The condition were perfect today for Stein Butte; blue sky, cool air, dry trail. Other than poison oak flanking the trail the first mile+ there were no obstacles or other hikers.
The wildflowers were varied and interesting although not in big showy amounts, except for the little magenta colored Kellogg’s Moneyflower and a collection of lupin bushes artistically growing in a rock out cropping. There were two distinctly different looking ground cones, two different but similar pink phlox and a coral root type plant we didn’t recognize.
Nashville warblers, Hermit warblers and black-headed grosbeak were singing throughout the hike. We flushed a grouse both heading up the trail and then near the same spot on the return.
During our leisurely, hour plus lunch Maria asked if we’d ever make this hike into a loop by going back on the New London Trail. She’s been told it is nice in the fall in the Autumn colors. It would require the final couple miles on the gravel road, or maybe we could make it a shuttle. ???Something to consider this fall!
On the return we encountered two polite motorcycle riders. They were members of the club (Motorcycle Riders Association) that do maintenance on the trail.
According to my AllTrails we hiked 9 miles with 2,480’ elevation gain in 4h22m plus 1.5h non-moving.
Leslie