Bear Creek Mountain — Monday, Aug. 31, 2020

The road is rough, as everyone says. but high clearance is only necessary for the last quarter mile.  There is a place large enough for 2-3 cars to pull out before encountering the worst part. From there the walk to the trailhead is short. The trail to the base of the peak is in forest and meadow. Most of the wildflowers are gone, but now the blueberries are ripe!.  The late season snowfield blocking the trail is also gone now. On the switchbacks through the rocks up to the ridge you may pass some pikas. They will warn you with their shrill squeals. Once on the ridge you are in wildflower territory again.  There are still some beautiful spreads of lupine along the ridge. And the view from the top is unparalled - one way Mt. Rainier, the other Mt. Adams, and in between, the Goat Rocks. We spent an hour lolling in the sun watching stellar views and the blanket of clouds still obscuring the sky in Western Washington. A great place to come when there is no sun in the west.