The Switchback Trail to
Klahane
Ridge
is one of our favorite high country hikes. If nothing else, the
trailhead is right off Hurricane Ridge Road a bit shy of the ranger
station on Hurricane Ridge, so it is an easy drive. We got an early
start today to avoid the Fourth of July crowds, and we fairly tore up
the 1450' from the Switchback Trail trailhead to the ridge, but just as
we got to the overlook, where one can see Port Angeles, Sequim,
Dungeness, the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island spread out below,
we stopped short. There, by the sign post, was a mountain goat, chowing
down on the foliage.
There are mountain goats, actually a type
of sheep, in Olympic National Park, but they are rarely seen in this
part of the park. This one was shaggy, still shedding its winter coat,
but more than willing to cooperate with a photographer. |
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