Saddle Mountain East — Saturday, May. 6, 2017

Central Washington > Tri-Cities

I led my second Sagebrush Ramble of the season for the Cascadians to the Saddle Mts East on this partly cloudy, mild day. From the parking area on Pt 1974 we dropped steeply into a saddle, climbed up the other side, then wandered east along the broad, grassy summit of the mts as far as Pt 1983. We had broad vistas from either rim - south out across the Wahluke Slope & the Hanford Reach and north across Lower Crab Creek, the Drumheller Channels & the Royal Slope with Mt Rainier & the north cascades in the far distance. The cheat grass wasn't dry yet, so everything was a lush green. There was a fairly wide variety of wildflowers, including the relatively rare Columbia Milkvetch & Robinson's Onion, but nothing in profusion. We didn't see any wildlife, but had the place to ourselves. Except for the steep climb on either side of the saddle just below the parking area, this was a nice mellow hike.