Dog Mountain — Friday, May. 20, 2022

Finally hiked Dog Mountain to see the wildflower show in mid-May.  Past two years plans were cancelled due to, well, you know.

I got to the trailhead later than I would have liked - 09:00 - on Friday May 20, 2022.  The huge parking lot was COMPLETELY full and people waiting.  I circled the lot a couple times, drove off, then drove back and waited for about 20 mins as a trail runner finished his hike and took off (after stretching and goofing at his car for 20 mins all the while seeing me wait...but that's another story!).

Weather was GREAT, mostly sunny skies, a gentle breeze to start.  The climb up the trail was met with many people coming down - and lots of people passing me.  I was going slow-ish due to stopping to listen at the birds, see the trees, photograph the flowers.  LOTS of warblers serenaded me the whole day - Wilson's, Townsend's, a couple Nashville and even (I'm pretty sure) a Hermit!  What a great day to hear the spring migrants.  

Wildflowers are in peak bloom all over the mountain along the trail.  I forget what all I saw...but some highlights were:  Arrowleaf (and maybe other?) balsamroot, chocolate lily, harsh Paintbrush, Hooker's fairy bells, yellow desert parsley, Larkspur, woodland strawberry, Western serviceberry, Western Trilium (much more on the Augspurger Mountain trail as I headed down than on the Dog Mtn Trail), waterleaf, fairy slipper/calpyso orchid, starflower Solomon's seal, pioneer violet, vanilla leaf, fringe cup, Sierra (or leafy?) pea, spreading phlox, some sorts of penstemon, and I'm sure many more.  Of note:  most of the lupine up and down the mountain were not yet bloomed.

Approaching the meadow just below the "summit", a group of about 20-22 people were headed down (that explained some of the parking lot issues).  The upper meadows were just simply gorgeous with the wildflowers, the views of the Columbia River Gorge, and the puffing clouds and blue skies.  The upper portion of Mt. Hood was visible, but I couldn't see Adams nor St. Helens through the clouds to the north.  The summit had a handful of people quietly eating lunch.  Wind wasn't too bad on this lovely Friday early afternoon.

On the way down, I took the Augspurger connector trail and then down that Augspurger trail.  The upper portions were very muddy and lots and lots of trilliums were on the trailside.  Not nearly as many people on this trail as it seemed most people were doing Dog as out and back.  This is a very nice loop option with different views of the river as you walk through scree slopes.

No ticks nor rattlesnakes nor poison ivy encounters for me!