We had great conditions for this beautiful hike - clear skies, nice temperature, a slight breeze, plentiful flowers and extensive mountain views.

We took an long snack break in the meadow by the Cox Trail junction and enjoyed the wide variety of flowers in that small area, then took our time walking along the ridge, identifying and photographing more flowers and enjoying the mountain vista.

Snack break in meadow

There was a wide variety of both spring and early summer flowers, ranging from Crocuses and Shooting Stars to Townsendia, Mountain Avens and Roseroot. Generally the flowers seem a couple of weeks later than other years. It was great having our resident botanist, Bill, on the hike to patiently identify the flowers whose names escaped many of us. New ones for me included Fairy Candelabra, Smelowskia (Silver Rockcress) and Calder's Suncress. In addition to many regular blue forgetmenots, there were also pink and white ones.

Fairy Candelabra

Smelowskia (Silver Rockcress)

Calder's Suncress

Blue Forgetmenots

Pink Forgetmenots

White Forgetmenots

We met Madeleine's group as they explored the ridge after they had had their first lunch on the summit, then proceeded to the summit ourselves. We lazed in the sunshine at the top and enjoyed the views, then returned along the ridge and back down to the cars.

Lunch with a view

Clear views from summit

Summit group

Thanks to Bill,Peter,Aldis, Clifton, Anne, Carolyn and Christine for enthusiastically participating in this hike, from Barb. Special thanks to Bill and Carolyn for photos.