Hurricane Ridge is the high balcony of the Olympic Mountains, about sixteen miles of climbing from the sea at Port Angeles, reaching roughly 1,600 metres at the visitor centre. The road leaves the town, passes the national park entrance at Heart o' the Hills, and then winds up through Douglas fir and silver fir, with the forest thinning and the views opening out until the trees give way to alpine meadow. At the top, the whole range spreads out in front of you, jagged and white, with Mount Olympus sitting among the glaciers.
The riding is memorable but demanding. The road climbs steadily, and corners tighten as the grade steepens, with steep drops on the outside in places and few guardrails. Speed limits are low, and the national park rules apply: the road is also used by buses, campers and cyclists, so patience is part of the equipment. The best time is a clear morning in summer, when the light is sharp and the cloud has not yet formed on the peaks. Weather changes fast up here; it can be warm at the bottom and near freezing, windy and foggy at the top, so bring layers. The name itself comes from the gales that sweep the ridge.
Wildlife wanders the meadows, with black-tailed deer often grazing beside the car park and marmots whistling from the rocks. The Olympic marmot lives nowhere else in the world. In late spring and early summer, wildflowers carpet the slopes, and in winter the ridge becomes a small ski area, which means the road may close at times or require tyre chains. Check the park's road status before you go.
Fill the tank and eat properly in Port Angeles, about seventeen kilometres away, and bring water. The descent is a long one and hard on brakes, so use engine braking. Come back down in the late afternoon, when the Strait of Juan de Fuca glows below and the mountains of Vancouver Island float on the horizon.