Hurricane Hill Road Snowshoe

We drove up to Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park to snowshoe today. There weren't very many people for a nice partially sunny Sunday. We decided to snowshoe along Hurricane Hill Road as the avalanche risk was considerable today. There were nice tracks along the closed road to follow.

View towards Hurricane Hill

Lots of fresh snow the "smaller" trees are almost covered in snow.

View towards the west and the Bailey Range

Icicle covered trees and Mount Angeles to the east

Our views changed with the clouds moving around.

From the end of the Hurricane Hill Road we continued up the first hill on the ridge.

Mount Angeles from the hill on the ridge.

zoom of Mount Angeles and Klahhanne Ridge

We had a lovely lunch break up on the ridge with very little wind and a raven watching us.

zoom of the raven

some distant peaks to the west

zoom of those peaks

Heading back down toward Hurricane Road, some peaks to the south 

icicles

We decided to go off "trail" and enjoy the fresh snow in the forest, being careful of potential tree wells and steep slopes.

View to the southwest

Looking back towards Hurricane Hill

We did not come down through these covered trees, but worked our way back around to a safe route to Hurricane Hill Road

We enjoyed snowshoeing in this winter wonderland today!

View back at the main parking area.

 

Hurricane Ridge Snowshoe

I drove up to Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park to do some snowshoeing on this beautiful sunny day and learned this is the last weekend the road to Hurricane Ridge is open until sometime later in April or May. So glad I came up! I combined parts of several trails: Hurricane Hill Road and part way along the ridge, over to Sunrise Point and then back to the Visitor Center by what would be the Cirque Rim Trail in the summer time, Overall 4.7 miles with 700' of gain. The ranger told me there is 10 feet of snow here.

View of the Olympic from near the Visitor Center

Panoramic view to the south

The closed Hurricane Hill Road is a mile long, I then continued up along the route towards Hurricane Hill, only two snowshoers before me today. Lots of cornices have built up along the east side of the ridge.

Looking back to the south from up on the ridge. The winds have blown most of the snow off of the ridge, it was hard packed and a bit icy.

Views from the ridge

northwest

west

south

Mount Angels to the south east as seen on my way back 

Then I headed up to Sunrise Point, view looking back towards the Visitor Center and this gorgeous view of the Olympics

zoom of Mount Olympus

Views of the Olympics from part way up to Sunrise Point

Mount Angels and Klahhane Ridge to the east

view of the Olympics to the southwest, the Visitor Center can be seen, but the parking lot is hidden by the meadow area.

Sunrise Point is to the left, with Mount Angels in the center

From Sunrise Point looking out along Sunrise Ridge towards Mount Angeles. Between the cornices and the exposure, I decided not to continue along the ridge, but to enjoy the views form Sunrise Point.

View of Hurricane Hill to the southeast

Mount Angels and far below the Salish Sea and north to Canada

Another view of Hurricane Hill

Heading back down, Olympic Peaks to the southeast

Panos looking south

from Mount Angeles in the east to the route down from Sunrise Point

route down from Sunrise Point towards the west

lots of lovely frosty trees

icicles hanging down from the branches

View to the north from the "Cirque Rim Trail"as I head back to the visitor center