There is a Kia key on the trail junction sign (Ranger Creek and Dalles Ridge). See pictures 2 and 3 and the attached caltopo map marks the spot.
We, a group of 7 Mountaineers, hiked the attached 14 mile, 3300' route. There is no snow. There are a number of somewhat significant blowdowns and a very slippery switchback starting 1/4 mile from the junction with the Palisades trail to the junction with the Dalles Ridge trail. We got through all of these with a little time, care, and crawling (for 1 tree). Thanks to the person or people that cut off all of the branches on the blowdowns!
There is a thick "forest" of fireweed coming up in the burned areas (link 2 explains why fireweed does so well in burned areas) and countless baby and toddler trees. Other flowers that are colonizing this area and now blooming are lots of Oregon anemones, lance-leaf spring beauties, Oregon grape, yellow violets, and many more. The little stream, the source/top of Ranger Creek, has some beautiful white marsh marigolds (picture 4) and a water-loving species of spring beauties (picture 1 with a male Julia's orange tip). I saw a few fairy slippers on the 3rd mile and some just risen candy stripe in the first 2 miles. Dalles Ridge has glacier lilies, some impressive clumps of trillium, a few California Jacob's ladder in bloom (with lots to come), the first of the arnica is out with lots more to bloom in the coming week, many small lupine plants, lance-leaf spring beauties, and more. We saw a few groups on Dalles Ridge, but only 1 mountain biker and 1 hiker during our 10 miles on Ranger Creek.
We had a 1 hour quiet/meditative time during our hike (thanks Julie C.!). Everyone really enjoyed it, someone said, and I agree, that it had the advantages of hiking alone while with a group.
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