Leslie and I spent Sunday in the Olympics, the first time we’ve managed a hike in the mountains this year. Unfortunately, we were too late to catch the flowers. Truthfully, though, I go to the mountains for the views and the sense of standing on top of the world, as in this shot from the Visitor’s Center on Hurricane Ridge.
Of course, you can’t visit the mountains without testing yourself against the trails, most often guarded by ever-vigilant
chipmunks, rarely by flitting Pine White butterflies,
and sometimes by female Mountain Bluebirds.
Strangely enough, the view doesn’t look very different from the top of Hurricane Hill,
though the 1.5 mile walk up to the 5757-foot pinnacle makes it seem rather different.