Hurricane Ridge

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program as we attempt to find somewhere beyond cell phone range.

Our efforts today took us to a scenic Olympic mountain range are known as Hurricane Ridge.  So named due to the hurricane force winds which blast over it during winter storms. 

Hard to believe that today. 

Idyllic.  A recorder plays softly in the background while bluebirds sing.

But I get ahead of myself.

Hurricane Ridge is on the Northern edge of the Olympic mountain range.  You can see Canada from here.  Well, let me show you.

See, it says you are here right on it!

OK, so that doesn't really make it any easier to tell where this is.  Look up Port Angeles and then head South just a few miles.  That ought to do it.

Getting there is simply a drive around the peninsula and then a twisty upward mountain road until you reach the visitor's center.  Not much effort really.  The views are fantastic.

Don't worry, these are only the views of the views. 

The actual views are much nicer

Ahhh, that's better.  The view.

I could have stitched them together, but I am lazy that way.

 That was just the visitor's center.  We had to leave the visitor's center if for no other reason than to play in the...

Snow...Can't keep a good kid down.

Michael acted more casual about the whole thing.

Until he built a trail mix snow man

And then they were able to play giants of the snow forest.

The snow was cool, but spring was definitely here.  There was a great mix of spring and winter with wildflowers peeking out all over the place.

Pretty flowers!

Ten cool points to anyone who can identify these.

We managed to figure them out using our handy dandy field guide

Oh yeah, did I mention the deer?  They were everywhere and didn't mind people much at all.

The deer would let us get so close

They didn't seem bothered at all

I mean they would let us get really close.

Uhhh...too close.

I think I have done enough damage here.  I'll just let these last few pictures finish for me.