Pyramid Mountain / Pyramid Peak — Thursday, May. 5, 2005

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast

Trail impassible due to landslide! The trail starts out pleasant enough, easily passing through the lush forest on the north shore of Lake Crescent. Except for one large, branchy blowdown, the trail is in very good shape. The first two rivulets are easy to cross, but the third is washed out and a bit tricky. About two miles in, the trail is abruptly destroyed. A large landslide has sheared off a steep face of the mountain, cutting a 50 foot swath through trees and trail and leaving a bare exposed scar about 1000 feet long. The composition of the soil is too dangerous even for ice axes and rope. Time to turn around at this point. It's not a waste, however, to do the first two miles. The trees are lovely and trillium, western starflowers, and fairy slippers decorate the underbrush. There is a nice public dock out into the lake just below the trail head with a picnic table on it which is perfect for a lunch break.