What a find! A fairly easy hike through gorgeous, open forest to grand views over the island world, Canadian and American, the Olympics and Cascades. Wildflowers were abundant with unexpected species such as avalanche lilies and shooting stars. Fairy slippers, a.k.a. calypso orchid, were all over, some in patches of many. The variety of flora is amazing.
We took the Lawsonite Trail up and the Greywacke Trail down and toured the summit ridge, 2.15 mi with 450' cumulative gain. The Lawsonite Trail is more scenic with lots of mossy rock outcrops. This trail has steep sections.
Some birds were singing in the forest. A pair of turkey vultures had an "encounter" that was either a mating attempt, an attempted rape or something in between.
The current trail description is unclear and misleading in my opinion. I will try to improve it.
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