We drove up to the Little Quilcene Trailhead to hike up to Mount Townsend. The parking area is just past the trailhead and we went about 1/4 mile along an old dirt road before I realized we had gone the wrong way and turned around. I think this patch of flowers and view took me in the wrong direction. Our hike today was 7.5 miles with 2,200 ft gain. We didn't see any other hikers until we took our lunch break on top of Mount Townsend. Very peaceful and gorgeous today. We were happy to be above the clouds!
On the dirt road we found some delicious ripe strawberries .
I thought the rhodies had finished blooming, but we saw 3 plants in bloom about 1/2 mile up the trail.
The trail goes up through the forest around the north flank of Townsend, over Little RiverSummit and then up the west side of Mount Townsend where we had views of the Olympics to the west.
Up on the west side of Mount Townsend and on the ridge in the rocks, we found lots of Olympic bellflowers in bloom.
The north peak of Mount Townsend
Bellflowers, buckwheat, harebells and cinqeflowers on Mount Townsend
Lots of cinqueflowers on Mount Townsend
Trail to the true summit of Mount Townsend, lots of clouds below.Pano looking east from the top of Mount Townsend, it was hazy but we would see Mt Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt Adams and Mt St Helens
zoom of Mt Baker
zoom of Mt Rainierpano to the west from the top of Mount Townsend
looking north towards the north peak of Mount Townsend
view to the south of Mount Townsend
Lovely wildflowers with mountain views makes a wonderful day!
Paintbrush and mountain death camas along the trail
Lots of cinqueflowers and harebells
most of the prairie smoke has "gone up in smoke"some of the wildflowers seen along the trail today:
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