Easton Ridge

We drove to Easton to hike the Easton Ridge Trail, 6.4 miles round trip with 2,250 ft of overall gain. We only saw 2 other hikers on the trail today.

Near the beginning of the trail we saw lots of glacier lilies in bloom and then more scattered throughout the ascent up the ridge.

There were also quite a few trillium in bloom and

some calypso orchids.

Silver Creek had lots of water flowing,

Waterfall on Silver Creek at the bridge crossing.

The trail climbs in the forest 1,700 ft in the first 1.7 miles. Here we had a view of Kachess Lake through the trees.

There were a few blow downs that we had to crawl under, over and around. There were also many snow patches to cross once we were up on the ridge.

View looking down to Lake Easton to the southwest

View Mount Baldy and Demerit Peak to the northeast on the other side of the ridge

It was cold enough for icicles.

The further we went along the ridge, the larger the snow patches. Near the end of the trail, we had a view of Mount Stuart and other Enchantment Peaks in the distance and Cle Elum Lake down below.

zooming in of the mountain peaks

zoom of Mount Stuart 

Looking back towards Lake Easton and far peaks at Snoqualmie Pass

Large snowfield heading up the last of the trail, with

the trail clear of snow for the final bit at the rocks. 

View down to Cle Elum Lake and,

another zoom towards the peaks.

some of the wildflowers seen along the trail today:

  

 

 

 

Easton Ridge

I drove out to Easton early this morning to hike Easton Ridge before it got hot, 6.3 miles with 2,270'. The wildflowers and views were great, surprised to only see 4 other hikers along the way this morning. Soon after the trail splits from the Kachess Ridge Trail it passes over Silver Creek on a footbridge. Lots of water in Silver Creek today.  

The trail is mostly in the forest with some peekaboo views on the way up. Here looking across at Kachess Ridge.

Looking down on part of Lake Kachess.

Once on the ridge, there were some views looking down at Lake Easton and a distant Mt Rainier to the southwest.

There were many Columbia lewesia plants in bloom in the rocky areas.

Happy to see Oregon anemones flowering as well.

My turn around point was this rock formation on the ridge.

View to the northeast: Mount Baldy, distant Mount Stuart and other Enchantment peaks and Cle Elum Lake.

zoom of Mount Stuart

To the southwest was Mt Rainier, the Easton Ponds, Lake Easton and part of Lake Kachess.

zoom of Mt Rainier

some of the wildflowers seen along the trail this morning: