The Olympic Loops

Ever wanted to go to the Olympics? No, not the games.

Here’s a route for the slightly more ambitious mountain runner (or hiker): 324 miles that will lead you through some incredibly spectacular mountain ranges and valleys in the Olympic National Park. With almost 100,000ft of elevation gain, you’ll be doing the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest more than 3 times from sea level. So it’s a bit like the Olympic Games, only longer, steeper, and better. 

You’ll also be going around the 7 Lakes Basin on the High Divide trail, traverse the Bailey Range, and—if you feel so inclined—you could throw a Mt. Olympus summit into the mix. And the list of unique and challenging things about this route goes on and on…

Loops are—well—pretty awesome. I made them as large as possible, avoided roads whenever possible (there’s only a very short section along Lake Mills), and minimized out-and-backs. I think the resulting route will both maximize your wilderness experience and your bodily exhaustion.

Each loop has at least one easy access point where you could stash resupplies and/or receive support. While you could explore and complete these loops individually, the route is meant as a single big challenge. Needless to say that it will take you more than a weekend to complete it.

324 miles of pure wilderness bliss. Click to enlarge or hop over to the interactive map.

Run steep, get high. I think that’s how they say it. Some say it, some do it. With almost 100,000ft of elevation gain, you’ll be doing the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest more than 3 times from sea level.

Route

The route starts/ends at the Dosewallips Ranger Station. Note [Jul 2018]: The Dosewallips Road is washed out on Olympic National Forest land, 5.5 miles from the park ranger station at the end. The ranger station is currently unstaffed. More info here.

Distance Elevation gain GPS track Distance
324mi 92,175ft gpx | kml Gaia | Google

Guidelines

  1. This is not a race. You do not need to register or qualify or anything. There are no fees. Anyone can do it anytime of the year.
  2. The clock starts when you leave the Dosewallips Ranger Station and stops when you are back again.
  3. You must follow the route.
  4. You pick your direction for the loop(s), although the suggestion is to complete them counterclockwise.
  5. The route can be done individually or in teams. If completed in a team, all team members must do all parts of the route. Relays do not count.
  6. The clock does not stop if the individual or team sleeps, rests, etc.
  7. A route must be completed in a single push. Sleep, rest, etc. along the route are allowed. No leaving the route and returning.
  8. Crews and stashing of gear, food, and water are allowed. All stashes must be retrieved. Note, however, that caching food and gear is illegal in National Parks.
  9. The route can be completed in a unsupported, self-supported, or supported way.
  10. Announcing your intentions is encouraged, but not mandatory.
  11. The route must be tracked and documented in order to be listed in the results. More info also on the FKT page.
  12. All wilderness regulations as well as Federal, State, and Local laws must be strictly followed.
  13. Strict leave-no-trace backcountry ethics must be followed.

Pictures

A few impressions from the blue loop.

Attempts and Records

All reported and documented attempts, completions, Only Known Times (OKT), and Fastest Known Times (FKT) that followed the above guidelines shall be listed here.

You may want to submit your time(s) to the FKT page as well.

Athlete(s) Date Elapsed time Style Start Report
Your name could be here!

FAQs

  • How can I announce an attempt? Use your personal Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or contact me and I’ll post your announcement, time, and report here.
  • How can I submit my data? Use the form at the end of this page to submit your attempts and completions. And as said above, you are of course encouraged to submit your time(s) to the FKT board as well.
  • Should I carry a map? Definitely!
  • Do I need to write up a trip report? No, it’s not mandatory. Yet, reports allow to share knowledge and to inspire others, so they are encouraged.
  • Do I need to carry a satellite tracker? No, but you need to submit solid evidence that you completed the route. A GPS track (e.g., recorded with GaiaGPS) provides reasonable evidence. So do links to Strava or other activity websites. And of course photos and movies will provide additional evidence.
  • How close do I have to follow a route? Think of it as a race. While the course is not marked, you still have to complete every part of if to qualify for a finish. If you take a wrong turn or get lost, you must go back to where you got off course and continue from there.
  • What’s in for me if I complete this route? Fame. Pure fame.

Disclaimers

  • Records are not verified. The burden of proof is solely on the individual or team. Thus, the more documentation you can provide, the better. See http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/19/read-first for more info.
  • The information provided on this website does not identify possible dangers. When you are attempting this route, you assume responsibility for your own actions and safety.

Stay Connected

Submit your Attempts and Records

Click here to get to the form.