I’ve decided that I’ve dedicated way too much time lately to responsible-adult/homeowner stuff and really wanted to just go camp at the beach this weekend. However, I forgot the small fact that it is, indeed, tourist season up here in the Pacific Northwest and every single campground on the Olympic Peninsula and coast was full. Well, shit… So, day trips it is! We had heard about Mt. Ellinor from a friend and then googled it… there’s an upper trailhead that is only like 1.5 miles from the summit. How hard can it be, right? Famous last words right there, folks… Granted this is our first hike this summer, but this was brutal. Just stairs, switchbacks, and loose rock all the way up. …and in our infinite wisdom we only brought ONE granola bar and left the truck right before our normal lunch time. Because sometimes we’re very stupid. :/ Either way, the pain and suffering and burning, shaky legs were was worth the view at the top.
So this was an awesome hike… and also my first legit mountain summit! Which I didn’t really realize until just now! Go me! 🙂 It was also neat to see into the interior of the Olympic Mountains. Before this the only real hiking we’d done in the Olympics was from Hurricane Ridge. Still gorgeous, but this felt more like you were really IN the mountain range. Cant’ wait to explore some more!
Gorgeous pics, Ashley! I was on the Mt. Ellinor trail in 2003 and thought my knees would give out on the way back down, so I know just how painful that hike can be, but the views are worth it. Can’t believe you only took a granola bar with you… That’s insane I tell ya!