Only a couple of snow patches at Windy Camp - other than that trail is snow-free and dry with only two minor blow-downs. The first of the rhodies at the beginning of the trail are starting to bloom. Lots of blossoms of various flowers at the summit. Clouds obscured most of the view except towards the south and down into the valley. Waited an hour for the clouds to clear but they only shifted around. I find the trail books confusing about the drive to the trail head. Some only talk about the lower trail head, and the ones that talk about the upper trail head reference the numbers of the spur roads off FS 27 - and they're not signed. The Mt Townsend sign at the spur road leading to the lower trail head has been vanadalized to the point where its message is vague. Confused also why the trail books don't just say drive FS 27 to the end of its paved section and take the Mt Townsend spur road there (to the upper trail head).

I arrived at about 12pm to find the parking lot full. The first 1000 ft. of elevation gain, from 3400 ft. to 4400 ft., is through dense stands of rhodedendron. However, they still seem to be a few weeks away from blooming. The trail gains elevation relentlessly. In 4.25 miles I don't think more than 50 yards of it is flat. Snow patches begin just a little below a clearing. The clearing is completely snow-covered and only footprints lead the way to where the trail continues on the other side. Snow patches continue to dot the trail for the next 200 vertical feet or so, to just past the junction with the Silver Lakes spur. From there it's melted out all the way to the summit of Townsend. Views from the top are decent for an early-season hike. It was crowded though, in one photo I count 12 people and a dog. The top is a nice example of alpine flora with tiny grasses, flowers, and lichen-covered rock. I reached it in 2-2.5 hours. On the way back down clouds rolled in from the southwest and I was serenaded by lots of thunder but never any lightning. I did see a couple of deer however, and heard reports of a bear spotted near the summit. It's 2880 ft. of vertical gain, 8.5 miles RT, and if you were in a hurry it can be done in about 4-4.5 hours.

It must be hiking season. The trailhead parking lot was packed. I had to park about a hundred yards up the road. First to the trail news. There were three noticable blow-downs: an underpass, an overpass, and a bypass. They didn't seem to stop anyone. There were also scattered potholes: pieces of trail that had opened into small holes. The trail was snow-free up to about 4,000 feet. There was considerable snow between the top of the switchbacks and the intersection with Silver Lake trail. Some major postholing was happening so be warned. The ridge itself was open and beginning to pop with alpine flowers. There seemed to be more (albeit tiny) flowers on the ridge than there were trillium, Indian Paintbrush and avalanche lillies below. Here's a cautionary tale that we've all experienced, but sometimes worth repeating. Another party and myself were planning to camp at Windy Camp. It was right there on the map and posted down at the trail head. Despite that, none of us could find it. We also got conflicting advice about whether it existed, was snow-free, was right at our feet or another half-mile up the hill. We spent a good hour, late in the day, looking for it. We were fortunate. We found a couple of places to squeeze in our tents. I had to kick some deer pellets out of the way. But the caution is to others that might be in similar situations in terrible weather. I hate to think that some people purposely gave bad information, but it is important to keep in mind that you have to be ready to make do with what you find, or be ready to hike back out that same day. It looked like we had everything going for us, but maps, compass, GPS, locals, and scouting didn't find the camp for us. I'm glad my tent was small and my attitude very negotiable.

Access roads are clear to both the lower and upper trailheads of the Mt. Townsend Trail. Rhodies are abundant along the first mile of the trail from the upper trailhead, but are not blooming yet. Snow begins at 4900', just below Windy Camp. About a quarter mile of trail near the camp is heavily snow-covered. Hiker who persist through this messy section will find that the trail becomes mostly clear of snow above the camp. Hiking poles are helpful for maintaining balance when crossing the snow. The parts of the trail not covered in snow are in fine shape, other than a few blowdowns blocking the way in one spot. When I arrived at the summit of Mt Townsend, a chilly, wind-blown mist had engulfed the mountain. But for fifteen minutes or so, the mist lifted, and I was treated to a glorious vista of Mt Constance, Buckhorn and many other snowy peaks.

I have visited Mount Townsend a couple times in the summer, but this is the first time I have been here in the spring. The sign on Forest Service Road 27 still points to the lower trailhead. Drive another mile and find a road to the left for the upper trailhead. After making the turn, I drove a few hundred yards before encountering deep snow. This should be passable in a week or two. Today, I backed down to the start of the side road and parked. I walked the mile long road to the trailhead and encountered a car-blocking blowdown about 1/4 mile from the end of the road. The first mile on the trail alternated between snow and bare trail. After that it was continuous snow. After about 2 miles, the trail comes out of the woods. At this point, I headed straight up the hill kicking steps, following an earlier set of tracks. The view from the summit includes the Straight of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound, Olympic Mountains, the Cascade Volcanoes, and the mountains on Vancouver Island.