Midweek was great to get to out of rainy Seattle to do this popular hike. It is still early for most flowers, but the Golden Currant was blooming right by the information sign. And nearby we saw Wax Currant in bloom with its pink trumpet flowers. Praire Star, Buttercups and Whitlow grass are scattered all around. Also, an apricot tree in full bloom, and Phlox.
We saw Pacific Slope Flycatchers, chickadees and lots of soaring raptors, vultures, Redtailed hawks and Harriers, in particular. It's a great birding spot.
We had a photocopy of relevant pages from Hiking Washington's Geology, and so we stopped for a study break, taking in the basalt columns and the sandstone. Our wonderment deepened as we realized we sitting on the bottom of the syncline--trough--and the Umtanum Ridge was the top of the anticline.
We got a further clarification on the mysteries of the Yakima river when we stopped at the Beck monument south of Umtanum Recreation Area. Apparently the uplift making the ridges was slow and the meandering river eroded it gradually, without being displaced.
The trail directions in the geology book talk about following the stream to a "y" but we turned around when the trail turned from turf to talus right up against the very eroded bank. It looked like lots of folks had walked over the loose rocks and settled it to some degree, but we didn't fancy crossing that twice so we turned around.
Everyone remarks on the social trails, and we, too, had to scout around to figure out the best places for stream crossings. Sometimes our trail choices were hit or miss, like when we got going through a thicket hoping it would take us through, but it devolved into something that a fox could use. Going through all that brush made me glad that it wasn't tick season.
We went back to Seattle admiring the blue skies and sunshine as we drove into clouds and rain, and then snow. It's like Alice's magic looking glass.
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