"We have had gridlock in the parking lot at Hurricane Ridge," she said.

Winter interns conduct interpretive walks on snowshoes at Hurricane Ridge.

At Hurricane Ridge is a quarter-mile, dead-end trail with alpine vistas.

During months when snow is present, the 17 mile road leading to Hurricane Ridge is prone to avalanches due to high speed wind conditions.

At places like Hurricane Ridge, where seeing humans is a frequent occurrence, most marmots will not acknowledge human presence at all.

The best road and easiest way into the heart of the national park is from Port Angeles, a 17-mile trip to Hurricane Ridge.

From the visitor's center at Hurricane Ridge, several easy trails lead to quiet meadows and small lakes full of mountain trout.

They wander along vertical ledges near Hurricane Ridge, and occasionally stroll into campsites at night.

Hurricane Ridge is named for its intense gales and winds.

We reached the summit of Hurricane Ridge after about three hours of hard cycling up the 22-kilometre incline.