Category: Mt Ellinor

Mount Washington

Mt Washington from Mt Ellinor

Mount Washington is outside the Olympic National Park (but in the Olympic National Forest) … but it is visible from Seattle as one of the two major peaks (along with Mt Ellinor) on the south end of the western skyline. I took this from the shoulder of Mt Ellinor … which has a trail to its summit and I have been up Ellinor a number of times (along with thousands of others … some carrying coolers and “boom boxes”). If you go in the off season, you can still find solitude… or at least more so than in summer. I have not been up Mt Washington, however. It is a more technical climb … although still in the ‘easy’ category.

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Alpine Trees

Subalpine Trees – 1

I am ever surprised at the harsh environments that life can find a way to survive in. The image above shows some of the stress that these trees are under from wind and snowpack. This is up at over a mile in elevation at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. Below is a different part of the Olympic Mountains (outside of the park) … but the group of trees are still up in a subalpine area on Mt Ellinor.

Subalpine Trees – 2

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Storm Clouds Over Mts Ellinor and Washington

Storm Clouds Over Mts Ellinor and Washington

This was an early winter storm that came in while I was out walking the valley. The top of the ridge with the lowest snow is just over 3000 feet (about 915 meters). The snow stuck around on the high ground, but it was gone the next day on the trees. Mt Ellinor – Mt Washington are the southeastern most corner of the Olympic Mountains (not in Olympic National Park). There is a low point between the two summits that is obscured with clouds in this image … Ellinor is lower by several hundred feet and is on the left.

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Trail Benches

Trail Benches

The trail up Mt Ellinor in the SE corner of the Olympic Mountains (outside of the National Park) is one of the most heavily used in the Olympics. It’s a reasonable hike up to a spectacular view. There are three trailheads … One at the bottom at Big Creek Campground (a 6 mile hike with lots of additional elevation gain), one at the “mid-point” (a 3.1 mile hike) and the upper trailhead (a 1.6 mile hike) — all mileages one way. Those choosing the upper trailhead to shorten the hike miss some wonderful forest, including this bench-rock location. The boulder covered with lichen and moss is worth spending time with … and the matching benches are a nice feature … although when you’re hiking by yourself, they seem excessive.

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Clouds: From Above and Below

Clouds: From Above

This shot is taken from the upper trailhead to Mt Ellinor in the SE corner of the Olympic Mountains (but outside of the National Park). Notice the ‘crepuscular’ rays that coming down from the upper clouds. I hadn’t seen such very often.

Clouds: From Below

This image is taken up the valley of the North Fork Skokomish not too far from where the upper image was taken. Although from several thousand feet lower and on a different day.

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