Mount Townsend — Friday, Nov. 17, 2006

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Despite what I wrote on the trail register, I didn't expect to get to the summit of Mt. Townsend. And I didn't. With the November storms running through I was happy enough to be able to drive to the lower trailhead. There was speculation that the road would be blocked by snow, trees, slides, or washouts, but I only found a few narrow spots. The boulders and trees always left just enough room for skinny cars to get by. Even the snow and ice that kept me from the upper trailhead were mostly gone by the time I was driving back down. I only made it up about a thousand feet. The trail was almost completely covered in snow and there were less than a half dozen tree falls along the section that I saw. One intrepid individual was heading for the summit. The notes on the trail register suggested that he or she had made it to the summit the previous week. A bit more snow and another storm or two are all it will take to close the area for the winter, but I was glad to get in a hike (my bad back turned me back) and get to see the lower part of the trail. The lake had flooded, froze and then partly drained, so large sheets of ice were stranded and tilted along the shore. I can see why folks will camp down there by the shelter, but I think that is something for next year.