Hike a prominent peak that hovers over the crystal-clear waters of Lake Crescent. A World War II enemy airplane spotter cabin still teeters on the precipitous summit. Trees have overtaken the wide views once afforded to lookout personnel, but nearby ledges still offer breathtaking glimpses straight down to the lake and out across to Mount Storm King. Graced with a microclimate of mild temperatures and moderate precipitation, the trail to Pyramid Mountain melts out early, providing peak-probing hiking in la primavera.

The hike to Pyramid Mountain is pretty straightforward. Locate the trail and head up the mountain! Immediately intersect the Olympic Discovery Trail, a long-distance rail trail that traverses the peninsula. On an easy grade and through a dry forest of Doug-fir, salal, and madrona the trail contours along the western ridge of the mountain.

After a mile the forest grows more impressive, with big specimens now hovering overhead. At 1.4 miles come to June Creek, your last water source if it's flowing at all. The grade now steepens, and the trail skirts a series of small slides. At 1.75 miles you'll approach a big landslide area (elev. 1900 ft). Scraped bare of vegetation, the slide is several hundred feet across and highly exposed. Trail tread is only a few inches wide in spots. Do not cross it if you are prone to vertigo or are the least bit uncomfortable. Instead, enjoy the limited views of Lake Crescent from this sunny spot. Those who do make the slide crossing will find no other obstacles along the way. Now in cool forest, the trail switchbacks and steadily climbs.

At 2.75 miles reach the ridge crest and the edge of an old clear-cut, compliments of the Forest Service. They couldn't even leave a buffer along the park boundary. In 3 miles the trail comes on a logging road. The Forest Service, perhaps making amends for its ridgetop logging disgrace, is currently converting the road into trail. A final 0.5-mile push up a steep hillside of old-growth conifers is all that's keeping you from the 3000-foot summit.

From the forested peak, scout out a ledge to peer 0.5 mile straight down to Lake Crescent. In the distance, Lake Sutherland and the Strait of Juan de Fuca can be seen. The old cabin was built in 1942 to spot enemy aircraft intent on reaching Puget Sound. It's one of only two that remain of the original thirteen that once sat on Olympic peaks during World War II. This hiker-historian would like to see it restored as a reminder and a memorial to our servicemen and women.