#shorts As dawn broke on this early spring morning of April 4, 2023, it was drizzling outside, and our backyard thermometer read 34 degrees. A thick layer of dark grey clouds obscured our view of the Olympic Mountains from our dining room window. Diane and I decided to wait until it warmed up a bit before going on a walk with Skye. Finally, around noon the clouds lifted enough to reveal the foothills, which were covered with a fresh coating of snow. The backyard thermometer now read 44 degrees. Knowing that this might be the last opportunity for a snowy hike with Skye, our 16-month-old Norwegian Elkhound, I said to Diane, "let's go for a hike on Deer Park Road. At 5,400 feet in elevation, Deer Park in the Olympic National Forest has 14 tent sites, and trails that lead to amazing mountain and ocean views. Deer Park Road remains closed and gated at mile post 9 until June. The elevation at the gate is over 2,000 ft. I was hoping that Diane would hike with me and Skye at least to the 1-mile marker. She did, but Skye and I continued until we reached 2,550 ft. I have no doubt that Skye would have kept climbing up Blue Mountain, and were I younger, so would have I.