Checked the mud puddles near the parking area (and they are muddy because of the recent rains). It's sadly pretty empty, only a few Woodland Skipper, a passing Mustard White and a very beaten Two-Tailed Swallowtail -- this means the butterfly season is winding down :(
The trail is very green; majority of the flowers are going to seed or will be soon. There some Monkshood, mint, and geraniums hanging up on the lower parts of the trail.
I find this curious seed head.
And the Thimbleberries are almost in full ripeness --
Yummy!!! Unfortunately the key word is "almost" but there are red ones here and there so I just graze my way up the hill.
There are a good number of Frits flying; I can confidently ID the Great Spangled and the Northwestern but there are others.
Find a couple of Lilac-Bordered Coppers but for the most part this is a non-stop hike to the top. (well almost non-stop).
A guy coming down the trail tells me that there's a black bear ahead -- kinda cool. He shows me the pictures he took. I'm excited but kinda on edge after having the moose walk out in front of me last week. I'm looking but I can't find him. :(
There this 50-60 foot section of trail 1/2 up that just filled with the petal-less coneflowers - looks pretty cool!
Lots of red (and white) berries in the forest -- not the ones I want to eat; they're Baneberries.
On the last stretch, the Paintbrush is still blooming.
On top, the valley look hazy but its refreshingly cool with a nice wind blowing.
Time to head back down -- maybe I'll see that bear.
I see a lot of Fir cone scales in piles on the trail; the squirrels and chipmunks must be having their fill.
Well I make it back down, no bear and only got hit with a couple drops of rain (and that was on the way up).
Nice way to end a Friday.
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