Forum Index > Trip Reports > Tronsen Ridge 7/1/11
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostMon Jul 04, 2011 6:07 pm 
JimK and I did Tronsen Ridge the other day. I give it one more weekend for the height of flowers. Lupine still not 100% out; Tweedy's are mostly out and spent, but many more are still to come - I guess this year, once they bloom (this late), it's already too hot, so they're not lasting long! Nice Penstemmon, clematis and the bitterroot in one week will be an amazing display!!!!!!!!!!! The road isn't bad, but a high clearance vehicle is probably necessary. It's hard to say - the needle skipped from my brain groove last wkend and I thought Ruby Creek Rd was the way to Tronsen, which it was - decades ago - and the road was so bad I did a thousand point turnaround and slunk (slank?) down and did Ingalls Cr instead. JimK allowed me to redeem myself, and let me drive to Tronsen via Five Mile Road, which is where the trailhead is. Five Mile seemed like a piece of cake in comparison to Ruby Cr Road. Jim and I don't think we ever saw the penstemmon, bitterroot and clematis so thick as on Tronsen this weekend. Simply amazing. We became blase, as in "Oh, a pink lupine. I've seen better." It was hot as hell for me and was ready to stay at the painted lichen rocks while Jim continue, but he'd have none of it, so I went with him; glad I did. The Flowers got even better! A great day. The cool breeze in the forest was sublime. ANYONE KNOW WHAT WAS UP THERE - fire lookout somewhere????? I found an old phone thingy on an old downed log. Way beyond where any logging took place.
Phone thingy on log
Phone thingy on log
Later at Mineral Spgs Resort, I spit on Jim by mistake when I laughed after declaring the ham & cheese sandwich among the best I ever had - I was reminded of a silly story when in Troy Oregon, I told the waitress at the cafe there that their iced tea was the best I ever had. I was sorry I said that, because within a few minutes, I wanted to declare the hamburger to be the best I ever had, but that would have been too much. But really, that hamburger was good, and I've always been sorry I blew the wad about the iced tea. The fact that I remained silent is testament that I was at least sane at that time. Not so sure I'd use such discretion nowadays dizzy.gif . Forever, that great hamburger will remain uncomplimented in person. Anyway, this seems to be more about an unrequited love for hamburger in Troy, Oregon than a hike at Blewett Pass, Washington. Sorry.. Photos: (using Lightroom, which is sorta mysterious, so I hope the photos look OK. Conditions were too sunny for good photos, so I tweaked several [but not all of them - I'm that talented! ])
Tweedyii lewisia
Tweedyii lewisia
Columbia lewisia
Columbia lewisia
A Hiker
A Hiker
Big cluster of Locoweed pods
Big cluster of Locoweed pods
Bitterroot
Bitterroot
Soil studded with bitterroot - see stud for scale
Soil studded with bitterroot - see stud for scale
White and pink bitterroot
White and pink bitterroot
Rare Tronsen Ridge crab skitters along ridge
Rare Tronsen Ridge crab skitters along ridge
Balsamroot and penstemmon
Balsamroot and penstemmon
Balsamroot
Balsamroot
Saxifrage
Saxifrage
Old man's whisters
Old man's whisters
Rock garden
Rock garden

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostMon Jul 04, 2011 9:55 pm 
up.gif The wildflowers are holding up pretty good this year, the heat is on now though at lower elevations. 94 degrees today in Wenatchee at 6 pm.

Living in the Anthropocene
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JimK
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Joined: 07 Feb 2002
Posts: 5606 | TRs | Pics
Location: Ballard
JimK
Member
PostMon Jul 04, 2011 10:13 pm 
Tronsen has become an annual event for me. Often the best flower show of the year. It will be hard to beat this year. We saw a group of motorcycles 4 hours into the day and two of them coming out later. That was it. Almost total solitude. I have the usual long and detailed report with 48 photos on my site here: Tronsen Ridge Report & Photos Here are some of my favorites:

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Hiker Mama
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Joined: 25 Jun 2006
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Location: Lynnwood
Hiker Mama
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PostMon Jul 04, 2011 11:18 pm 
Oh, look at those wonderful flowers! Man, I need to get up there!

My hiking w/ kids site: www.thehikermama.com
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JimK
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Location: Ballard
JimK
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PostTue Jul 05, 2011 12:37 pm 
I've added a link to all my photos and included some in the post two places above.

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More Cowbell
Warrior Princess



Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 5657 | TRs | Pics
Location: Alive on Earth
More Cowbell
Warrior Princess
PostTue Jul 05, 2011 1:26 pm 
Next time I go up there I want to look for the abandoned Sand Creek trail and explore the area to the North of the TH. Glad you two still caught some Tweedyi's.

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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HitTheTrail
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HitTheTrail
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PostTue Jul 05, 2011 2:45 pm 
Looks like my daughter and I missed a good hike. Did I go up a different Five Mile Road or did you guys just not worry about scratches on your paint job?

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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
PostTue Jul 05, 2011 2:52 pm 
Getting out for a hiking trip trumps preserving paint on a vehicle 100% of the time. up.gif Jim had an idea that perhaps next year we can plan a brushing work party, and camp at the trailhead. In coordination with the Forest Service, of course. Not to preserve paint, though if that's a deal-breaker for folks, it'd be nice to brush it so more people will go, so they too will care about Tronsen Ridge and fight for it if it ever needs fightin' for. The bigger issue is that you can't flippin see if there are usuable pullouts under all the brush if you meet an oncoming vehicle.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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