<< Patience and Persistence Rewarded

11/15/08 - Klahane Ridge

The day before and the day after were sunny, but we climbed to Klahane Ridge on the day in the middle. The day we climbed the skies were gray, and the ridge covered with cloud. A dank combination of mist and drizzle meant poor visibility. Our ascent was brisk, and the trail was good. If nothing else, mud offers better traction than water. Still, we could feel the ice crystals crunching underfoot as we climbed, and once or twice there were slippery patches of ice.

For much of our climb, we were sheltered by trees or by the hillside itself, but here and there the wind broke through. As we approached the ridge itself, we could feel the wind rising. It was quite strong at the top, and wet. We did not linger. Twenty feet down, we were sheltered again.

Klahane Ridge, like much of Olympic National Park, offers different things in different seasons. On clear, sunny days, the views are fantastic with the Olympic Mountains to the south and Vancouver Island and the San Juans to the north. On a day like this one the ridge offers its wildness, its mystery and its local grandeur. That last is something that must be experienced one footstep at a time.







Keywords: klahane ridge