Mount Ellinor

Forecast was for a mostly sunny day, decided to hike up Mount Ellinor on the south end of the Olympic Mountains near Lake Cushman.
I only had time for a morning hike, so started at the Upper Trailhead, from here to the summit is 1.6 miles, with 2,444 ft of gain.








The trail begins in the forest and is steep from the beginning. At 0.3 miles the trail joins up with the trail from the lower parking area.
A note to remind hikers it is hunting season. I did see 4 hunters near the summit.







A huge boulder along the trail.

Some photos along the trail going up and up and up....

Watching the clouds and mist move along the side of Mount Ellinor

Starting to see some fall color as the trail keeps climbing

About a mile or so the trail stays mostly in the open as it continues going up among the rocks.

Watching thick clouds climb up the side of the mountain.

Looks like blue sky near the top of Ellinor but not a fast enough hiker to out race the clouds.

I saw several grouse. Here, two are walking up the trail ahead of me.

September is both summer and fall, so it was appropriate to see both fall colors and wildflowers still in bloom,

and also some ice on the trail as a reminder that winter comes quickly in the alpine.

Even without the distant views, this is a beautiful hike with fall colors among the rocks

All the while, this trail goes up.

The open scree field near the top of Mount Ellinor.

Cloud moving through

Soon the trail reappears.












There is now a sign at this small promontory, so hikers don't get confused on the way down.











Near the summit, a brief view of Mt Rainier and also (now hidden by the clouds) Mt Adams to the southeast, the clouds quickly obscured this view.

And at the summit, for a brief moment, the snow capped peaks of the Olympic Mtns to the north.

Brief glimpse of a small lake below on the north side.

Took a 20 minute break at the summit, but it was apparent that the clouds would not clear soon, so I headed back down.














some of the fall color and wildflowers along the trail today: