Umtanum Creek Canyon — Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016

Central Washington > Yakima

Ethan, Karen Martinis, & I headed off to Umtanum Canyon on this cloudy, mild day despite an iffy weather forecast (60% chance of rain after 11). The first creek crossing was a little confusing due to the effects of a spring flood, but the creek is low enough that we didn't have any problem crossing & finding our way back to the main trail. We hiked a little ways beyond the 2nd creek crossing, then backtracked and climbed to our usual lunch spot on a buttress above the canyon. The hike up the canyon was beautiful in the bright, diffuse light: gold & russet grasses, gray-green sagebrush & rabbitbrush, and color coming on in the shrubs & trees. We stayed on the buttress for almost an hour, but about 1:15 we felt a few drops of rain and started back. A light rain started in earnest about 2:00, but we didn't have far to go at that point. We saw only 3 other parties of hikers & no wildlife. It was beautiful in the canyon & will only get better over the next couple of weeks.