Drove out to the southeast Olympics to hike up to Mount Ellinor via the Lower Trailhead. This is a 6.2 mile round trip hike with 3,344 ft of gain, most in the last mile of the trail. I saw 20 other hikers out on this popular trail today, only 3 along the lower trail.
It is 1.8 miles with 1,300 ft of gain between the Lower Trailhead and the junction with the Upper Trail. This part of the trail is all in the forest, with a few glimpses of nearby Mt Washington.
There is a nice long flat section here, it was a great place to both warm up on the way up the trail and to cool down and stretch the legs on the way back down.
After joining the Upper Trail, it is 1.3 miles to the summit with 2,044 ft of gain. The first part continues steeply up in the forest, then goes though a boulder field. Here I stopped to enjoy the views to the southeast. looking down on Lake Cushman and Hood Canal, with a distant Mt Rainier.
There has been quite a bit of trail work done since I last did this hike over a year ago. Lots of steps.
More steps crossing the avalanche chute to help prevent trail erosion.
View of Mt Rose and Lake Cushman to the southwest, while heading up the switchbacks on the west side of Mount Ellinor. 
I found the upper trail to be slippery enough to use Yaktraks.Views from the summit of Mount Ellinor (5,944 ft).
Looking southeast: Hood Canal and Lake Cushman below, and a distant Mt Rainier.
To the east: Mt Washington in the center, The Brothers to the left, and distant Mt Baker and Glacier Peak on either side of Mt Washington.
To the north, an alpine lake below and many Olympic Peaks
More Olympic peaks to the northwest.
zoom of one of the distant Olympic Peaks
Clouds were beginning to form and rise as I started hiking back down the trail.
Further down the trail, Lake Cushman below the clouds.
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