We drove out on FSR 5270 to the Tatoosh Ridge trailhead in the Tatoosh Wilderness to hike up Tatoosh Ridge to Peak 6050, about 6.7 miles round trip with 3,100 ft of gain. We only saw 10 other hikers/backpackers today, very peaceful. The first 2 miles are steep and through the forest.We enjoyed finding the monotropes and wintergreens in bloom, along with some other woodland flowers on our way up.
Before reaching the ridge, the trail goes through a couple of meadows, always a delight to find the meadow wildflowers blooming.
View from the meadow to the southwest, we could see Mt St Helens in the distance.
zoom of Mt St Helens
The last several switchbacks before reaching the ridge has a stream running, here we found lots of monkey flowers, asters and other blooms.
Up in the meadow on the ridge were many paintbrush blooms along with other wildflowers.
As we continued to the south along the ridge, we kept turning around for the views of Mt Rainier.
Along with the wildflowers were many bees, flies and,
butterflies.
Lots of wildflowers in the meadow below the trail.
I love the bright colored paintbrush!
We stopped so many times to enjoy the wonder up on Tatoosh Ridge.
As the trail nears the south end of the ridge, we had our first sighting of Mt Adams to the southeast.
Most of the beargrass had no flowers on them, but on the southeast side of Tatoosh Ridge, we saw some beargrass in bloom below the trail.
At the southend of Tatoosh Ridge, we took the steep boot path up Peak 6050.
View of Mt Rainier and Tatoosh Lake from the top of Peak 6050, one of my favorite views!
wide angle view
View to the south from the trail on Peak 6050: Goat Rocks, Mt Adams, Mt Hood and Mt St Helens
zoom of the Goat Rocks
zoom of a very distant Mt Hood
On our way back across Tatoosh Ridge, we took our time soaking in the view we were hiking into.
Lots of paintbrush at the Southend of the ridge, I think that is Peak 6050 up high
The meadow is so colorful!
Back down by the creek there were near 100 of these little blue butterflies, as we walked by they swirled up around us like a gentle tornado.
A couple more butterflies we saw among the flowers.
some of the wildflowers seen along the trail today:
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