Backpackin4ever: flowers

8.17.2015

Climbing Snoqualmie Mountain

Looking east from the summit

In my prep for climbing Mt Shasta i needed a tough mountain hike with a steep elevation per mile ratio. I've heard of many people using Mailbox Peak for practice. But i opted for a better and higher view, Snoqualmie Mountain!

The Y in the trail. Stay left!

Snoqualmie Mountain sits perched above the Snoqualmie pass area at 6,278 ft. The trailhead a quick 5 minutes off I-5 and is located just south of the famous and more used Snow lake trailhead. There is no trailhead sign but an obvious trail is visible which ascends up what looks like to be an old overgrown gravel road.

Getting close to the summit

The trail starts ascending from the beginning and goes up fast as it needs to climb over 3,100 vertical feet in 3.3 miles. There's plenty of roots and rocks to climb. The lower portion has several parts of the trail which are in the middle of a creek bed but the creek was dry this June.
The view from the summit is amazing as it's the highest mountain in the pass area. Mt Rainier, Mt Hood, Glacier Peak, Mt Adams, Mt Stuart and the jagged central cascade peaks are all visible on a clear day! It's a must for all peak baggers and day hikers!

The southern rock cliffs of the mountain

Looking NW at Snow lake and Chair Peak from the summit

Looking west from the summit

Looking south at Snoqualmie Pass and Mt Rainier from the summit

Looking SE from the summit

Looking east from the summit

Looking north from the summit

Close up of Mt Hinman

Close up of Mt Stuart

Close up of Glacier peak

Close up of Mt Rainier

Mt Rainier

Western Trillium
Trillium ovatum

Red Columbine
Aquilegia formosa

7.25.2015

Spring Wildflowers of the Enchampments

Lyall's Mariposa Lily
Calochortus lyallii

The Enchampments are simply splendid. Huge craggy peak after peak ascend above a pristine lake and tarn filled high valley basin!!
There's plenty of miles to get to the lake filled basin and even though the landscape of snowy peaks and blue flowing water is the main attraction don't forget about the wildflowers.
I ascended into the enchampments in late May and along the lower and middle section of Snow lake trail wildflowers were blooming in abundance.
As i hiked up the trail the elevation change made a series of different species of flowers blooming.
I may have named some of these plants wrong, if so please let me know. There are several i couldn't identify, again if you know their names please let me know.
Here they are, enjoy: