DAY 1

ELWAH RIVER 50 MILER

9,000 FEET OF GAIN

OUR FIRST RUN TAKES US THE FURTHEST INTO THE OLYMPICS FOLLOWING THE ELWAH RIVER FROM THE WHISKEY BEND TRAILHEAD TO HAYES RIVER WHERE WE'LL CLIMB TOWARDS MT CLAYWOOD.  AS WE HEAD UP RIVER WE'LL TAKE A FEW DETOURS UP THE RIDGES TO SNOW LINE TO GET IN AS MUCH ELEVATION GAIN AS POSSIBLE (THESE DETOURS CAN BE SKIPPED FOR SHORTER RUN WITH LESS GAIN).  THE PLAN IS TO RETURN BACK TO THE TRAIL HEAD AFTER TURNING AROUND JUST BELOW MT. CLAYWOOD AND SKIP THE DETOURS. ALTERNATE: BY SKIPPING THE DETOURS ON THE WAY OUT AND BACK THE MILEAGE IS ABOUT25-30 MILES WITH LESS THAN 2000 FT OF GAIN