Hiking Lillian Ridge
Sep. 8th, 2021 11:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerOlympic Peninsula Travelog #12
Olympic National Park, WA - Sat, 4 Sep 2021. 5pm.
After hiking Hurricane Ridge today we were pretty beat. We made the scenic drive out to Obstruction Point afterward because a ranger had recommended it and because the only commitment it entailed was driving— not more hiking. When we got to Obstruction Point, though, we suddenly wanted to hike. It was Lillian Ridge rising above us that piqued our interest.
Lillian Ridge was just one of three directions we could've gone from Obstruction Point. All looked interesting, but Lillian was the one that went up. Why choose up when we're tired? For one, the trails that start out going down would require coming back up later when we're even more tired. Two, by starting with the ascent we could turn around at any point we needed and basically just roll back to the car. Three, we wagered there was an awesome view from the top of that ridge.
We were not wrong.
BTW, Lillian Ridge looks intimidating from the trailhead. It looks like it could be 500' of ascent or more. I figured that was a trick of perspective caused by the stark landscape here, mostly above the treeline. I wasn't wrong on that, either. Lillian Ridge was only about a 250' climb.
At a starting elevation of 6,100' the 250' climb was not trivial. Or at least it shouldn't have been. But it seemed like it was. Great views in all directions distracted us from our aching muscles and shortness of breath.
Among the views was the look back at where we'd come from. The photo above shows Obstruction Peak (right of center). In the center of the frame you can see the parking area at the Obstruction Point. Winding left from there and then off into the distance is the Obstruction Point Road. Why they call this Obstruction Peak and Obstruction Point, when there are three trails and a dirt road meeting there, I don't know. It just doesn't seem very... obstructive.
Atop Lillian Ridge the stark beauty continued.
"How far should we go?" was a question on our minds. "To the far edge," I suggested. "Anywhere we don't have to go down and then come back up."
We followed the path across the top of Lillian Ridge until it started to drop down the far side. And drop it did! Lillian River is in a valley over 4,000' deep! The topo map says the trail doesn't go all the way down there; it skirts a hanging canyon on the side. But either way we weren't going to find out.
On the way back I took a slight detour. "I'd like to see the view over the other edge of the ridge top," I said. Hawk was tired and wanted to go straight back. I'm glad I insisted.
Over the eastern edge of the ridge I spotted this hidden pocket lake. It's in a small glacial cirque that hides it from being seen from almost any other spot than right here. Even walking 200m to the side along the ridge top causes it to disappear.
Olympic National Park, WA - Sat, 4 Sep 2021. 5pm.
After hiking Hurricane Ridge today we were pretty beat. We made the scenic drive out to Obstruction Point afterward because a ranger had recommended it and because the only commitment it entailed was driving— not more hiking. When we got to Obstruction Point, though, we suddenly wanted to hike. It was Lillian Ridge rising above us that piqued our interest.
Lillian Ridge was just one of three directions we could've gone from Obstruction Point. All looked interesting, but Lillian was the one that went up. Why choose up when we're tired? For one, the trails that start out going down would require coming back up later when we're even more tired. Two, by starting with the ascent we could turn around at any point we needed and basically just roll back to the car. Three, we wagered there was an awesome view from the top of that ridge.
We were not wrong.
BTW, Lillian Ridge looks intimidating from the trailhead. It looks like it could be 500' of ascent or more. I figured that was a trick of perspective caused by the stark landscape here, mostly above the treeline. I wasn't wrong on that, either. Lillian Ridge was only about a 250' climb.
At a starting elevation of 6,100' the 250' climb was not trivial. Or at least it shouldn't have been. But it seemed like it was. Great views in all directions distracted us from our aching muscles and shortness of breath.
Among the views was the look back at where we'd come from. The photo above shows Obstruction Peak (right of center). In the center of the frame you can see the parking area at the Obstruction Point. Winding left from there and then off into the distance is the Obstruction Point Road. Why they call this Obstruction Peak and Obstruction Point, when there are three trails and a dirt road meeting there, I don't know. It just doesn't seem very... obstructive.
Atop Lillian Ridge the stark beauty continued.
"How far should we go?" was a question on our minds. "To the far edge," I suggested. "Anywhere we don't have to go down and then come back up."
We followed the path across the top of Lillian Ridge until it started to drop down the far side. And drop it did! Lillian River is in a valley over 4,000' deep! The topo map says the trail doesn't go all the way down there; it skirts a hanging canyon on the side. But either way we weren't going to find out.
On the way back I took a slight detour. "I'd like to see the view over the other edge of the ridge top," I said. Hawk was tired and wanted to go straight back. I'm glad I insisted.
Over the eastern edge of the ridge I spotted this hidden pocket lake. It's in a small glacial cirque that hides it from being seen from almost any other spot than right here. Even walking 200m to the side along the ridge top causes it to disappear.
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Date: 2021-09-17 03:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 05:16 am (UTC)