Jefferson Ridge — Friday, Jun. 23, 2000

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

One of two obscure hikes in the Olympics that our group embarked upon this past weekend. The Forest Service does not actively maintain this trail, yet the tread is in relatively decent shape. Portions are rather steep and pebbly. The road to the trailhead is a ridiculous thing that's probably more conducive to suicidal sledding in the winter than it is for driving. High clearance and 4WD vehicles will handle this far better than ordinary sedans. We parked about a half mile below the trailhead and hiked up from there through the fog and the mist. The first two-thirds of the trail proceed through an enormous clearcut (courtesy of the road that should never have been built). The moist conditions helped us through this part, as it surely would have been terribly hot if the sun had been out. The harsh edges of the clearcut have begun to be muted somewhat by the presence of regenerating, person-sized trees, as well as thousands of blooming rhodies. The latter are now a bit past their peak, but it appears that substantial beargrass will follow. After a little over a mile, the trail crosses the upper end of the same unwanted road. I have no idea whether a vehicle could make it up to this point. Finally, after climbing some more, the trail enters old growth montane forest and the inventoried Jefferson Ridge Roadless Area. Some downed trees across the trail follow from here, but are not terribly difficult to cross. The trail ends at the former site of a fire lookout tower (2.8 miles, according to Bob Wood). All that remains are a foundation, a few cables, broken glass, and burned timbers. The ridgetop was still socked in with clouds when we arrived here. Our patience must have overwhelmed the low pressure system, however, because the world opened up some time later. Views included an impressive look across the Hamma Hamma Valley and down to Lena Lake, up to Mount Bretherton and The Brothers, and over Hood Canal and Puget Sound. The Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier rounded out this expansive vista. Satisfied with ourselves, we coasted back down the trail. One wonders if this trail could possibly be extended westward along the wilder environs of Jefferson Ridge, assuming ecological feasibility.