[Slide Alder Slayer]

After hiking to Koppen Mountain last weekend Pack Pup and I headed to the East end of the Teanaway and hiked to Miller Peak. Just like the Stafford Creek trailhead, the Miller Peak/Iron Bear trailhead is now equipped with four-star restroom accommodations. The Miller Peak trail is in excellent condition and virtually snow free except for a forested quarter mile section that ends a few hundred yards before the peak. A motorcyclist or two appeared to have been up the previous day and cleared a few trees that had recently fallen across the trail, however on this day there were no bikes. The trail crosses seven streams before climbing to the beginning of the ridge at 5,100 feet. The only crossing of any consequence is the first, and Pack Pup and I managed to cross with dry feet both going and coming. At the second crossing there is a log across Miller Creek about thirty feet upstream. The other five crossings are no more than a couple inches of water. Views were excellent to Earl and Navaho Peaks and Stuart and Dragontail were quite visible. Saw one other couple at the top of Miller Peak; otherwise we had the trail to ourselves.

[marta]

Hoping to get a little sun and flowers, we decided to do Miller Peak on Saturday, June 15. We got our normal start and was at the trailhead shortly after 10am. The lower part of the trail follows the creek crossing several times. Follow Slide's tips and you can keep your feet dry. The lower area is full of woodland plants. Wonderful fields of vanilla leaf. Columbine is starting to bloom and the white shooting stars are just finishing up. Wild blue clematis is blooming higher up. The trail climbs to a saddle with views of the Teanaway Ridge. Opposite, the Stewart Range starts to come into view. Here the silvery alpine gardens start. Balsamroot blooming on the slopes, blue balls of waterleaf, lupine just leafing out, delphinium budded. Farther along, yellow glacier lilies. After the junction with County Line Trail, there are a few small patches of snow on the trail but these are melting very fast. Another saddle is reached and you can how look down on the Country Line trail. The peak is just a steep bit more. Along the final way are a few yellow bells which we almost missed because they are mixed amoung the yellow glacier lillies. At the top, there are great 360 degree views of the Teanaway area. Mt. Rainier was peaking out above the lower cloud layer. It was sunny but a bit breazy. For a multi-use trail on Saturday, it was pretty quiet. A pair of motorcyles passed us on the way to the first saddle where they took a break. We passed them and they passed us again just before County Line. On the way down, we passed a mountain biker. That was it! No one else. We had the summit to ourselves the whole time and a very quiet hike down. The trail is a bit churned up on the approaches to the switchback and footing is a bit slippery going down. The flowers and wildlife were great. We saw a buck in the lower woodland area. We surprised a grouse and chicks on the way down. But the biggest score was finding a lady-slipper orchid which we had never seen before. For flower hunters, a finding a new flower is always a great day. - marta

[Larry]

Nice post, marta. A lady slipper! Wow.