Deer Ridge — Sunday, May. 14, 2006

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

I haven't been on the Deer Ridge trail for nearly three years, and had not remembered how very steep it is. We wanted to do a hike with elevation and yet avoid snow, so this proved a good choice. The trail begins at 2450 feet and climbs to 5200 at Deer Park. We got a late start and did not plan to go all the way to Deer Park, just to the snowline, wherever it began. We were pleasantly suprised to find the trail completely bare all the way (and beyond) our turn around point at the National Park Boundary, which is at 3.6 miles, 4600 feet. We saw only a pair of hikers the whole day, and they were returning from Deer Park. They said that snow started at the Three Rivers junction (which is at 5000 feet) and was quite deep at Deer Park. The day was quite warm and I was glad that most of the climbing was in the trees--the grade in some places is 35 degrees. The views along the open ridge were great--snow-capped Baldy, Tyler, and further mountains in bright sunshine. This is a very good conditioning hike for early in the season.