[Bootpathguy]

Been awhile since we've had some decent weather. Decided to head over to the Peninsula and take advantage Everything about this trip was enjoyable. The drive, ferry ride, hike / climb / scramble and ice cold beer afterwards Trail is short and steep with many areas of full exposure. Forest is beautiful and the Madrone trees add a unique contrast to the landscape

Lake Crescent and the beer drinking spot

[RichP]

Very nice . I'm going to have to get over there someday and finally do that one.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Nice. Lots of beautiful shots of Lake Crescent from various vantages.

[Bloated Chipmunk]

Wow, those pics look pretty good for being from 1926. Sounds like it was a nice hike...bonus points that beer was involved.

[mike]

Looks good. Too bad the beer was ice cold. Yuck!

[trestle]

Love those madrone trees, too bad for all the vandalism along the trail.

[Brushbuffalo]

[puzzlr]

I may have a chance to climb this in May. What prevented you from getting to the actual top? I haven't done any research yet, so sorry in advance is this is obvious from reading.

[meck]

yarbrolee , great pics, I especially like those sun-through-the-trees moss shots, and the shot looking west across Lake Crescent. @puzzlr: not many folks actually visit the true summit as its kind of an "interesting" scramble. I tried once from the Lk Crescent side but ran out of daylight. I'm gonna try again sometime this year via this approach.

[RodF]

Thanks for sharing the views!

[Bootpathguy]

Update! Tuesday / yesterday was a beautiful day and a friend of mine had his first day off in 10 days and wanted to get out. He asked if I wanted to go do a hike. He's not equipped for snow and was not opposed to some travel time from Kirkland. He wanted water views. I suggested Mt Storm King What a cluster-f###! First trip we were greeted by 2 people at the false summit. This time it was a horde of millenials and it was only 10:30 am. At the head of the trail, there is a sign that says "no pets". If you are going to ignore the sign, at a minimum, please keep your dog on a leash! When we arrived at the summit, the first question that was asked to us is, "are you here for photos for your InstaGram feed also?" Sheesh! First of all, this summit is extremely narrow. On our first trip we had 4 in our group, plus the 2 that were already there, made it feel crowded 15 people, plus a misbehaving off leash dog, made it very uncomfortable and dangerous. Guys and gals taking turns jumping / climbing off and on a popular little rock perch do get images for their InstaGram feeds is a accident waiting to happen ( perch @ lower left corner of image )

People scurrying around and the off leash dog prevented us from even standing. Sat there to eat my lunch but couldn't even enjoy that because of a begging dog. Again, the summit is a narrow knife edge and a bump throwing somebody off balance is going to result in some very serious injury and probably a fatality. The large group there was very inconsiderate. To move around up there, you have to warn somebody to get past one another. The "we were here first" attitude was very disappointing We didn't stay long. Lots more people coming up as we were going down. Counted 2 more off leash dogs headed for the summit. Total opposite experience from the first visit. I'd like to attribute it to the Spring Breakers, but who knows. More likely a explosion on social media. As more trails open up as the snow disappears hopefully this type of experience dissipates When I got home, I googled "Mt Storm King Fatalities" was surprised to only find 1 Hiker beware

[trestle]

It would be nice if that one Ranger who was ticketing during the Park closure could get out on the trail and do something about dogs in ONP.

[trestle]

[Brushbuffalo]

Yikes...."I feel your pain"! I am sorry those folks made your hike less than idyllic. Reflecting... The flavor of the once-seldom visited or seldom- done that are now frequented by many including some who are the inconsiderate hoards like you had on Storm King makes this old-timer very thankful and appreciative of experiences including: 1)Climbing in the Pickets in the 1960s, before they were really discovered 2)Exploring deer trails, if not mere rabbit trails, in the Cascade foothills before the various parks or WTA started building "real" trails ( but to be fair, some of these areas would be tract homes by now without park status). And 3) Running ultras including the now-but-not-then famous Hardrock 100 back when it was still "the human limit" before it became almost a right of passage for one to be considered a real ultrarunner as it is perceived by some now, and long before it got expensive and hard to get entry into..... and that was one l-o-n-g sentence! Do I long for the good old days? Yes and no. "Yes" for the spirit of adventure then.. "No" for the pack weight then ! ( although now I still tend to carry "thirty pounds of the lightest gear known"...., .. getting soft in my "late middle age!"...my wife says middle age is in my rear view mirror, but age is just a number and state of mind)