Black Canyon, 5/17/09, 9 1/5 miles, 1700 elevation
We needed to scout a trail for an upcoming Conditioning Hike, a trail I had wanted to explore for a couple of years but it being on the hot side of the mountains deterred my adventures. The upcoming CHS hike was a perfect excuse to get out and give the trail a try. We invited our buddy Dave along and picked him up early to try & beat the heat.
The drive to the trail head showed a bit of promise as the hills outside of Ellensburg were covered in Balsamroot and Lupine. My internal tail was a'waggin'. The drive also revealed many varieties of birds including Western Meadowlark and Mourning Dove.
The day was already starting to warm up as we started our climb through the black volcanic rock and yellow balsamroot of the canyon. Willows and ponderosa pine lined the road rapidly reverting back into a trail. At about a mile, we came across an old cabin near a stream in a glade of aspen and cottonwood. A perfect place for a rest before continuing up the hill.
Each small elevation gain presented new flowers and more views. Mt Rainier could be seen in the west as we climbed. The flowers changed from balsamroot to lupine to shooting stars to bitteroot. And as we crested the ridge, views of the valley stretched below us. It was here we stopped for lunch under a pine tree with the meadowlarks singing to our meal.
After our fine meal and stories, we continued on along the ridge stopping to admire flowers and views. The Stuarts could be seen in the distance. Bighead clover sprouted at trailside. We also had to watch our step as horned toads scurried across the dirt & rocks. All too soon we were heading back down the hill. Dave & I explored a short side trail to another viewpoint while Michael continued on to the cabin to wait for us. There we found him taking a nap beside the stream in the shade of the cottonwoods.
From there it was a very hot walk out, but we were able to find a bar & grill in Yakima that served delicious food and cold drinks.
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