Got a call from Goober Canari telling me he had Friday off. That meant a hike in the Olympics. Today's choice, Mt Rose. Left home to mostly clear skies but arrival at trailhead to clouds. Trail is in good shape, steady but not too steep, mostly in forest. A few burned areas which are warned about near trailhead (be careful in windy weather). Trail enters Mt Skokomish Wilderness around a mile or so in and around 2 miles is a fork. The upper part of the trail splits into a loop hike. We went right which is longer to the summit (sign said 1.6 miles). This section of the trail is supposedly more faint and rougher but we found it easy to follow. I got stung on the back of the leg by what I believe might have been a bald-faced hornet although I didn't even see it. We finally broke thru to some sunny skies on the final ridge. The summit is a rocky knob and the wind was blowing. We had views down to Lake Cushman. Summit to Alaska phone call to the "Stinger" and then we headed back down. We followed the shorter (1.1 miles) part of the loop down. Goober suffered a couple of oplas (slips), the 2nd resulting in a scraped arm. No broken bones and Goober soldiered on. Sunnier skies by the time we reached the car. No people encountered on way up, 4 on way down. No wildlife to speak of other than a grouse that exploded out of the bushes. Minor wildflowers and huckleberries on summit ridge. Stop at El Serape in Shelton capped the day.
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