Snow Mountain Ranch

I took a walk most of the way up Cowiche Mtn today on the route of the Wm O Douglas Trail from the Rocky Top trailhead off of Summitview. This is a longer, gentler way to the top of the mountain than the Cowiche Mtn Loop Trail, but is not in Snow Mtn Ranch proper until it reaches the top of the mountain. All the early spring wildflowers were out including masses of sagebrush violets, lots of cushion phlox, Hooker's balsamroot, and, higher on the mountain, columbia desert parsley. As usual on a sunny day like today there were nice views east across the Yakima Valley, southwest to Mt Adams, and north to Mt Cleman. I had the place to myself except for 4 mountain bikers.