Thorp Mountain via Knox Creek — Friday, Jul. 3, 2020

My friend and I carpooled--masked, windows open, and her in the backseat. The day was partly sunny and mild, perfect for hiking. I had never driven past Roslyn, but now I know where Ronald, WA, is. The FS road was good until it wasn't--last mile. A tank trap stopped me, so we walked about 3/4 of a mile to the unmarked trailhead. Two cars did make it through--drivers either braver or more foolhardy. The first mile of the hike was through a south-facing meadow that is in need of brushing and re-benching, but when an explosion of flowers is the reason you can't see the trail it's hard to complain. Tremendous views wherever you look--Mount Stuart, Mounts Hinman and Daniel, wind farms of Ellensburg, Thorp Lake, Kachess Lake. We couldn't see Rainier in the thick overcast to the southwest. As we approached Thorp Mountain Lookout we encountered a few melting snowbanks and lots of glacier lilies. We met sporadic groups of hikers coming and going, but at the lookout, we and one other hiker had it to ourselves for 45 minutes. I found the ridge chilly so pulled out my stocking cap and gloves. Those came off once we dropped off the ridge out of the wind. The hike up felt just right, not too steep, but going down, my toes and calves were feeling the braking, steeper than I thought. Luckily for me the road walking back to the car allowed my calf muscles to relax a bit before stuck in car for the long drive home. The next day and the day after I did not walk around stiff-legged like Frankenstein. Gorgeous hike!