Newer Entries  Older Entries

07/05/08 - Expedition: Deer Lake - Fail!

With the success of our Hurricane Hill expedition, we were all set for further high country exploration. We sallied forth to Sol Duc Falls for an assault on Deer Lake, a rocky one thousand, six hundred and fifty feet APL (above parking lot). Our journey began well, particularly the 0.8 miles from the parking lot to the falls which were roaring with the enthusiasm of early summer and a lot of water.

Then, we began our climb, up towards Deer Lake. This trail, if you are unfamiliar with it, ascends slowly at first, and is notable for its rockiness which often leads to battered foot syndrome. Luckily, our running shoes were up to the challenge, so we rolled along nicely, climbing, climbing, ever climbing. It wasn't long before we reached the Canyon Creek crossing, a high bridge over a powerful stream and a great photo op.

We continued. We passed through the lone unrocky section of the trail among the tall trees, and still we ascended. We did not get far. About 200 feet above the bridge, the snow began. Snow may look harmless, but ask Robert Falcon Scott. Rather than suffer his fate, we turned tail, discretion being the better part of valor.

Our lesson learned was simple. The high country is opening, but at its own pace. We'll be back at Sol Duc soon, and in due course Deer Lake will be ours.


Snow: our nemesis

The canyon falls

A late season trillium

Sol Duc Falls

Pacific dogwood in bloom

Keywords: deer lake, high country, hurricane hill, sol duc, summer, trillium


07/01/08 - Expedition: Hurricane Hill

The Hurricane Hill Trail is not only open, but this may be the best year yet for alpine flowers. There are great banks of phlox, fields of glacier lilies, indian paintbrush, and great stands of lupine. The good snowpack this winter means more water, and the plants are making the most of it. This really looks like a spectacular season for exploring the high country.

As for the trail itself, it is largely clear of snow except for that section shaded by trees that runs from the open area near the Wind The Sculptor sign to The Hamper. (We call it that because it is full of dirty sock plant in the high season). Even that section, perhaps a few hundred feet long, is melting rapidly, and the snow is walkable if you take care.


Unfortunately, the scent plugin is not compatible with your browser.

Flowers and more flowers

Is this some kind of plover?

Lots of glacier lilies


The north face melting has begun.

Fields of phlox

Keywords: flowers, high country, hurricane hill, summer


12/22/07 - Hurricane Ridge is OPEN

The road to Hurricane Ridge is open. The park service has done a great job plowing, sanding, moving rocks and sawing trees. There was some serious road damage up near the Switchback Trail trailhead, and the road narrows a bit there, but the route was easily passable.

The ridge itself was spectacular. We managed to snowshoe a bit, but the snow was all fresh powder, so we couldn't get very far on our trail snowshoes. We were sinking two feet into the snow with every step. On the other hand, we did manage to flail around for an hour enjoying the views and making it some of the way up Sunrise Peak.

The road is still open. Get the winter spirit and check out the high country.


A view of the lodge at Hurricane Ridge

The view to the north

Snow covered trees


Klahane Ridge as seen from the road

Keywords: high country, hurricane ridge, winter


11/07/07 - Klahane Ridge Panorama

This has been an unusual autumn, with an early snow and an early thaw. We thought we had said goodbye to the high country a while back, but we've just stumbled down from Klahane Ridge and must report that the high country is still open.

The sky was gray and tinged with pink. The sun doesn't rise all that high this time of year. Still, the views were as spectacular as ever, with the Blue Glacier showing its color in the wintry light.

Here is a panorama of the view from Klahane Ridge, so you can see what we are talking about.

Keywords: autumn, high country, klahane ridge, panoramas


10/27/07 - North Face, South Face

The difference between the north slope and the south slope of a mountain or ridge is often used as a metaphor. The south slope, or south face, gets a lot more sun in the Northern Hemisphere, so it tends to be drier in the summer, but the snow melts more quickly in the winter. The north slope, or north face, gets less sun, so it tends to be wetter and cooler in the summer, but snowier and harsher in the winter.

