Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area

We drove out to the Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area east of Ellensburg to hike along the closed roads (the open May 1st) and enjoy the wildflowers in bloom. We hiked 7.5 miles round trip with 750 ft of overall gain.

There were lots of lupine in bloom,

along with large headed clover,

phlox, guldenweed,

and balsamroot (mainly Hooker's balsamroot today).

Some views along the road:

We hiked up to the top of this hill for our turn around point.

Views from the top of the hill, to the west

zoom of Mt Adams,

zoom of Cascade foothills and peaks,

zoom of Mt Rainier

View to the southeast and the Columbia River

View to the northeast

We saw lots of snowball cacti that were budding and in bloom: 

views as we returned along the road to the trailhead:

some of the wildflowers we saw in bloom today:

 

 

   

  

 

 

 

 

Duckabush River Hike

This morning I drove out on the Duckabush River Road to the trailhead for the Duckabush River Trail on the east side of Olympic National Forest. I hiked our to Big Hump and back an 8 mile round trip with 1,800 ft of overall gain. The trail enters the Brothers Wilderness about a mile into the hike (on the back side of Little Hump)

On of the creek crossings along the trail.

There were lots of yellow violets in bloom along the trail.

Another creek crossing with 

a small waterfall upstream.

Views along the Duckabush River:

 

Lovely forest trail

The trail goes up Big Hump in a series of switchbacks with some views of nearby peaks.

There were paintbrush and other wildflowers in bloom on the open area of the switchbacks.

part of a mossy weeping wall

There were quite a few fawn lilies in bloom.

View from lunch rock

some of the wildflowers and fungi seen along the trail today: