[More Cowbell]

ML, Wanda and I headed east looking for sun. We brought all sorts of editions of the Desert/Central Wa hikes books and decided on the way there which one to take. Important note to make in your copies of this book: The exit is 26 not 30 when heading into Selah from E-burg. After a scenic detour of Selah we found our way to the trail head (full of horse trailers). Since ML drove the beast of no burden, we had the power to drive in the gate and go the extra 1 1/2 miles to the next trail head (don't do this unless you drive a rut and rock eating beast). We took the "official" trail and headed up a ravine. There were beautiful bird songs and flowers started appearing after about 1/2 mile.

Desert Parsley

Sagebrush Buttercup

Yellow Bell and Foam Flower

More Violets

We climbed a gradual slope up to a fantastic viewpoint of the Yakima canyon, river and Rosa Dam. There were also several herds of big horn sheep roaming around down below but they were too far away for pictures. Elk and sheep scat carpeted the ground everywhere

Shadow shot and sheep droppings

And the river was churning away below us, can you find 2 hungry hikers below?

Swollen/Raging Yakima

Hellooooo down there

We had a little break here and then headed north towards a nice looking summit of sorts

We went there

On the way we passed many amusing and interesting things that I couldn't identify

About to bloom

Scat - n - Bones - n - Stuff

Next, we sagebrushwacked up a slope to our lunch spot

The Final Ascent

At the top

and found the "true summit" of Gracie Point. Except that there was this road that went straight there from the other side. and then we saw a truck drive up close by our summit. WTF? It was freezing up at the top so we sagebrushbashed our way down to the trail again and I just kept taking pictures

Central Washington Sky

Sagebrush Country

ML was caught outright on the tumbleweed police cam

Thief!

We saw a few folks on the trail both ways but it was relatively quiet for a beautiful Sunday. GO HERE SOON FOR FLOWERS! A final tour though the lovely town of Selah provided some humor

Selah has a sense of humor?

and we stopped in Ellensburg for a fine dinner

Yum.

It was a wonderful day and I'm counting the days until I can get back there.

[Allison]

First of all, I TAKE EXCEPTION to Cowbell's sig, which makes me out to nothing more or less than a truffle-sniffing pig. Those pigs can smell a lot more than I can, and they make for nice bacon too. Which is more than I can say for myself. I just make paintings that look like weird crap I see in the vilderness. Here are a couple of pictures to possibly add more to the glorious experience of reading yet another TR from this general area: In this one, Wanda poses for perspective on a rather large snafflehound condo up near the almighty summit. My guess is that this condo is owned by a badger. Any input? No comments needed on the gloves except that I used to have toe socks that looked a lot like that, when I was eight.

Wanda+snafflehole

This one shows some rather aloe-like small succulents. I would say the largest ones were 3" across. I'd love to get a plant ID on what this is, it's pretty and I've never seen it before.

starfish-succulents

This one is the obligatory car shot, solely included to piss people off.

my-car-at-the-TH

I got some nice organ jiggling and drink spillage out of the girls today.

[marta]

Cowbell - About to bloom is probably a wild onion - maybe Allium scilloides/ Marylou - your starfish are probably bitterroot. If not, they are related in the Lewisia family.

[GeoTom]

Hopefully this isn't too stupid of a question, but...did anyone notice any ticks? I am thinking about going out there in 3-4 weeks, and was curious.

[Allison]

We didn't see any, but we all wore long pants just to be on the safe side. I know Salish encountered some last weekend somwhere between Lakes Lenice and Lenore. It's definitaly Tick Time over there, and there are mozzies near the water. I got about 20 bites last weekend at Lenice.

[GeoTom]

Thanks marylou. I could bathe in permethrin before I go over there to be safe...

[Hiker Boy]

Another great TR from the dry side!

[Allison]

[GeoTom]

I suggest a full submersion in permethrin prior to heading out into tick country. So it's a possible carcinogen... This is not an actual endorsement of bathing, soaking or otherwise applying permethrin directly to one's skin.