You should be able to see the difference for yourself in this photo.

Keywords: high country


10/27/07 - Hurricane Ridge Panoramas

The first time you visited Hurricane Ridge, you probably climbed to Sunrise Point, and you may even have gone some ways on the trail that leads to Klahane Ridge. To be honest, we haven't taken this trail in years. We like to climb the Switchback Trail to Klahane Ridge, and since the Sunrise Point Trail starts right at the lodge, we've been considering it a bit tame.

This week, the high country opened again. The snow had melted from the hills, and the ice had melted from the road. The twisty little road to Hurricane Hill was closed, and Obstruction Point Road was closed for the season, so we decided to climb up to Sunrise Point and then see where the trails took us. The day was spectacular, with the sky blue and the snow on the mountains white. Even a tame trail in the Olympic high country offers a lot of great stuff to look at.

To share the experience, we took a few panorama photos. If you click on the little preview you should get a larger version that you can pan across in your web browser. It isn't the same as the real thing, but it might give you a sense of the view from Hurricane Ridge.

Along the ridge - click on the picture for a bigger version that you can pan horizontally.

A good view of Mount Angeles, and everything else - click on the picture for a bigger version that you can pan horizontally

Keywords: high country, hurricane ridge, klahane ridge, trails, panoramas


10/14/07 - Obstruction Point Panoramas

Obstruction Point Road was open again so we shot out for a last peek at the high country. The road isn't much. It's about 1.5 lanes wide, and, now that the autumn rains are upon us, it is getting a bit rutted and here and there large rocks have settled on the roadway. Still, the road was passable, so we went out and took a short walk, and we took some pictures which we've turned into panoramas.

The view to the east - click on the picture for a bigger version that you can pan horizontally

The view to the south with Mount Olympus - click on the picture for a bigger version that you can pan horizontally

Another view to the south with Mount Olympus - click on the picture for a bigger version that you can pan horizontally

Keywords: autumn, high country, obstruction point, panoramas


10/12/07 - Hurricane Hill In Its Autumn Glory

This is a panorama view from up on Hurricane Hill. We were up there on a gray day, and the sun was just leaking through the clouds. The grasses are turning golden, and there are a few ice crystals on the ground. Autumn is coming to the high country. Click on the image for the huge, full resolution 6000 x 1900 panorama.

Keywords: autumn, high country, hurricane hill, panoramas


10/09/07 - First Signs of WInter, Last Signs of Summer

Hurricane Ridge Road had been closed, and we were sure it had been closed for the season. We were wrong. The road is open, so up we went to Klahane Ridge.

This has been an odd year. We missed the usual late summer drying. By September, most of the alpine flowers are past their bloom and rather sere. This year, the lupines were blossoming into autumn, and the hillsides covered with flowers.

The lupines are gone, but even in October, there are a few blossoms - yarrow, Indian paintbrush, and even a few of those violet harebells. There was a bit of ice on the trail, and some slushy segments. The ice freezes under the soil. When you step on it, the soil compacts and the water flows making the ground slippery. Slime ice, we called it, but it dries out in an hour or two and turns into good old fashioned mud.


The last summer flowers, the first winter snow

First bit of snow on Klahane Ridge

Still a bit of Indian paintbrush
We aren't sure of how much snow has fallen in the high country. Obstruction Point Road is closed, but it is a rather twisty, unsealed road, so there may just be ice in one of the dark patches. According to the web camera at Hurricane Ridge there has been a bit of snow at 5200 feet, but it has all melted. Even at Klahane Ridge, on the north face, perhaps at 6000', there are just patches of snow. Still, looking across at the Blue Glacier and Mount Olympus, over 7000', the mountains are looking whiter.

New snow on the Olympic glaciers

Keywords: autumn, flowers, high country, hurricane ridge, klahane ridge, obstruction point, winter


09/14/07 - Deer Lake and Potholes

Most tourists stop at Sol Duc Falls which is a pleasant mile from the end of Sol Duc Road. We will admit that the falls are spectacular, especially set as they are in the lush green forest of the Northwest. Wem on the other hand, continued across the bridge and up into the high country towards Deer Lake. The trail is rocky and muddy. If nothing else our feet get all banged up as we climb. The trail rises and leaves the main Sol Duc valley and into a side canyon. Since there are trees all around, this is rather subtle. You have to catch glimpses of more distant mountains to realize what is happening and why the air grows still.

There is a little bridge across the side stream that flows from Deer Lake to the Sol Duc, then the trail begins to climb in earnest alternating between flat areas and staircase like climbs. The lake is about 1600' above the falls, but the effort is worth it. Deer Lake is a jewel in the mountains.

We were energetic today, so climbed higher. Rather than walking around the lake the way we usually do, we took the side trail to the Seven Lakes Basin and climbed towards the potholes. This trail follows the side of a mountain past several little ponds, but eventually it turns inward and through a grove of blueberries, still surprisingly full of ripe berries, and then up to the barren open area of the potholes.

This is a relatively bare flat area with a number of small ponds sparkling and reflecting the sky. We ate our tongue sandwiches here keeping a wary eye out for bears. There were bears in the high country according to several campers we met, but they were another six miles down the trail which was close enough for us.

The descent was lovely. The feeling of accomplishment was glorious. The pounding of our feet by the rocky trail painful.


One of the potholesClick here for more info

Another pothole, still full of water, but you can see the rocky lake bed

Some early autumn color

A great looking mushroom - yes, we are obsessed

A curtain of drips, click for the movie

Keywords: autumn, deer lake, high country, sol duc


08/31/07 - Obstruction Point

Obstruction Point Road is dusty but open. There is still time to explore the high country. It has been a strange summer though. The lupines are still blooming, even as some foliage starts turning its autumn crimson. As we write this, a light rain is falling in Port Angeles, and we are sure that the unusual wet weather is one reason the high country flowers have been so spectacular and long lasting this year.

Some fall color is coming in

There are still lupines in bloom

Still some snow, even in late August

Keywords: autumn, flowers, high country, obstruction point


08/23/07 - Hurricane Hill Flowers

As we have noted before, this has been a wonderful year for the wildflowers in the high country. Hurricane Hill is still in full bloom. As you can see, there are even freshly blooming lupines, and, if you can believe it, mushrooms. The soil is usually so dry this time of year that most flowers are withered, but this year has been so moist that even the mushrooms are out. The corn lilies are out as well. They are on that side spur off the Hurricane Hill trail that heads down to the Elwha Ranger Station. There were also a couple of other flowers of note including the eerie looking "Japanese witches" we show here. They look like the three witches in Kurosawa's Throne of Blood, his retelling of Macbeth. Also looking somber were these other stalks, just coming into bloom. They look like traditional Victorian mourning colors. They'd be something in Paramatta silk.

Late season lupines

Actual mushrooms

Corn lilies in bloom

Japanese witches

Victorian mourning colors

Keywords: flowers, high country, hurricane hill, victoria


07/15/07 - Rainbow On The Ridge

We often check the Hurricane Ridge web camera to get a sense of what the weather is doing in the high country. This morning there was a pleasant surprise. Check out the rainbow towards the right of the image. This might not make for the best hiking weather, but it sure does brighten the day.

For some more interesting webcam images, check out our webcam movie page.


Click to enlarge

Keywords: hurricane ridge, atmosphere, high country


06/17 - Hurricane Hill Trail Open For The Season

The road past the lodge at Hurricane Ridge is open, and the the Hurricane Hill trail from the end of the road is almost completely snow free. There are a few patches in that wooded section, but the snow is melting fast. The flowers are blooming, and the scenery is spectacular. The high country is opening for the season.

We drove up to Hurricane Ridge on a gray, unprepossessing day. There was a foggy stretch from above Heart of the Hills to a fair ways past the tunnel, but then we were above the fog and the mountains views were clear. As an extra bonus, in addition to the mountains, the flowers and the trail, there were marmots.

