Mount Townsend — Monday, Sep. 25, 2006

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Ah, a late September hike up Mount Townsend. A recent rain cleared the air. The temperature at the trailhead was in the mid-sixties and there were only four cars parked there. Even the dust was down considering that all of the streams that crossed the trail had gone dry. Lots of the leaves and flowers are well into turning color, or even dropping off their branches. The light came through in the forested part to highlight individual plants and showcase their foliage. The upper meadows were fields of dried flowers sprinkled with late red indian paintbrush and a few others that I didn't recognize. I hiked to the far summit to get away from the tiny crowd at the first summit. A nap later I headed down the hill. The trail could eventually use some work. Parts are getting kicked down the hill. A few stretches have developed foot sized holes. The brush is encroaching, but far from obscuring the trail. In other words, go for it and take a lot of water.