilderness permit, of course.

The trail is in good shape, well maintained.

Flowers are blooming and there were lots of birds.

Bunchberries and Queen's Cup are plentiful in the lower forest as are delicately fragrant False Solomon's seal and Star Solomon's Seal. As we climbed we saw pink and yellow Monkey flowers, purple Penstemon, bright orange Columbine,  Paintbrush, Tiger Lilies, intensely blue-purple Larkspur, pink phlox and white Cow's Parsnip.Don't miss the lavender Shooting Stars around the lake. White Avalanche lilies are blooming in great profusion en route to Arrowhead meadow. They are interspersed with marsh marigolds and anemones. Not only the flowers, but also the mosquitoes are blooming in the upper basin. Apparently they lay their eggs along the receding snowline. And there is still plenty of snow up there, but no problem to walk across or around.

In the lower forest we had flocks of Red Crossbills, Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Red Breasted Nuthatches and Varied Thrushes with their haunting whistle-like song. Higher up we met many, many Warbling Vireos, Hermit Thrushes with their fluty song, buzzy Townsends Warblers, Wilson's Warblers and Hummingbirds (Rufous?). Yellow Warblers were busy showing off their sunshine colors darting in the willow thickets where the Royal Creek has a quiet spell through that level half mile below the lower meadows. At Royal Lake we saw a solitary swift that might have been a Black Swift and we appreciated that the waterfalls nearby could possibly be nesting spots for them. We also found a large, downy breast feather, a barred one, and thought that may be from an owl.

On the trail we encountered many, many tame deer. There's talk of bringing wolves back into this ecosystem, and that will put those deer on the alert. In our tiny stream side camp we were kept company by a trusting little rabbit of the most subtle olive green-brown hue. I think this little guy chewed on the handles of my trekking poles over night. It's the salt, I guess. So, I brought them into the tent after that. Pica on the trail were furtive, staying hidden and moving swiftly. We saw one marmot.

On our way in to the trailhead from Rt 101 we unwittingly missed a turn on the road and when we slowed down to chat with a fellow birder about the Pygmy Owls he was listening to, he enlightened us about our mistake. We soon had the opportunity to pay this kindness forward on the trail when we met two parties trying to get to Camp Handy via the Royal Basin trail. It's good to have a map!

We met all the very best folks on the trail: young men with ice axes going to free climb one of the peaks that looms over the upper basin, another older gentleman with an ice axe headed to Mount Petunia on the ridge to the east that divides the Upper Dungeness from the Royal Creek. Other adventurers were a 72 year old mother and her strapping son who had just a little way to go before reaching their camp site at the lake. We basked in a lovely mutual admiration glow because my pal and I are in our mid sixties. I boasted about one of my best hiking buddies who is 76 and ran a triathlon last year. Another young married woman was a little nervous being out on her first solo backpacking trip. We testified that we also go out solo backpacking. I showed her my InReach and told her how to text sweet nothings to her stay at home hubby.

So much happens in three days on a trail, between the plant and bird communities, the watersheds and the bipeds. But, maybe the most heartfelt moment came as we approached the trailhead at the end. We met an older man without ice axe, trekking poles or a day pack. I asked him where he was off to. "Oh," he said, "I'm just going to the second bridge on the Dungeness. I worked on this trail with two WTA work parties."

We salute you, trail volunteers!