Backpacking the HOH RAINFOREST | 3 Day Adventure in OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK | With 4K VIRTUAL Hiking

This was a three-day backpacking trip that I completed with my girlfriend up in the Hoh Rainforest of Olympic National Park. Unfortunately, our trip to Washington featured a TON of smoke from the surrounding forest fires of the PNW in September of 2020. However, we still managed to complete some pretty epic backpacking trips during our time there, and the Hoh Rainforest was a magical way to start things out. We completed roughly a 21 mile out and back along the Hoh River Trail - staying at both Five Mile Island and Lewis Meadow backcountry sites. We figured climbing the extra 3k feet to Blue Glacier wasn't worth it, given the lack of visibility. Nonetheless, this enchanting rainforest will forever remain one of my favorite places on Earth! This is my first big backpacking video, so I look forward to becoming much more familiar with the entire process as I go along. Feel free to like and subscribe if you enjoyed it!!
My Backpacking Gear:
My GoPro: amzn.to/46WIlQB
My Backpack: amzn.to/43Ldljr
My Hiking Boots: amzn.to/3Ou2AOq
My Sleeping Pad: amzn.to/43A85zn
Hand-Pump Water Filter: amzn.to/3DvnOoJ
Gravity System Water Filter: amzn.to/43zWoIU
Water Bottle: amzn.to/3rCreDf
Collapsible Water Bottle: amzn.to/3QbkQgx
Cook System/Jet Boil: amzn.to/47gxsJF
Backpacking Meals: amzn.to/3KbvL66
Water Shoes/Keens: amzn.to/43I0bnv
Collapsible Dry Bags: amzn.to/3Y4jgio
Head Lamp: amzn.to/3Osa9Fb
GPS Navigator: amzn.to/3q3qfM1
Portable Phone Charger: amzn.to/3Y9H70q
Music:
Scott Buckley - In Dreams
Scott Buckley - Jul
Scott Buckley - Hiraeth
AShamaluevMusic - Cinematic Piano Ambient
AShamaluevMusic - Among The Stars

[@deerhaven3350]

I live in the forests northwest of Olympia, Washington with Mount Rainier to the southeast, and the Olympic mountain range to the northwest. I feel very fortunate to be the fourth generation of my family to inhabit this part of the world. I've hiked south of the Hoh area in the Olympic National Park, north of Quinault and it's very similar to this. I'm too old now to get out there so I really do appreciate this. Thank you for doing such a spectacular job putting this together....the intro music was perfect. Also, I am grateful for your beautiful cinematography and narration, and most importantly, for not giving me vertigo.

[@mikewanders]

Wow thank you so much for saying that. I am so jealous that you live out there!! What a gorgeous place to spend your time. Say hi to the magical forests of Washington for me. Thanks for watching!

[@deenagleason1225]

There was a series of beautiful musical videos that were done with an ultra glide one of the desert dreams I think it was called in Arizona and surrounding areas and one of Mount Rainier national park. With music and very surreal.. I searched for decades for these videos .

[@samwardle4795]

Hiked that trail up to Olympus 60 years ago toting my Trapper Nelson, mummy bag, poncho for a shelter, cast iron skillet and plenty of Spam . . . great memories.

[@mikewanders]

That’s awesome! I really hope to return someday and go all the way to Olympus.

[@LABoyko]

Maggie's favorite part was getting that giant rig off her back. 😆

[@mikewanders]

Hahaha 100 percent

[@KayVgKatTV]

Beautiful hike. Nice Body of water

[@mikewanders]

Love that place!

[@margaretschaible7957]

So glad ya'll weren't some things lunch 😊!

[@mikewanders]

me too!

[@dwfedele]

Very impressive Mike!

[@MrCSayT]

WOWOWOW!!!!! INCREDIBLE

[@alexirossi]

You did a great job of capturing the beauty of the PNW despite the smoke!

[@mikewanders]

Thank you Alexi! Yeah the smoke was brutal but the trip was still an incredible experience. Thanks for watching

[@loeyminske3459]

Love the Hoh! We were there in May and hiked a bit through the magical forest! Looks like the Hoh river is down which is sad. Thanks for taking us on your backpacking trip with you.

[@mikewanders]

It’s the best! I’m sure the river was raging in May. Thanks so much for watching!

[@willardwooten9582]

I did this in the 70s up to Blue Glacier & Mt. Olympus when you didn't have to reserve a campsite. Funny , Bear Cannisters . In the 70s I also did La Push to ShiShi Beach. Now part of this requires the bear cannister but not for the Black Bears on the beach but because of the Racoons had figured out how to get into Ursacks hanging from trees. They got me on my trip .

