One of our Favorites

Marmot Pass, 7/19/09, 11 miles, 3700 elevation

After hiking this trail last year, Michael & I had to add it to our favorite hikes list. The trail is a steady climb along the Quilcene River, through old growth forests and wildflower filled meadows to magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains. Hikes just can't get better than this.

Clouds passed overhead, promising a cool climb through the trees. Other groups passed us as we passed them on rest stops. Marmot Pass is a popular destination as it's a start to other adventures in the Park and Buckhorn Wilderness. Our plan was to just head to the pass for lunch and admire the view before heading back.

The flowers were a little lackluster this year - a disappointment from my high hopes after seeing the beargrass the previous weekends and the flowers from last season. But the views were as amazing as ever - especially with the clouds blowing in and around the peaks. I left Michael near the pass as I climbed higher for better views and a little more adventure. I ended at a plateau filled with lichens and alpine wildflowers - and a stiff cold wind. I didn't stay long before heading back down to Michael and relative warmth of less wind.

On the way back down, we stopped near the river to watch the sun sparkle off the moss hanging from the trees and the ripples in the river. Marmot Pass will stay on our favorite hikes list.

Sweat and Flowers

Marmot Pass, 8/2/08, 10.5 miles, 3500 elevation

Is that yet another variety of Paintbrush? How many had I seen by now? I was looking down at a pale pink Indian Paintbrush in the meadows below Marmot Pass. Already I had spotted a Common Paintbrush and Scarlett Paintbrush and possibly another one or two. And that wasn't counting the myriad other wildflowers along the trek up to Marmot Pass. Along the way there were Twinflowers, Tiger Lilies, Red Columbine, Fireweed, False Solomon's Seal, Penstemon, Nootka Roses - the list goes on and on. But it was the variety of Paintbrushes that stood out on this trip.

It's a long hill to climb to Marmot Pass and even on this chilled and cloudy summer day, we were all sweating to make the top. The forest gave us glimpses of the chaos nature can bring when thrashed with a storm. As we quickly climbed through the forest along the Quilcene River, deadfall littered each bank and the forest floor. Flowers peeked out from around stumps and greenery. As the way became steeper, the forest started opening up to grander views topped by low hanging clouds. I could only imagine the splendor we'd have seen if the sky had been clear - the view was beautiful as it was.

We came across a meadow filled with color, followed by another one and another. Soon we reached the meadow below the pass filled with pinks and yellows - all I wanted to do was stop and spend an hour or more shooting. But the color didn't stop there. All along the final climb to the pass were more varieties of flowers and more colors until we reached our destination looking to the interior of the Olympic Mountains. The clouds thinned a bit and the views for lunch makes me want to return, again and again.