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Olympic National Park skiing photos: Hurricane Ridge to Deer Park ski traverse
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This is a gallery of Olympic National Park skiing photos. Thumbnail images on this page can be clicked to view the full-sized photos, and lead into a slide show sequence for the gallery. The photos are from a backcountry skiing trip in Olympic National Park: a two day ski traverse from Hurricane Ridge to Deer Park via Obstruction Point, Elk Mountain, and Maiden Peak in February.
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Hurricane Ridge to Deer Park ski traverse, Obstruction Point, Elk Mountain, Maiden Peak, Olympic National Park, Washington, February 11-12, 2006
(Click any of the photos to view large versions)
Mt. Olympus from near Eagle Point, with Bailey Range, Mt. Stephen, and Hoh Glacier |
Near Eagle Point on Hurricane
Ridge, with Obstruction Point |
Alan traversing
near Eagle Point |
Looking back to Eagle Point
on Hurricane Ridge |
Skiing toward
Obstruction Point |
East of Obstruction Point |
Traversing on the
south side of Elk Mountain |
Sunrise at camp
on Elk Mountain |
Descending along the
east ridge of Elk Mountain |
John skiing on the
east ridge of Elk Mountain |
At the Elk Mountain-
Maiden Peak saddle |
Alan nearing Maiden Peak,
with Elk Mountain beyond |
Skinning near the
top of Maiden Peak |
Alan skiing past Maiden Peak |
Following the trail
passing Maiden Peak |
Skiing down the
Deer Park road |
Photos by Lowell Skoog
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Backcountry skiing trip report:
February 11-12, 2006, Hurricane Ridge to Deer Park ski traverse, Obstruction Point, Elk Mountain, Maiden Peak, Olympic National Park, Washington
The route from Deer Park to Hurricane Ridge is the classic ski traverse in the Olympic Mountains. This tour is older than Olympic National Park itself. It is one of the oldest high-level ski routes in the Northwest.
The April 25, 1938 edition of the Port Angeles Evening News describes an exploratory trip led by Max Borst, caretaker of the Deer Park ski lodge. Borst led fourteen skiers across the route in just 12 hours on April 24, 1938. A 1936-37 ski booklet from Eddie Bauer shows a six-mile tour from Deer Park to Obstruction Point, suggesting that the route may have been scouted earlier.
High-level ski traverses and descents were a new deal in the Northwest during the Great Depression. The "New Deal" label is especially appropriate for the Hurricane Ridge traverse, because the route was facilitated by the work of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In 1934, the CCC completed roads from the Elwha River to Obstruction Point and from Danz's ranch to Deer Park. Plans called for connecting these roads by an exposed route over Elk Mountain, but it was never completed.
In 1936-37, a small ski area was established at Deer Park. This was the center of skiing on the Olympic Peninsula for twenty years, until the Heart o' the Hills road was completed. The Heart o' the Hills road opened direct, year-round access from Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge Lodge. Ski operations moved to Hurricane Ridge in 1957-58 and Deer Park was soon abandoned. The Hurricane Ridge traverse has been largely forgotten, but a small number of local skiers continue to do the traverse each year.
On Saturday, February 11, I met Alan Kearney, John Mauro, Alex Krawarik, and Alex's wife Summer at the Deer Park road just east of Port Angeles. We found the road gated and barricaded for the winter at the National Park boundary. We parked a car there and shuttled our other two cars to Hurricane Ridge. Overnight parking is prohibited on top of Hurricane Ridge in winter due to plowing operations. Fortunately one of the park rangers was willing to shuttle our drivers from a point three miles down the road where we could leave our cars overnight. (The rangers prefer overnight visitors to call ahead to make these arrangements).
We began skiing the Obstruction Point road around 11 a.m. Only a half-mile into the tour, Alex broke a ski. This abruptly ended the trip for him and Summer. I gave Alex my car keys (his car was parked on the Deer Park road) and we said our farewells.
Alan, John and I continued on our way. Day-tourers sometimes ski to Obstruction Point and back. We followed a single skier's track to the end of the snow-covered road. Near Eagle Point we could look across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Mt Baker and gaze south to endless ski terrain in the heart of the Olympics. From Obstruction Point we traversed the south flank of Elk Mountain. We stayed below the summit ridge because it was mostly snow-free due to the hurricane winds a week ago. We camped at dusk (about 6 p.m.) on a 6500-foot shoulder east of the highest point.
Our camp was scenic but very exposed to the weather. Fortunately the night was calm. We had some light snow and rain overnight and we worried about visibility in the morning. Luck was with us and the clouds began to break soon after we started moving Sunday. It was a glorious morning. The ranger had warned us about cornices east of Elk Mountain but we found nothing that couldn't easily be avoided. This may not always be the case. In bad weather this exposed section could be difficult and dangerous.
The slopes of Maiden Peak were blown almost bare. A ribbon of hard snow marked the summer trail. We found both the best and worst skiing of the trip near timberline on the divide between Maiden Peak and Deer Park. We reached the Deer Park road around noon (having left camp around 7:30 a.m). The slopes of the former ski area were largely blown free of snow. I wondered if that was unusual.
After a fast ski down the road to about 4000 feet elevation, we packed up our skis and walked about four miles back to my car. We retrieved Alan's pickup, stopped for burgers in Port Angeles, and made our separate ways back home on the Washington State Ferries.
I definitely recommend this trip. Due to the Deer Park road barricade, February may be the best month to do it, to minimize walking. The route is very weather exposed and you should pick a good window and be prepared for all kinds of snow conditions. I think it's a good idea to carry crampons.
Lowell |
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