My incessant pestering of my friends, Ashley and Jason, had finally paid off
and we were on our way to Hurricane Ridge to play in the snow. They had been avoiding this journey for a month. Often their reasons were things like, “it’s cold,” and, “there’s snow.” But my persistence really wore them down, and my friends decided to make the drive on the condition we stop for lattes at the Red Dog Coffee Shop on the way. This was of course, no problem.
Hurricane Ridge is located in the Olympic National Park of Washington State. An easy 3-hour drive from Seattle, you can wake up at 06:00, have 
your obligatory specialty coffee, and be at the mountain by 09:30. We were going in December, and there was plenty of fresh snow to hike through and enjoy. The United States has so many wonderful National Parks. If you are visiting, be sure to check them out. If you are a local, remember to go and check the parks out! This was my first time having proper cold weather gear, and it makes a huge difference in how warm you are. As a Florida boy, my cold weather clothes typically consisted of shorts and a hoodie. Out in the mountains, that just won’t do. Sporting my base layer, mid layer, and a nice Gortex shell, I was snug as a bug in a rug (a really warm bug).
We spent a few hours hiking around and taking photos. The novelty of snowy wonderland seems to take hold of everyone. One of the best parts of being at the higher elevation is you are above the cloud layer. Above the perpetual cloud of Seattle, you can see for miles in the clear, beautiful blue sky.
As the sun was setting, it was time to head back to town, grab some more latte, and enjoy the easy drive home. I was grateful for having friends who are willing to go on little adventures, even if it is freezing cold. When we finally got back to the house, Jason said, “Well, that was fun! And I’m glad we went, so now you can stop talking about it.”
If you’re looking for a quick and easy trip, Hurricane Ridge is it. Low impact, and not far from town.
