Mount Rose — Saturday, Jul. 14, 2012

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Definitey a thigh-burner but well worth it! Stunning views of Lake Cushman, North Fork Skokomish River valley, Copper Mountain, and Mount Ellinor. Lots of wildflowers blooming to top it off. Not a ton space on the summit to hang out but plenty of nice spots to rest and chow near the top. I would recommend taking the trail to the left when you reach the junction at Horse Camp. It's shorter but steeper and the other trail will be easier on your knees on the way down. Plus the views of Copper Mtn and Mt Ellinor would be at your back if you take the trail to the right on the way up. Keep you eye out for the tree that splits into four when the return trail heads down off the ridge. We started at 9:30am and only saw a few hikers on the way up but the hike got quite a bit more crowded in the early afternoon. Might be due to the Mt Ellinor closure so hopefully it will get back to being less crowded once that opens back up. All in all a great hike if you're up for a solid workout.