Hurricane Hill trail is clear of snow and downed trees all the way to its junction with the paved route from the Hurricane Ridge area. This is one of the nicest trails in the Olympics for quick access to high vistas in a lonesome setting. If that sounds too good to be true, here's an alternate description: Hurricane Hill trail is steep, cruel, and ungentlemanly in the lowest sense of the word. It's one thing to make you work for it; it's another to soften you up with a thousand feet of elevation in the first mile, then sucker punch the weary hiker with sudden pitches of straight up on skiddy dirt track in an endless and viewless wood. By the time the light at the end of the forest is reached, the average outdoorsperson would be shocked to learn that it's only been four miles. From here on out, reap the spectacular harvest of your hard work, as you climb above the treeline into remote and gorgeous meadows far from the madding crowds. Keep and eye out in the first meadow past the trail for black bears lazing in a patch of sun, and enjoy the unbroken display of wildflowers about your ankles and mountain topography across the Elwha valley. Don't be surprised to have the trail all to yourself pretty much until near its junction with the paved trail. If you've run out of water (as most everyone on this trail does, despite crossing a couple fine waterup streams in the woods), but not out of energy, wander to the top of Hurricane Hill, then down the paved trail two miles or so to the parking lot, and another quarter mile to water spigots providing some of the most delicious drinking you'll ever taste. From here it's only a couple more easy wandering road miles to the visitor center where a bowl of Campbell's noodle soup goes for four and a half bucks. I killed off four nitrate delivery system hot dogs-- a cool twelve bucks with tip, but who's counting? It's a celebration of life.

Heather and wrapped up our 5-day trip around the peninsula with this 3.2 mile round-trip to the top of Hurricane Hill. Great trail. Real easy going, although it climbs a bit towards the end. Wonderful views of the Olympics and the Strait of Juan De Fuca. No bugs bothered us this day. Lots of familes and folks of all ages were out and about. Saw a big buck running through a meadow about 500 yards below the summit.

The trail to Hurricane hill may be paved, clogged, and trampled, but wow!!!!!, what VIEWS! (assuming it is very clear out, like when I went). Me and a few other friends who went had to walk the last section of the road, but it was worth it!. Even on the road-side, there are great views, sub-alpine trees and flowers. The paved trail starts to contour the bumps and ridges out of the huge trailhead parking lot. It clings to the ridgeside, with sweeping views down the Elwha River valley. (vertigo!). In a few yards from a grove of spindly trees is a sign describing how the snow stays up here in cirques. There is also a junction here, but I can't remember what trail it is to... Anyway , the trail starts to switchback broadly. It does so about 9 times through vast meadows with an explosion of lupine, phlox, paintbrush, avalanche lilies, etc..., and a few snowbanks in rocky cirques. There are a few switchback-cutter's paths going straight up, but blocked off for meadow re-hab purposes. A sidetrail goes off to the right, to views of the Jupiter Hills, and a craggy, across-the-valley-I-forget-the-name-of peak. The trail goes straight up, (the pavement stopped by now) to a rocky summit, site of an old lookout, and terminus of a very long-ago road. You can scramble down several yards to a snowbank, (where I lost my canteen, as it plunged all the way down to the tarn...)and an ankle-deep tarn, but it is not the best thing for the flowers or your personal safety.. The views are HUGE!!!!!! Out to Mt. Carrie, Olympus, Anderson, Cathedral Rock, the strait of Juan de Fuca, Victoria, Vancouver Is., Vancouver, B.C.'s Coast Range, the Inside Passage, North Puget Sound, Mt. Baker, Shuksan, Glacier Peak, Mt. Rainier, Port Angeles, Mt. Adams, and anything else I can think of within a radius of a couple hundred miles! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's an easy winter trip that you can make more or less of. Baba, Pilot and I drove to Hurricane Ridge on a cloudy Monday, put on the snowshoes and went for a stroll. The snow was wet and heavy and on the trail/road, the webs were not entirely needed, (ask the woman hiking in her slippers, no socks, I am not making this up). The real pleasure, as everyone knows is to hike into the untracked snow . The cloud and fog cover kept shifting, and the mountains played peek-a-boo all afternoon. We walked about 4 miles and turned back before the hill. Easy to see why the ridge got it's name, snow 10' deep and then over there, patches of bare ground, sculpted by high winds. There were only a few people out today. Bet this place is busy on weekends, still ,well worth the drive. Don't forget to stop at Swain's. Go when you can.

Our group of six headed for Hurricane Ridge for some snowshoeing on a bright sunny day. After getting to the Visitor Center, we got our gear ready and started for Hurricane Hill. The first mile is on a snow packed road open to cross country skiers and snowshoers. After getting to the summer trail head, we ran the ridges as the regular trail is on a steep slope. The views were grand in all directions with hundreds of peaks to be seen. We found a good lunch spot and so did the Clarks Jays. We all took some photos and enjoyed the sunshine. Lots of snowshoers out this day as well as some back country skiers. Check this one out on an up coming sunny day.