[@mikewanders]

Oh wow that’s interesting about the raccoons. I think I might’ve had one visit me during the night while out on Rialto Beach

[@leestamm3187]

Over many years of hiking I saw instances of racoons undoing pack straps and/or untying knots to get food from packs during the night. They're smart and very dextrous.

[@sophia-O]

The hoh river trail is one of my favorites 👣

[@mikewanders]

Me too!!

[@JohnFNagle]

Lovely reminds me of New Zealand we only tramp in shorts as we have lots of rivers and small streams. This is true when its snowing. .. truly impressive I take my Elkhounds with me as company

[@mikewanders]

I would LOVE to visit New Zealand one day

[@terrywbreedlove]

I hike the HOH Rainforest all the time. I was there twice last week alone and I have some video of the Elk Bugling. I really like your video you covered it so well. Let me tell you from lots of experience. When you hear the Elk like you did. They are much closer than you think.

[@mikewanders]

That’s SO cool you get to go there that often. Jealous. I’ve heard elk bugling all over the country but there was something so magical about hearing it in the dense rainforest. I wish I saw him!

[@Upperleftcoasttreelover]

Beautiful footage and love the music choices ☺️ I lived in the Seattle area for 13 years and never made it to the Hoh, despite all my good intentions 😭 I also lived in Port Angeles for a season and never saw or heard any elk 🤯 I miss WA so much. Thank you for this 💚

[@mikewanders]

Thank you so much! I’m jealous of all the time you spent living in Washington!!

[@Upperleftcoasttreelover]

@@mikewanders you’re welcome! I truly do miss the PNW and will move back someday. Hopefully sooner rather than later 🙏

[@LABoyko]

You are right. Hard to capture dimension without a wide-angle lens. Even then not possible to recreate the enormity of the experience.

[@mikewanders]

Ya it would be a great VR experience

[@WATravelers]

nice video! We've just published the form Hoh Rainforest. Very beautiful place!

[@mikewanders]

Thank you so much!! I love it there

[@CaptainBeefheart2004]

Amazing. I hope to do this hike next summer. Seems like a great way to cleanse the soul. Do you need permits for camping?

[@mikewanders]

Thank you! It is def soul cleansing. And yeah you do need permits

[@precisiont5188]

I had no idea about this.

[@jamesleyda365]

GOD DAMNED RIGHT THERE IS SASQUATCH.... No joke man, i know. Three genarations of my family that have grew up around there and the Mt St Helens/Adams area. My grandpa and great grandpa were loggers and they know. So really 4 generations. Many many around them aresa know but alot will not speak of it because people are so damn ignorrant

[@mikewanders]

I agree!! It feels like they’re there at times. I actually am working on a Bigfoot documentary coming out soon!

[@lmr1813]

Camped really close to the water.

[@mikewanders]

Yeah it was awesome!

[@alexanderglazman3209]

Mike Wanders what do you like?

[@alexanderglazman3209]

Chandon my name is Sasha

[@alexanderglazman3209]

LMR 1 do you speak russian?

[@adventure195]

4:03 what is that in the tree???

[@mikewanders]

I THINK it’s a growth on the tree, if that’s actually what you’re looking at.

[@adventure195]

@@mikewanders yeah I wasn’t sure if it was some of that mossy stuff or a coyote 👀

[@mikewanders]

@@adventure195 lol we did get a lot of coyote warnings out there

[@alexanderglazman3209]

Mike Wanders is the woman that I will live with when I will be her boyfriend and not live with my parents nomore your sister?

[@heatherwatson8273]

Man look behind you, while you're just plodding along your lady is walking at full speed and looks exhausted trying to keep up with you, it's nice that you take her on your trips but you're not taking her into consideration, she has to take two of one of your steps, and if you push her like this all the time at home, you're going to end up with a very sick lady. You need to remember she is tagging along to keep you company, she's not in this to break your personal race record, you need to plan more breaks for her.

[@mikewanders]

You’re right. Thank you Heather

[@maggiemartino]

Yeah! Thank you, Heather! Mike manages to walk through those trails like a moose! Sometimes it’s tough to keep up, but it’s always worth the trip. Thanks for looking out. Because of your comment Mike is buying me dinner tonight! Isn’t that right @mikewanders

[@dwfedele]

Very impressive Mike!

[@mikewanders]

Thank you so much Diane!!