Striped Peak

After exploring the tide pools at Tongue Point this morning I did the loop trail at Striped Peak at the other end of Salt Creek Recreation Area. The section of the trail that turned this trail into a loop, as just recently been made. I think the loop is about 4+ miles with 1,000 ft of overall gain. This "new" trail starts about 1/4 mile up the trail and is a shorter way up to Striped Peak.

After going up many switchbacks through the forest, the trail goes by what appears to be an old bunker. I think this is where the trail had previously ended.

Just above the bunker is a view spot overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca looking towards Vancouver Island.

After about 0.2 mile, there is a spur trail that crosses the forest road and leads to the very short loop around the top of Striped Peak. Looking northwest towards Crescent Bay.

View to the northeast, looking towards Port Angeles, and towards a very hazy Mt Baker.

View to the northwest, down to Crescent Bay and Tongue Point (right of center)

I rejoined the main tail, which heading east through a clear cut area and  crossed the forest road a couple of times. 

There were lots of bleeding hearts in bloom along this section of the trail.

Through the trees I could see some Olympic Peaks to the south (zoom)

Shortly before the trail starts heading to the west, there is a view area, I could make out Mt Baker a little better through the haze.

zoom of a very hazy Mt Baker

The roots from this tree are exposed over this boulder for over 12 ft.

View looking down at Eagle's Cove, I did not take the short spur down to the cove today.

mushroom along the trail

some of the wildflowers in bloom along the trail today:

 

  

 

Tongue Point

Drove out to Salt Creek Recreation Area to explore the tide pools at Tongue Point before hiking up to Striped Peak. There was a -2 ft low tide this morning. Looking south to the small island off of Tongue Point

Tide pools on Tongue Point, lots of mussels and barnacles.

Looking out across the Strait of Juan de Fuca towards Vancouver Island.

wildflowers on the cliff edge

Hole in the rock along the cliff at Tongue Point

The hole in the rock was large enough to walk through

Went out to the island, was able to walk about 3/4 of the way around.

The roots of one of the trees were hanging off the edge of the cliff

View across Salt Creek and Crescent Bay to the Olympic Mountains to the south

The tide was not out far enough to walk completely around the island this morning.

some finds in the tide pools:

anemone

lots of purple urchins

some interesting shells

chiton 

sea star hanging underneath a large rock formation\

anemones and barnacles

some type of worm perhaps

This anemone was larger than my foot

large anemone eating a fish

 

Sage Hills

This afternoon we drove to West Wenatchee to hike the Sage Hills trails, we did 6 miles round trip with 750 ft of gain. The balsamroot was plentiful!

The trail meandered though the hills.

Here phlox is mixed in with the balasamroot 

There were hillsides covered in balsamroot

Watching dark clouds coming in from the west

Lots of lupine in bloom as well

beautiful day!

This trail connects with other trails, we were able to do a lollipop loop.

some of the wildflowers seen in bloom along the trail today: