The Kaleberg Journal - June 2025

06/03 - Hurricane Ridge to Hurricane Hill - Part 1

We drove up to Hurricane Ridge and found Hurricane Hill Road closed but with almost all of the snow melted. We boot on our boots, just in case, and headed down the road on foot. There were glacier lilies and avalanche lilies waiting for us. We made it to the overlook at the sharp turn in the road then down past the upper end of the Wolf Creek Trail. Then up towards the picnic areas and finally the Hurricane Hill trailhead. It looked like we could make our way all the way to Hurricane Hill, though when the going got tough, that is where that steep climb starts, we stopped, rested and made our way back.

We took so many pictures, so this post is in two parts.


Avalanche lily

Hurricane Hill in the distance

Glacier lily

The view north

Close up of that view north

Two avalanche lilies with friends



Phlox

A double header


More phlox - what a scent!



Paintbrush

Still some snow

Glacier lilies

Keywords: flowers, hurricane hill, hurricane ridge

06/02 - Hurricane Ridge to Hurricane Hill - Part 2

Here are some more pictures from our first real venture into the high country this year.

The view south

The catamount is still there in the upper left.



A rock garden

Flowers and a butterfly

That butterfly

One of the local jays







Keywords: flowers, hurricane hill, hurricane ridge

The Kaleberg Journal - May 2025

05/31 - Dungeness Highlands

If you've never been to the Dungeness Spit before, you definitely want to head down to the four plus mile beach that reaches out into the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. If you just want an easy walk with some lovely views, stay in the highlands. Follow the trail above the water and then cut across the road to the east. It's beautiful this time of year.

Water view

The thicket

The trail through the thicket

More trail with mountain views

The mountains



The frog pond is almost dry.






A mushroom

and another






False Solomon's seal

The strait again

More green

Keywords: dungeness

05/30 - Marine Drive Eagles and Eaglets

We took a short walk along Marine Drive. The trees were full of bald eagles, and there were two eaglets in a nest. It's always worth a look this time of year.

An eagle

The view

Another eagle

Cedar waxwing?

More eagles

Yet another

Another view

Looking west

A butterfly

An eagles nest

with two eaglets

Mom?

Poppies

Keywords: eagle, marine drive

05/29 - Dungeness Dike

We took a short walk on the Dungeness Dike. We started near the Dungeness Valley Creamery and made a short loop. It wasn't much of a walk, but the scenery was up to the mark.

Mountains in the distance

Forest

The new dike

The old dike, now a trail



A cow calling to summon her two calves

More cattle


Poppies

Keywords: dungeness

05/14 - Hurricane Ridge 2025 - First Look

We drove up to Hurricane Ridge to see how the snow was melting. It's melting, but there's still a lot of it. It's still strange pulling into the parking lot, gawking at the spectacular view of the Olympic Mountains and realizing that lodge is gone. The park service has set up temporary facilities, but the lodge with its model of the mountains, plaque of Scoop Jackson and various exhibits is gone.

The mountains are still there. They were hazy at first, but the clouds lifted. The sky turned blue, and the distant snow topped peaks were crystalline. We didn't wander far. Did we mention the snow. There had been eight feet at the stake. Now there were some clear areas but most of the trails were snow covered. The roads to Hurricane Hill and Obstruction Point were, unsurprisingly, closed as well.

We walked across the field. There were a few golden glacier lilies, some robins, just like the ones at sea level, some deer, just like the ones at sea level and some lovely smells. We looked down and north towards Port Angeles, but all we saw was cloud. It lifted a bit, but just enough to see some distant hills and forest.

We walked back to our car and took a last look south at the main Olympic range when we smelled it. There was a faint whiff of phlox. We had seen some on the bare hills along the road up, but it was great smelling that sweet odor again. We were looking right at it a ways to the south.


The view



A glacier lily


The temporary facilities - At least we hope they are temporary.

Some clear trail

Edge of the snow



A robin

Deer

We're not sure.

A clearer view



A typical view north


We smelled phlox.

Phlox



A blue grouse, seen by the side of the road on our drive down

Keywords: hurricane hill, hurricane ridge, obstruction point, port angeles, trails

05/13 - Marymere Falls and a Bit of Barnes Creek

We were out at Lake Crescent the other day and walked the little loop trail to Marymere Falls. The forest was extremely green, and there were lots of trilliums. The falls was in full spate, and that log across the top is still in place somehow. We also took a short side trip up Barnes Creek. We didn't go very far, just to the first gravel beach. It wasn't a very long hike, but it was as beautiful as ever.

Marymere Falls

One of many pictures of a trillium



False mock Solomon's seal or possibly real mock Solomon's seal

Mahonia, Oregon grape

Another view of the falls

A fern growing through a tiarella leaf

Forest

Barnes Creek




An older, tired trillium




One of the gateways


Barnes Creek again


Forget me nots

Keywords: barnes creek, lake crescent, marymere falls, trilliums

05/08 - Seattle and the Flight Home

Our appointment in Seattle went well. Then, we flew home. It was a much cloudier day, but there's always something to see out of an airplane window.

View from our hotel window

View from an office

Closer view

The port without cargo traffic

Seattle

West Seattle

The Hood Canal Bridge

That darn bridge again

Discovery Bay

Sequim Bay

The Rayonier cleanup site

Keywords: flying, seattle

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