Saturday, September 22, 2012

Iron Mountain 21 Sept 2012

Garnet and I went on our first  hike together since we were kids.  We headed out to Iron Mountain on a very overcast, even drizzly day.  By the time we rounded the bend to the back side of the Cascades, the sun was breaking free of the clouds.  We hiked above the clouds the entire hike and so were able to see all the mountains, except Hood, in the distance.  The smoke from various fires and the moisture from the clouds made it a little hazy though.  This has been a hot dry summer and the vegetation was fried in the woods and meadows until we were heading long the shaded northern sections.  Even huckleberry bushes passed from green to toasty brown without turning red, except for some damper, cooler locations.  I don't think Iron Mtn will put on the usual show of fall color this year.  But it was a nice, solitary day, just the same.

Coming up on the meadow, Cone Peak on left, South Peak on right.

Garnet



my favorite woods


The view as you come out of the woods looking southwest


She made it!

The thumb of Iron Mtn, Mt Washington and the three Sisters in the way distance.

looking south east


This is all this cone flower does!

aster

Salmonberry?


Woods on Wagon Road section


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