Trail was well maintained and a little busy on this Saturday morning and afternoon. Lots of families out picking huckleberries. Parking lots were also pretty full by 10am.

The views were fantastic and the hike did not disappoint. The climb wasn't very strenuous, but by no means a walk in the park.

Our goal for today's hike was to take it pretty easy, but perhaps try and get to the summit as long as trail conditions allowed it. I am currently operating on two bad knees and our decision to turn around when the trail got even a little bit hard was due to keeping said knees from sustaining further injuries. So, if you're motivated and can navigate a bit of snow (the kind that's just on the trail and half melted, half frozen, and post-holey) and several/numerous downed tree areas then you could probably summit. Also, with the record heat we had today and more warm weather coming there should be a lot more snowmelt happening in the next week.

Our Starting point: Lower Selkirk Parking lot

Went up Trail 131 then Trail 130 to Bald Knob Campground. Couple of easy to navigate downed trees across Trail 131 and Trail 130. One tree we recognized from our last snowshoe. These were not difficult to cross. Ate lunch at the picnic tables.

Sidenote: The road is not yet open for cars to drive to the campground.

2nd Sidenote: WTA's Holly Weiler will be up here with a crew very soon to cross cut the downed trees. =)

From Bald Knob Campground we continued along Trail 130, but turned around almost immediately. Lots of big snow patches. The kind that's passable, but with lots of stepping here and stepping there all the while slipping this way and that way. With my knees being as bad as they are right now we simply opted to try another trail that's on the sunnier side of the mountain.

Went back down Trail 130 then up Trail 290 which is normally a mountain bike route. But not right now it isn't! And I laugh as I write this. So many downed trees along this trail. And big bunches of them. For one section we went way up the hill and hiked a big detour around the trees covering a large section of the trail. We crossed 3 major downed tree areas then turned around when we came to the 4th. We looked up and large downed logs were on the hillside. They were looking quite dangerous should one of them decide to start rolling down. Looking down below the trail there was just so much loose tree debris that it wasn't a good idea to go around that way. And there was simply no possibility of stepping over the downed trees on the trail. Much trail work is to be had in this section. Can a person find a route around this area? Sure. Yes. But we weren't up for that type of adventuring today.

Back to the parking lot we went where we had the perfect celebrity meet up! Holly (WTA's finest) and Jasper (husky) were walking to their car which coincidentally was parked right next to ours. Then the park rangers rolled up. And it was a meeting of the minds of which trails need some serious cross cutting action.

Almost forgot! The bugs were buzzing about, but not biting. They were a bit annoying at times.

The Hiking Bookworms

Started at Bald Knob and hiked 130 to CCC Cabin and then took trail 140 to Saddle Junction, then Kit Carson rd back to Summit Rd. Drove to the top when I was done to have lunch at the Vista House. The huckleberries were ripe on 140 and i was able to eat them by the handful! Trail 130 needs brushing, encroaching on the trail, but the wild flowers, Fireweed, Wild Buckwheat, Western Pearly Everlasting, Indian Paintbrush and Monkshood were in bloom. 

Parked at the Upper Loop Road trailhead - there is no Parking symbol for this area on the most current Mount Spokane trail map, but there is indeed a dirt parking lot just in front of the Upper Loop trailhead. As you approach the trailhead signs, you will take the wide path on your left, blocked off to vehicles with a metal gate - Mt Kit Carson Loop Road. The loop seems to be popular with cyclists too.

You will pass the CCC cabin turnoff on your left (as well as a vault toilet) and eventually arrive at Summit Junction, where I began Trail 160 by following the sign for Mt Kit Carson. Wildflowers are blooming as well as what seem to be many clusters of rowan berries.

The trail is marked with blue blazes although it's pretty difficult to get off trail on accident. Manageable light rain. The day was very foggy, which blocked the views at the summit, but it was a pleasant day regardless. I wasn't in the mood to stop quite yet and extended my walk a bit by taking the other side of Trail 160, then heading south again on Trail 130 before joining back up with 160. Stopped at the CCC cabin to have lunch and sign the visitor's log. Mileage <4mi. 

We were visiting the area and wanted a hike that might be above the haze (presumably fire smoke from Alberta, Canada).  The sunrise is earlier, by almost 30 minutes, in the NE corner of the state compared to the SW corner so we did not get a "sunrise" start.  We started hiking around 6:35am and headed up trail 130 toward the top of Mt Spokane.  We made it to the campground (did a little road walk to skip a snowy section of trail) before jumping back on the trail (upper Kit Carson).  It was not snow-free for long but at least it was somewhat intermittent.

We kept our feet dry and only broke thru the snow or slipped a couple of times.  We made it to the Vista House under sunny skies and nice temperatures.  Unfortunately, flies were a nuisance (and were biting).  You could not stand still for long before they'd find you.  Views were hazy in all directions so views to Canada and back down toward Liberty Lake were not to be had. We could see a hazy Spirit Lake to the East.  It seemed we had the whole park to ourselves.  The road is still partly snow-covered so it is still closed. We chose to walk back to the campground via the road to avoid the snowy trail. We did have to cross snow on the road, but it easily traveled.  As we headed down, three mountain bikers were heading up (and would be hitting snow soon).  We regained the trail after the campground and made it back to our vehicle where there was just one other vehicle - the mountain bikers' truck).  There were many more cars at a couple of the lower elevation trailheads. 

Flowers- there were a few varieties but by far the most prevalent were the yellow glacier lilies.  

Trash- lots of handwarmers on the trail and a few on the road, we can only assume they fell out of the pockets of snowshoers?  We picked up some interesting trash shortly after jumping on the Upper Kit Carson trail, including 3 cans of pineapple juice and a bottle of fireball and of course a gummy bear wrapper.  I say "interesting" because it does NOT sound like a tasty combo! Ha!