The lovely Blue Mountain
I took a hike with my friends Ron and Tess up to Blue Mountain on the Deer Ridge Trail. The day started out rainy as I left my house and the weather didn’t look too promising. I met Ron and Tess and Paul at the park and ride on the Port Townsend turnoff on Hwy 19 just on the other side of the Hood Canal Bridge. The drive from there to the trailhead was just as rainy and misty as when I left home. The hike started off in a damp mist but after we climbed up over 5200 feet, the sun broke through the clouds and it was gorgeous. Indeed, these are the kinds of hikes I dream about, standing on a lofty peak above a sea of clouds. It was truly nothing short of spectacular.
Ron driving us to the trailhead - As always, click the images for a larger view. Use the left and right keys to scroll through them all.
Deer Ridge Trail
The rhodies were still in bloom at the lower elevations
Good place for a rest
Ron and Tess
There were some beautiful flowers along the trail
Dew on flowers
The mist was still swirling around
Watery World
Mist shrouded trail
Hiking in the mist
We finally reached an elevation where the mist started to dissipate
Misty spider web
The clouds begin to part
The clouds begin to part
The clouds begin to part
The clouds begin to part
Trail side flora
The clouds begin to part
The clouds begin to part
The clouds begin to part
Almost to Deer Park by this point
The final push to the top
The final push to the top
A flowery meadow just below Blue Mountain
A flowery meadow just below Blue Mountain
Made it to the road at Deer Park and followed it up Blue Mountain while the others went up via cross-country. The road was snow free all the way to the Rainshadow trail. At this point it was snow the rest of the way up. The others, hiking on the more southern exposed side had no snow to deal with.
Lovely Blue Mountain
The Summit
Blue Mountain Benchmark
Paul, Matt and Tammy on the summit
Matt and Tammy
Paul at the summit
Justin, summit bound
Justin at the summit
Mt Baker in the distance across a sea of clouds
Mt Baker in the distance across a sea of clouds
From the summit of Blue
From the summit of Blue looking into the interior of the Olympics
The Needles
Graywolf Ridge
Preparing to descend back into the clouds
Preparing to descend back into the clouds
Descending back into the clouds
Descending back into the misty clouds
Blue Mountain Panorama
And with this post, I am caught up on my blogs for a while. At least until the end of the weekend, lol.
Great pictures Jay! It makes me want to travel them now!
Thanks Gayle. You should really check them out in person. Very beautiful!
Looks like a great hike! Love the views of the interior Olympics…
Thanks. Its really nice up there. For an alternate hike near here that is just as beautiful, drive up to Deer Park and hike the Grand Ridge Trail, also known as the Deer Park-Obstruction Point Trail. It is one of my favorites in the Olympics.