Olympic National Park – Hurricane Ridge

A planned getaway into Hurricane Ridge, a part of Olympic National Park, resulted in a frustrating drive behind a 25 MPH (or less) driving couple that refuse to use both their mirrors or any turnouts. I was finally able to pass them in the last few miles remaining of the 17 mile road, but by then my blood was near boiling. Kerri kept me sane and calm [enough] to stop my ‘having a word’ with them as we entered the Visitor’s Center to get my obligatory lapel pin for finally being able to visit Olympic National Park proper, my 70th National Park visited.

After avoiding the road rage incident, Kerri and I took to the trail leading out to Sunrise Ridge. I’d love to make it sound like some 12,000 foot climb, just to justify the amount of panting and sweating I did, but it was not. Only a few hundred feet in elevation from the Visitor’s Center at best making it clear just how out of shape I have become in the past year.

Kerri, in a previous visit, was unable to make the final few hundred feet due to her vertigo. On this visit she completed the hike started two years ago.  Low hanging clouds blocked the view for most of our time on the trail, but we did get in a few sights on our return trip.