Icicle Ridge

 Drove out to Leavenworth to hike a portion of the Icicle Ridge Trail. We started at the trailhead at 1,200 ft.  We did a 6 mile round trip hike with 1,800 ft of gain.
We heard quail and grouse, but did not see them today.

 The trail is mostly in the forest, with some open meadows.
The balsam root was beginning to bloom.

We could see a snowy peak to the south as the trail continued along switchbacks going up the ridge

 a view of Icicle Creek to the south

 At the saddle the trail splits:
To the left the trail continues climbing Icicle Ridge for many more miles and lots of elevation gain. The upper ridge is still covered in snow.
The trail to the right is a short spur trail going out along the ridge to a good view spot.

The spur trail is about 0.2 miles one way with 100 ft of gain or so.

 There was lots of spring beauty in bloom all along the trail

 looking back down the spur trail to the south and a snow covered Icicle Ridge

 To the east, looking down on Icicle Creek heading towards Leavenworth and the Wenatchee River








Pano to the south and west: Wedge Man (far left), Icicle Ridge with water falls, Tumwater Canyon and the Wenatchee Ridge and Tumwater Mtn

 As we were hiking back down the trail, we saw a couple of deer (zoom photos)

some of the wildflowers we saw in bloom today:

 

Baldy Mountain

Headed out to hike up Baldy Mountain in Central Washington along the Yakima River. This is a 5 mile round trip hike with 1,972 ft of gain. We parked at Big Pines campground area (on BLM land) and walked across the road to the trail.
We choose to go up the TP Jim Trail which starts through this gate.

The sun was rising over the side of Baldy Mountain as we started up the trail

This section is steep. Looking back down the trail, across the Yakima River we saw a train passing down the tracks.

Some deer in the distance as we continued hiking up the trail

As the trail rounded a small ridge, we saw the top of Baldy Mountain.

Looking south along the Yakima River

Another view looking south a bit further up the trail. In the distance we watched 8 white tailed deer feeding in the grass.

After a short flattish section of the trail, it continues upward.












Pano view to the east from the top of Baldy Mountain:

Pano to the west and north from Baldy Moutanin.

As we started back down, we could see glimpses of Mt Rainier between the clouds in the distance.

zoom of a cloudy Mt Rainier

After a short rain shower, the sky began to get a bit bluer and looking northeast, we good see what I think is the Stuart Range in the distant right. Gorgeous view of the Yakima River winding its way among the hills.

Looking back up at Baldy Mountain

On the way back down, we decided to take the less steep trail back down to the road.

There were lots of lupine in bloom on this section of the trail












lupine and balsamroot!













some of the wildflowers and other flora we saw along the trail today: