Umtanum Creek Canyon — Saturday, Mar. 25, 2023

Ethan, Karen, & I took a hike at Umtanum Canyon today.  The outhouses were well stocked with TP.  Instead of hiking up the canyon, we took the old 2-track up the ravine to the left as if we were going to the ridge crest, but when we got to the aspen grove, we went right up onto the bench above the canyon.  It was mostly sunny and mild when we started, but by the time we reached the top of the bench the clouds had moved in and a cold wind was blowing.  We walked out the ridge running north from Pt 2126 until it dropped off and found a place mostly out of the wind for lunch with a nice view out the mouth of the canyon.  Even though it was cool, we stayed our usual hour or so.  Heading back, we traversed the nose of the ridge running northeast from Pt 2126 until we hit the main trail up the ravine just above the aspens, then went down the way we had come.  On the way down the ravine there were a few muddy spots, but they didn't give us any trouble.  We saw quite a few wildflowers:  lots of yellow bells and desert parsleys, buttercups, and a scattering of gold stars.  We also saw lots of other hikers, both climbing up and going down.  The only wildlife we saw were a couple of raptors and crows and two turkey vultures on a buttress above the mouth of the canyon sitting with their wings outstretched like comorants.