Hiking above the clouds and Saying I do on the shores of Olympic’s most scenic Lake

I met up with Elizabeth and Greg the afternoon before their wedding at a little AirBnb just outside Port Angeles. The plan for the day was to head up to Hurricane Ridge for a little hike and sunset session. Then, on the following afternoon, their families would join us for ceremony on the shore of Lake Crescent. They were getting the best of both worlds, an adventure elopement and a destination wedding. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get there and get things started. Hurricane Ridge had been a challenging location for me up to this point. I had set out with several couples over the years to get photos there, only to be thwarted by thick fog or rain. So after a way too cute first look (I mean just look at that joy!) I whipped out my phone and refreshed the Hurricane ridge webcam one more time. Thankfully, everything still looked clear so we booked it to the top!

Racing against the sun on Hurricane Ridge

Car parked, doors locked, gear and jackets grabbed we hurried up the paved trail through quiet pines looking for some golden light. As a backpacker most of the time this high altitude scenery is only reached after a long trek and way too much weight on my back, so it was a pleasant change to just step out of the car into this incredible landscape. In hindsight, we probably should have set aside a little more time for the hike. We still had a good amount of elevation to gain to get to the heart of what we were looking for and wedding attire isn’t the best hiking gear— still waiting on that Patagonia suit and dress collection! But with the incredible views we were seeing, we covered the distance fast. While the sky was pretty clear for us, down below, there was a thick cloud layer coming in from the ocean, so we ended up with a nice mix of warm golden light and softer pinks and purples, making for some magical photos. And the deer insisted on getting a few as well. But those shots looking over the peninsula and out to Vancouver Island and the Strait of Juan de Fuca were a dream come true. After the last of the light left us, we hurried down the trail and said goodbye till we’d see each other again the next day on the shore of Lake Crescent.

Plan Your own Hurricane Ridge ADventure!

Traditional Ceremony meets stunning landscape at Bovee’s Meadow

These two lovebirds were going to be joined by a fairly large group of family and friends for an elopement and needed a venue that could accommodate them all. They also wanted to be close to Port Angeles so that they and their guests could find a place for dinner as well. Popular elopement sites like Hoh Rainforest would be way too tight, and Ruby Beach was too far. The perfect fit? Bovee’s Meadow at Lake Crescent. This little gem of a spot was just perfect and checked all the boxes. With more than enough room and one of the most beautiful lakes in the area, they made the best choice. I had taken plenty of photos around the lake, and one of my favorite locations, Marymere Falls, is just a few minutes away. But I had never made the turn for Bovee’s Meadow. Turns out I was really missing out. Besides the lake shore, the forest here is no slouch either and I was loving the photos we got amongst the trees and golden light. I’ll definitely be back, hopefully with a paddleboard next time because that water looked so, so good.