Story behind the image: Deer blocking my view in Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park was near the top of the national park bucket list. In 2020, I took my "Freedom Road Trip" from Colorado through eight states with the furthest point and goal being Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. This was going to be the first time I would be in the area and could actually make it over to the Olympic Peninsula. In addition to the National Park I had long wanted to go to the peninsula as a fan of the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer (books and movies).

I stayed in Port Angeles with easy access to a northern entrance of Olympic National Park. One of the recommendations, and pretty much only option from this entrance, was to drive all the way up the road known as Hurricane Ridge to the top. Coming from Colorado it was nice to return to a little bit of altitude, but also a bit amusing to only be at 5,000 feet, though the starting point was zero so that is a significant gain.

At the top of the ridge the road could keep going, it was blocked when I was there, to the other side or stop here to hike around, take some pictures of the sweeping views, eat some food, shop the gift shop and/or use the bathroom. I do not recall which of these I all did, but I did wander around some of the trails that stemmed from the parking lot and alpine visitor center. They were not hard trails, compared to others I have done in my life. It was fairly flat despite being at the top of a hill.

In the second half of the hike the trees started to break to open up to this grassy tundra. It was here that a black-tailed deer also found a good spot between the sun and shade, between trees and grass, between the hidden protection of the forest to the vulnerable openness of the hillside.

I slowed my pace to not scare the deer when I spotted it and to hopefully take some pictures of it. Suddenly the deer started to move. It was moving towards me! It was picking up speed to a gentle gallop. I stayed still. During my time in Girl Scouts, various junior ranger programs and lots of times in nature I knew it was better to be still and don't disturb this home and way of life of the deer.

The deer veered off to the right, towards the open hillside and away from me. This photo has a lot of contrasts of strength and gentleness in the scenic background, in the deer and in me who felt strong for doing this big solo road trip and humbled to feel small against this great world that surrounded me that I was just starting to explore.

Location: trail at the top of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA

Date taken: July 2020

Camera: Nikon D3200

Aperture: 55mm

f stop: f/6.3

Shutter speed: 1/160

ISO: 100