[marta]

We needed a flower fix. After seeing Karen's photo of the camas at Marmot Pass, we decided to check out Mt. Townsend on Friday. We caught the 7:10 ferry and was at the trail head shortly after 9:00am. We parked at the upper parking lot and there were just three other cars. It was overcast and cool for a nice change. The trail starts climbing right away. The forest service says it is a 20% grade. But it is an excellent trail, very smooth, with few roots and rocks to step over. It makes the elevation gain easier. The first few miles are in the woods full with Rhododendrons. In the forest, we saw twin flower, Prince's pine (Chimaphila), Wintergreen (Pyrola), and Pine-drops (Pterospora). After a couple of miles, you leave the forest and start shorter switchback up the open slope. The lower fields were waist high in flowers and berries. Large brilliant orange paintbrush, bluebells, and magenta fireweed. As you climb, you get views of the sound. It was overcast so we couldn't see beyond the shipping lanes of the sound. You come to a small wooded area with a few camps and shortly after that the junction with Silver Lake. Continuing on, the hillside turns to juniper and knickaknick. Growing out of the brush, are orchids, camas, nodding onions, bluebells and paintbrush. It rained briefly but it was still warm. We stopped to eat our lunch and got a little wet. You reach a saddle and views of east of the Olympics. It was about 2 1/2 hours for us from the trailhead. The area is very tundra like with lots of lichens and moss in among lava pillows. Lots of camas, blue bells and nodding onions on the east hillside. The trail continues up a hill to the summit. The views to the north were blocked by the clouds but Olympic peaks close by played hide and seek with us. The sun came out for a bit and we enjoyed the views. After about an hour of lounging, we headed down. The trail is in such great condition, we made a speedy trip back to the car in about 1 1/2 hours. We passes two parties with fishing poles headed for a night at Silver Lake. Flowers will still probably be good for a bit especially with the rain.

Hillside of Mt. Townsend