We saw three Olympic golden marmots, unique to the region, and they were doing quite well, thank you. They were trundling around, digging burrows and checking out the tourists. One of them was rummaging about just to the side of the trail and seemed quite unperturbed by his or her audience. It is definitely time to head for the hills.

Can you spot the golden marmot?
(It's to the right of the trail).

Click on this, or any other, shot for a larger version.

The Olympic Golden Marmot

The alpine gardens are blooming.

The phlox perfumes the trail.

The lupines are out, already!

There is scenery too.

Keywords: hurricane hill, marmots, high country, flowers, hurricane ridge


06/03/07 - Lake Angeles Trail Report

We finally got around to checking out the Lake Angeles Trail. This is an often overlooked trail that runs from near the Hurricane Ridge Road entry station at about 1900' to Lake Angeles at about 4300'. It is a wonderful climb, and it is usually passable well before the high country is open. This year, we'd like to report that the trail is open to the lake, and, according to an informant who was returning from the lake, all of the snow around the lake has melted. We ourselves didn't get much above 3000'. We need to get back into shape, but it's nice to know that the lake is waiting for us.

As for the trails around Hurricane Ridge. As of a few days ago, there was a lot of melt, but also a lot of snow. The road to the Hurricane Hill trailhead is still unplowed, but at the rate things are melting, the high country should be opening up through the month of June.

The little bridge near the start of the trail is still broken, but quite passable. Besides, the creek is so narrow here, you can almost leap over it.

Keywords: lake angeles, high country, hurricane hill, hurricane ridge, trails


05/03/07 - Still Snowshoeing at Hurricane Ridge

Did we mention that there is still snow on Hurricane Ridge? We were out snowshoeing. The snow is getting a bit crunchy, and the trail is pretty messy, since most people, less clumsy that we, are just wearing hiking shoes on the trail.

The road is still only open on weekends (call 360 565 3131), but the drive is worth it. It is still mighty pretty up there.

Keywords: high country, hurricane ridge, winter, snowshoeing


03/18/07 - Hurricane Hill Is Still Winter

We were up snowshoeing today at Hurricane Ridge. While it is starting to look like spring down here near sea level, up on Hurricane Hill Road it still looks like winter. It was well above freezing, but there were still about eight feet of snow. There is a bit of the road starting to peep through here at the hairpin turn, but we will not be holding our breath waiting for the glacier lilies.

Keywords: hurricane hill, high country, winter, hurricane ridge, spring, snowshoeing


03/06/07 - First Salamander (and Slug) of Spring

A lot of trails are closed right now. Whiskey Bend Road is more or less wiped out, and the Hoh Rain Forest is inaccessible. This means we are spending a lot of time on the Spruce Railroad Trail at Lake Crescent. We were out there a few days ago, and it sure smelled of spring. Today, it smelled even more spring-like. The currant and salmonberry blossoms are getting ready to bloom. Then we saw it. The first salamander of spring! We knew that slugs could not be far behind. We were right. A bit down the trail, there it was, a slug, slugging its way through the trail debris.

Eventually other trails will reopen, and even the high country will thaw out and open up, but for now, we are going to watch for spring.

We often have trouble believing how clear Lake Crescent water is. The upper rocks in this picture are under water. The water is radioactive pool blue, even without radioactive waste to make it glow.

Keywords: elwha, spruce railroad, spring, animals, salamander, slugs, high country, hoh rain forest, lake crescent, trails, salmon


11/05/06 - First Snow at Klahane Ridge

We seem to be watching winter come to the high country in slow motion. The rain stopped for a day, and we, and a fair number of other hikers, set out to see how things were doing up on the ridge. Just a few days ago there was frost; today there was snow. There was not a whole lot of snow, or we wouldn't have made it up there, and it had mostly melted save in the highest areas and in places where things lie in shadow. Still, there was snow, and the hanging gardens are now silver and gold as the foliage turns towards winter.

Keywords: high country, winter, klahane ridge


Newer Entries  Older Entries