This morning my goal was Baldy Peak, on the Ellensburg Canyon road. However, just past Sundown Ranch, the highway is closed (for how long, I don't know). Darn! So I headed west instead, and hiked the east rim of Waterworks.
The WTA site has an official notice that this trailhead is permanently closed - anyone know why? It looks open to me, the gate is unlocked, and there is no signage saying it is closed. Whatever the case, I parked a the TH (a little ways past the 410/12 intersection west of Naches. Went through the gate, immediately headed east and up and up and up.
It's probably a little over 2 miles and 2000 feet elevation to the "top" - at least to the cairn where I usually stop. You can continue on and loop down into the canyon and back to your car that way, but I decided just to return the way I came.
Honestly, this might be my last time doing this hike. It's definitely great for conditioning ... but there are plenty of steep sections of loose gravel and dirt. I slipped several times on the way up and on the way down - and I had good poles and solid boots. It may not be worth the risk of a twisted knee or ankle. If you do this hike, I definitely recommend looping down into the canyon - at least you will avoid the loose rock on the downhill. Better yet, stick with Cot's Peak, or any of the hills in Ellensburg Canyon.
It was great weather - sunny with a cool breeze. I started hiking at 6:30am, reached the cairn at 8:00am, back to the car at 9:00am. Not much as far as flowers, but no snakes either. A perfect morning to be out in the fresh air.
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