Fantastic solo day hike up Mount Rose. Started at 1300, a few parking spots in the trailhead lot, and plenty of space on the road for a sunny Sunday.
The trail is in fantastic condition, but I would have fared better in boots than my ortho shoes. I was very happy to have poles to compensate, as there are a few slippery spots from scree / dust mix. They saved me a handful of downhill slips. Quite empty, I saw perhaps 3 other parties in all and shared the summit with one other considerate fellow. About 120 minutes up, and 90 minutes down following the clockwise loop.
South views from the summit are terrific, Hood Canal, Rainier (on a clear today, like slightly earlier than I arrived), entirety of Lake Cushman, Bear Gulch, fantastic, with a wildflower show to boot.
Word to the wise: unless your knees are in great shape, and your balance too, the counterclockwise descent looked pretty tough. It is really darn steep with a few tricky spots. I saw one party managing it slowly and with extreme caution.
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