Lena Lake — Friday, Apr. 21, 2006

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Lovely day hike, especially for families and doggies. Slushy snow patches in places and a few spots where water crosses the trail. Crawl over or under a couple downed trees to get to Lower Lena Lake. Perfectly paved road up to the trailhead might tempt you to speed, but remember the speedlimit is 35. (In the old days it wasn't POSSIBLE to speed on bumpy forest roads, so Forest law enforcers didn't have to remind you to go slower, as one did today.) The Ranger Station/Visitor Center at Hoodsport IS open after 9 a.m. and it was very helpful to buy our topo maps there this morning. (There was a comment on a March 2006 WTA report that this station wasn't open anymore...) From the snow on the turnoff to Upper Lena Lake trail it didn't look like too many folks had headed that way. Saw trillium, vanilla leaf, avalance lillies, and even a calypso orchid. A chorus of frogs near the trailhead launched our nice mossy hike.