Ironstone Mountain #1141,Shellrock Peak #1132

The road is snow free, and most of the Ironstone Mtn Trail is snow free to the junction with Shellrock Trail. There is a sign that marks the junction of Ironstone/Shellrock Trail, but I found it a little confusing and took cross country route to where the trail showed on my map (USGS. The route up Shellrock Peak is clear of snow. Shellrock Peak is a huge pile of rock, much of which is covered with black lichen. The black color is not the rock, but lichen. The view is great, whith Adams to the SW and Rainier to the NW. Looked like there is plenty of snow in the Goat Rocks (Gilbert/Tieton Peak area). I was the first to sign the peak register this year. I shared the shelter for a few minutes with a friendly rock rabbit (pika). A variety of wildflowers are blooming; lupine, wallflower, bitterroot, line leaved fleabane, yellow violets, woolly sunflower, Thompson's paintbrush, several buckwheat and parsley's, and a number of flowers that I didn't Id. I saw 31 goats, but had to take a 1 mile sidetrip to get a good look. Looks like 3 or 4 people have walked part of the Ironstone Mtn trail so far this year. There were a couple of blow downs, but the trail was good, although almost invisible in some places, which might be difficult for beginners. This is an easy day hike.