Angeles Lake hike is a big hike. I knew my knees wouldn’t like all the descending so I picked a smaller hike and Derek hiked this. I dropped him off at the trailhead most of the way up Hurricane Ridge and he through hiked to the trailhead down by the Hurricane Ridge Ranger Station. The hike was 8.65 miles with 1946′ of climbing. Derek refused to write this so I’m doing my best to recap what he said.
First, he had to get up on top of Klahhane Ridge via a grueling set of steep switchbacks. Luckily it was a cool morning with fog slowly burning off. The trail went up and down along the ridge with views of mountains to one side and the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the other. The descent to the lake is a rocky, loose, steep trek. Definitely take a break at the lake and enjoy nature.
From the lake the trail entered more forest and it’s pretty much downhill from here. I’ve hiked a couple miles of this section and it’s steady the whole way following Ennis Creek. The trees! Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar cover the forest along with ferns, moss and more ferns. Supposedly mountain goats frequent the area but Derek didn’t spot any.
If he had to do it again he said he would hike this in the reverse direction so there isn’t as much downhill. For both of us, the climbing isn’t what bothers us, it’s the descending.
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