Mount Townsend, Mount Townsend - Winter — Saturday, Mar. 25, 2000

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

We approached the trailhead from the south, thinking we would opt for Marmot Pass or Tunnel Creek if we couldn't get close. But the snow did not get thick until about 1/3 of a mile below the lower trailhead, so we chose to do the Mt. Townsend trail. A few people have tried to get closer, but it isn't worth it. The road to the upper trail head is still completely blocked. The trail itself is almost entirely covered in well packed snow, very hard and icy in places. We used our MSR snowshoes the whole way. I think this may be when they are most valuable. Coming down the trail is a snap with all that traction. We only hiked to a little below Camp Windy before turning back because of time constraints, but it was a glorious day to be hiking in the Olympics; for most of the trip we were in shorts. No blow downs, wash outs or other problems in the three or four miles we did.