Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Suncadia Conservancy
This morning we drove out to the Suncadia Consevancy (near Roslyn) and walked a few of the trails there for about 2.7 miles, we did River Ridge to Bald Eagle, a loop out of Black Bear and part of Otter, then back up Bald Eagle and River Ridge. We saw some lovely wildflowers in the forest and walked part way along the Cle Elum River. Beautiful morning.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility Trails
We drove up to the Visitor Center at the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility, east of Ellensburg, and discovered there were 3 connected short trails with wildflowers in bloom. We hiked down the Bitterroot Trail (1 mile round trip/185 ft loss then gain), continued down the Bluebird Canyon Trail (1.7 mile round trip/ 315 ft loss then gain), returned up to the start and went out on the Ridgeline Solar Trail (2.4 miles round trip/320 ft gain then loss). After a lunch break at the picnic tables at the visitor center, we went part way back down the Bitterrroot Trail to find that several of the bitterroot flowers had opened up, they are so beautiful. Overall, we hiked 5.5 miles/850 ft of gain. Beautiful with the wildflowers in bloom, but very windy!
horned toad lizard
Bitterroot blosssoms above and some of the other wildflowers we saw in bloom below:
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Duckabush Trail
We drove out on the Duckabush Road to the Duckabush Trailhead in Olympic National Forest on the eastern side of the Olympic Mountains. The Duckabush Trail is a long trail enterind Olympic National Park at 6.5 miles, then continues deep into the mountains to O'Neil Pass. We met some backpackers who told us they found the trail within Olympic National Park unmaintained and very overgrown. They made it about 8 miles from the trailhead before tiring of bushwacking. Our plan was a short day hike up to ledge on Big Hump and back, 6.2 miles round trip with 1,270 ft of overall gain. This is a lovely forest of tall trees, lots of moss, ferns and wildflowers.
The rhodedendrons are beginning to bloom. There are several small streams, two easy water crossings.
The trail enters the Brothers Wilderness in a mile as it descends down from Little Hump and crosses the valley floor, eventually running besides the Duckabush River before climbing up Big Hump in a series of switchbacks, where there are some lovely large boulders.
Views from the ledge on Big Hump where we took a lunch break before returning to the trailhead.
some of the wildflowers and fungi seen along the trail today:
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