Saturday, August 5, 2017

Goat Rocks Day 2- Finally reaching the Knife's Edge!

I woke up early to this view outside my tent. Today we were doing an out and back dayhike from Cispus Basin, through Snowgrass Flats, and up to the Knife's Edge. We ended us covering about 11.5 miles.
Filtering water in the early morning and enjoying the basin.
Wildflower wonder!
I hear the common name for these is "Mouse on a Stick"
Sun peaking up into the basin.
Good morning Cispus Basin!
We headed up the trail into popular Snowgrass Flats. This is the biggest cairn I have ever see that people add rocks to as they get to this point.
I had been wowed by wildflowers this whole trip but now I was really amazed at the Wildflower meadow. Whatever I may have missed at Dog Mountain earlier this spring this MORE than made up for it!
Mt. Rainier? with SO MANY wildflowers!!!
Snowgrass Flats.
We continued to climb above Snowgrass Flats and crossed a few snowfields but did not need microspikes.
The view from partway up!
Old Snowy Mountain- not too safe for a scramble summit today but we climbed right beside it.
I made it to the highest point on the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington 7200 feet!
Here I am at the start of the Knife's Edge section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Old Snowy Mountain stood guard!
You can see the knife's edge right along the top of the peaks.
We decided to hike some along the knife's edge and got about halfway, then decided to turn around due to time and distance. We met several thru hikers. It was much more up and down than I expected which is partially why it can be scary due to all the loose rock and exposure.
Taking a much needed break!
My hiking companions headed up the knife's edge.
Mt. Rainier in the distance. We climbed back to 7200 feet a second time. It really was uphill both ways ;-)
Back at Snowgrass Flats I was again wowed by the wildflower meadow.
The diversity and number of flowers was stunning.
On the way back to camp I took a very cold shower.
Sunset in our Cispus Basin Home. Very sore and tired but amazed at what this section of trail had to offer today.

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