Harbor Mountain Trail

We've heard about Harbor Mtn since we moved here, what a beautiful view it is, etc. etc. But for all of us to hike it, we needed a clear(so we could see the view), warm(er) day/evening, time and energy levels available, when all the gates were open. Such was very difficult to come by. One day after taking my parents on a hike at Mosquito Cove (no mosquitos), we decided the time was right, and drove up the mountain. Lucky for us we could do it that night, as the trial was closing the next day for several weeks for trail maintenance (which has kept it closed a lot of the time). After a half hour of driving up the bumpy rock road, my poor mom good-naturedly sitting squished with the boys in the back, we reached the trail head!The hike was beautiful, the trail well-done. We hiked along the top edge of harbor Mtn., and had great views of the area, but clouds still obscured some of the ocean. We are SO tall!!
We went through the typical forest, but then at the top it seemed more like the muskeg area we saw at Beaver lake, with wind-twisted trees and low foliage, and huckleberry bushes surrounding us. We had hoped to find a geocache that was supposed to be on the trail, but the coordinate seemed to be off a cliff, not anywhere near a trail. But, I guess the trail has been changed when improved, and RD found an older trail, and after following it (to the edge of a cliff!) he finally found it, woohoo RD!! It was a fun find, great view, and is supposed to be the hardest cache to find in Sitka. RD was very happy to find it! We headed back home, already after bedtime as we started down the trail, but the kids were so happy to be with Grandma and Grandpa they stayed happy and awake till we got home and said "bedtime!".
We really enjoyed that hike, and hope to go again and see more of the trail we didn't get to. Maybe someone else will come along with us?!