Heliotrope Ridge

We drove up FR 39 off of Mt Baker Highway to do the Heliotrope Trail to the Glacier Overlook of the Coleman Glacier today. This is a 5 mile round trip hike with 1,800 ft of gain. We got a bit off track and ended up hiking 5.5 miles with 2,200 ft of gain. (photo of the lower end of the Coleman Glacier)

The trail starts in the forest and crosses a bridge over Grouse Creek and enters the Baker Wilderness

Most of the hike is through the forest

The trail crosses several creeks, this waterfall was barely a trickle.

Trail crossing over Kulshan Creek

After going up several switchbacks, we saw these falls further up Kulshan Creek.

Along the upper trail we passed several areas with wildflowers.

We were able to step on the boulders going across Heliotrope Creek.

Soon after crossing Heliotrope Creek, we began to see Mt Baker.

Near the end of the trail there are many boot tracks, we didn't realize we had gotten off of the main trail and started going up this steep hill.

We had some nice views, but realized we were going away from the glacier instead of closer to it.

After going up 400 ft in 1/4 of a mile, we headed back down he hill to find the trail crossing the creek.

One trail took us to this great view of Mt Baker and the Coleman Glacier.

Looking at Coleman Glacier

We found another trail that led up over this ridge,

that led us to (what we think is) the Glacier Overlook:

zoom of Mt Baker and the higher portions of the Coleman Glacier

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fireweed lit up by the late morning sun

We found an easier spot to cross Heliotrope Creek on the way back down the trail.

some of the fungi and wildflowers we saw along the trail today:

 

 

Yellow Aster Butte

We drove 4.5 miles up the Twin Lakes road off of Mt Baker Highway to the Yellow Aster Butte Trailhead. This trail is 7.2 miles round trip with 2,550 ft of gain.  This trail has fabulous views and lots of wildflowers in the late summer. The trail starts of steep, gaining 1,500 ft in less than 1.5 miles. There is a short section where the trail traverses an open meadow before entering the forest. Here we saw fireweed, yarrow, coastal hedgenettle along with other wildflowers in bloom.

We also had a view of Mt Baker to the southwest.

lovely trail in the forest

As the forest begins to open up, we could look across to our destination, Yellow Aster Butte.

The trail does a wide arc around the basin through fields of wildflowers, gaining elevation at an easier pace.

We could see Mt Baker across the way.

There were lots of asters in bloom.

Goat Peak and Mt Shuksan to the southeast

Lupine, asters and sitka valerian growing up the sides of Yellow Aster Butte.

Mt Shuksan and Mt Baker to the south

The meadows were thick with wildflowers.

More mountain views as we continue to gain elevation.

We found lots of ripe huckleberries to eat along the way.

More wildflowers

Wildflowers growing up the side of Yellow Aster Butte.

I was amazed at how dense the wildflowers were.

Mt Baker in the distance, tarns below

Tomyhoi Peak and some mountain tarns

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The last section of the trail gains 600 ft in 0.2 miles.

Wide angle view to the south: Goat Peak, Mt Shuksan and Mt Baker

To the northeast: the peak of Yellow Aster Butte and Mount Larrabee

below to the east is the trail we hiked up

Hiking back down the trail around a tarn, Goat Peak and Mt Shuksan in the distance

Another view of Goat Peak and Mt Shuksan

some of the wildflowers seen along the trail today: