[Matt]

Dates: April 17-18 Peaks: Eagle Point, Obstruction Peak, and Hurricane 5645 via Obstruction Peak Road. Party: Matt, Carla Tragically forgot her boots: Elle We hiked the Obstruction Peak Road and nearby ridge crests to camp near Eagle Point and visit Obstruction Peak and Hurricane Point 5645. This trip provided a wonderful getaway to enjoy roaming and camping on high snow ridges on a gloriously clear and warm spring weekend. For much of the trip, we were able to leave the road and follow delightful rolling ridge crests from one high point to another. For days afterward, back in town, I felt refreshed just by the memory of cruising along from one ridge to another, and relaxing overnight watching the dusk and dawn shift colors across space ranging from ocean shore to mountain crests. The letdown was that Elle was supposed to be with us, but then discovered at the Hurricane Ridge parking lot that she had forgotten to bring her hiking boots, so she wasn't able to accompany us.

Obstruction peaks GPS track

Looking back from Obstruction Peak to Eagle Point, with Long Ridge and the Bailey Range (plus Visitors Center at right in the farther distance)

Saturday Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center to Eagle Point (11am – 4pm) We wore snowshoes from the start, since the road was still mostly snow covered. This might have seemed like a long road walk, but with the snow cover, it felt more like a trail through fine stretches of forest, and at times the road itself had its own cornices, aretes, and traverses piled up on the roadbed. After about 4 miles, we were able to leave the road entirely and just hike up well-consolidated snow, first in the forest, and then along fine open ridges up to Eagle Point.

Road departing Visitor's Center

Cornices in the woods on the road

Arete on the road

Hiking off-road up toward Eagle Point

Higher up toward Eagle Point

Near Eagle Point summit

Visitor Center to Eagle Point 5.6 miles, 1890 gain, 880 loss Evening at Eagle Point We found a place to camp not far below the summit of Eagle Point. The summit itself was melted out enough to provide comfortable rock benches for sitting around to watch the view.

Eagle Point view from sea to summits

Relaxing in the afternoon

Golden Sun

Rosy Sun

Orange Sun

Sunset

Bedding down for a beautiful warm night

Missing Elle: While we relaxed on the summit looking down at our tracks, Carla said that just one more thing would make the day perfect – if we saw Elle coming up the tracks to join us. Earlier in the day, my thought for how to console Elle had been less positive. I said I hoped she would end up feeling very sick from the Covid shot she received yesterday, so she'd be glad she went back home. Sunday Morning at Eagle Point Morning was also quite fine.

Dungeness Spit and Mt. Baker before sunrise

Light on the route ahead

Mt. Carrie area

Pink, lavender, and blue Olympus

Obstruction Peak (6:50-11:30am) Our trip to Obstruction Peak was all just easy fun trekking along the ridge crests across Points 6032 and 5881.

Point 6023, our route curves in from the right and follows the crest

Hiking down from Eagle Point

Shadows hiking along the wide crest

Easy fun gamboling along the wide crest

Ridges from Point 6032 to Obstruction

The final slope up Obstruction was blown almost bare. Out beyond, further rolling crests stretched for miles. I'm surprised that this area isn't more popular for ski touring.

Carla ascending the last slope of Obstruction

The view back to Eagle Point

Ridges rolling onward out toward Grand Pass

Needles Range in the distance

Carla hiking back down off of Obstruction

Obstruction Peak round trip: 5.2 miles, 1800 gain Eagle Point to Hurricane Point 5645 to Hurricane Ridge Road (12:10-4:40pm) For our exit, we also visited Hurricane 5645. To avoid a bit more road, we just carried our packs up 5645's southeast ridge and down the northwest ridge.

Heading down from Eagle toward Hurricane Point

Relaxing on the summit of Hurricane Point, looking back toward Eagle Point

Down the next ridge to the col and then traverse past Steeple Rock

Back near the main road, we cut uphill, to where there's a winter start about 0.6 miles before the Visitors Center. We didn't notice it on the way in because the sign is hidden atop a 10 foot high snow bank. 8904 Winter ski trail access to Obstruction Road Eagle Point to Hurricane Point to Visitor Center 5.6 miles, 1350 gain 2360 loss Total trip: 16. 4 miles, 5040 gain

[Stefan]

wow. I am jealous you did that!!

[reststep]

Great idea for a hike, especially with that weather. Thanks for sharing Matt. Thanks for adding the labels also.

[bertman]

Glorious sunset and sunrise! Thanks for sharing.

[MojaveGeek]

What a great way to go out that ridge. I've driven it plenty, but going out along the snowy ridge tops looks really awesome, and it seems you got perfect weather. Maybe worth walking the ridge in summer, above and perhaps out of ear shot of the road?

[RodF]

Thank you for sharing your spectacular photos!