This frozen bee completely surprised me but I took the opportunity to kinda poke him (nicely of course!) and check him out! Fun and random - apparently the whole swarm will become docile just before transporting the Queen to a new hive and there's some crazy videos out there of people scooping them up and just holding handful of chill bees. Pretty neat. There was plenty of toads in the creeks and I found this little mini mini one! And I have to admit, I love this photo below! If you look closely you can see mini frog, chillin, staring out across his entire universe.
One thing I've learned to keep an eye out for on the trails up here are slugs! I came across these two lovers on the trail and while it's obvious they are snail sexing, I was certainly intrigued by exactly what was really going on here. I managed not only to answer my own questions, but I also learned quite a few other things about slugs. As it turns out snails/slugs have incredibly interesting and also somewhat mysterious sex lives, for example some species practice 'sadomasochism'. For all the details I found 
Running through a field of daisies is preeeeetty wonderful. The daisy field, with Lake Crescent in the background, was alongside the trail to Marymere Falls; the payoff far succeeded our payout on this hike. The hardest part of the hike was a few stairs and one final biiig step up over the root of a large tree (seen below with the falls in the background). My other favorite flower blooming at lake level are Foxglove, they're so vibrant and beautiful!
Hurricane Ridge was just as breathtaking as I remember it. I was so excited to explore more of the ridge this trip since the snowmelt was much further along than the first time I visited and wildflowers like Avalanche Lily and Phlox were in full bloom alongside the trails. The air was so incredibly crisp and clear that at one vista we could see over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to Vancouver Island (Canada!) and the mountains beyond that...I like to think that one of those was Whistler. 
I realize this was a serious photo dump stretched into a few posts but I can't help it! What an amazing place! I'm so thankful to have shared this trip with good friends and I can't wait to go back - which needs to be now!!!
We stopped at Lake Crescent to check out Fairholme campground and were basically rooted right to the spot. We quickly discovered there are about 9 (?) coveted walk in spots that are right on the shores of this beautiful emerald azure lake. It was so breathtaking we couldn't help but spend a few nights camping here!
Just a few shots from around the campsite; we had lots of ducky visitors! And then since baby animals are so cute and stuff, some fawns! Below is probably my favorite photo from the entire trip which was my morning view. Seeing the sun rise and set on this lake was one of those absolutely sublime feelings; those moments as described by Dr. Vasant Lad, "when you look at a beautiful sunrise, sunset, lonely light on the water, beautiful bird in the sky or a flower dancing in the wind - at this moment of beauty, you get absorbed and truly connected with the world. At that moment true happiness is unfolded in your heart. That happiness is beauty. That happiness is love. That happiness is awareness."
I dream about this place. I cannot wait to go back. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, even just to stop by and stay a moment.