We were hoping to see a wildflower display along Dalles Ridge today, but they're not fully out yet--at least along the start of the ridge. We saw some flowers, which I'll list below, but not the usual blast of glacier lilies and lupine. I suspect we were either a little too early (they're still buried under snow as you approach the junction with Noble Nob) or we just didn't hike far enough along the ridge (we only hiked about 1/4 mile along the ridge before the heat convinced us to chill out in the shade and eat lunch). For those of you interested in the approach to Noble Nob from the Ranger Creek trail side, a couple of trail runners reported to us that they ran into snow and were unable to get there today. Here's what we did see and experience:
First, trail conditions: we encountered no snow all the way to the ridge (well, a tiny patch near where the Ranger Peak and Dalles trails meet). There were no trees down. The only obstacle lies in the switchbacks between the Little Ranger viewpoint (2.85 miles up from the Hwy. 410 pull-out parking area) and the junction with the Palisades trail (at 4.85 miles up). The end of switchback 8 is where the rock-n-roll begins. No, not Jimi Hendrix, but loose dirt and small rocks punctuating some steep switchbacks. Don't wear your skateboarding kicks. Otherwise, smooth sailing. We gained roughly 3000 feet in 6 miles, so it's a decent workout.
Flora, fauna and humanoids today: wildflowers included pioneer violets, spring beauties, some trillium, either pinesap or candystick, and some five-petaled pale purple flowers that were abundant and gorgeous but which I could not find in my flower book. We also saw quite a few saplings that have finally begun to take root after the 2017 Norse Peak fire, which devastated vast swaths of forest in this area (see pics). Animal life included several chipmunks, two deer, and some flying ants. Mosquitoes enjoyed nibbling on my shoulders, though they weren't too oppressive. We encountered six docile humans, two of whom were trail runners. The trail is used by many bikers (explaining the condition of the switchbacks), but we saw none today.
Highlights: the views of Tahoma/Rainier from Dalles Ridge are gorgeous. Also, it's a quiet trail, if it's peace and solitude you're after. The trail from the Palisades junction to the ridge is especially pleasant--trail in great condition and views excellent. Speaking of Palisades, trail crews have indeed cleared the brush from the area approaching the junction from the Palisades side. Thank you to the folks who did this! Happy and safe hiking, Everyone!
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