After canceling the rest of our North Cascades trip because of the cloudy weather, Greg and I hung around Portland waiting for the weather to improve, then headed up to Elk Cove for a quick one-nighter before the dreaded Monday return to work. Glad we did, since the wildflowers were AWESOME!
On the drive up, just pass Lolo Pass we got stuck behind a slowpoke Lexus that was moseying along at about 15 MPH. It refused to pull over to let us pass, even though they clearly weren't sure where they were going. We finally got past them where Road 16 goes straight (which they started to do) and you have to make a hairpin turn onto Road 1650.
There were 15 cars at the teeny tiny trailhead when we got there, and five more (including the Lexus) pulled in before we hit the trail. That parking lot is WAY too small.
The burn area has lots of fireweed in bloom right now.
Less than a mile from the wilderness registration box, shortly after a switchback, is a stretch of trail where the huckleberry bushes managed to escape the flames. They were absolutely LOADED with berries! Nom, nom.
Once we hit the Timberline Trail the wildflower show began in earnest.
We even saw some lingering glacier lilies. We speculated that there must have been snow lingering there later into the summer than the other areas.
The flowers at Elk Cove weren't too shabby either.
The campsites are along the Elk Cove Trail, so after crossing the creek we turned down there and started looking. We only saw two sites and one was taken, so we took the other. We later discovered that it was literally a toilet, with tp bits scattered under the trees near our site. We even found unburied poop out in the open. Ick. The flies and mosquitoes were much worse at the campsite than by the creek.
It was a hot day so we went and sat by the creek for awhile, took our boots off, and cooled down. That water was COLD!
Greg wanted to see Cairn Basin and a lovely stretch of creek just beyond there and above the Timberline Trail. So we headed back that way, moving faster now without our heavy packs. Views to the north were hazy. No Washington volcanos visible. I wasn't aware of a fire in the area, but we did repeatedly hear and see a helicopter in the Owl Point vicinity with a water bucket beneath it.
There's that nice sloping meadow of lupine at the Vista Ridge / Timberline junction. Beautiful!
More flower displays as we hiked west.
At the top of the descent down to Ladd Creek I declared hunger and decided to head back. Greg decided he wanted to head back too. The light on Mt. Hood was looking pretty nice as descended into Elk Cove.
I took more shots of that fabulous creek. This is, by far, the most enchanting stretch of creek I have ever come across in all my hiking travels. I adore it.
We were too tired to stay up and wait for the stars to come out, so we went to bed before it was dark. When I got up for a bathroom break at 4am I saw that Mt. Hood was illuminated by the quarter moon. NICE!
In the morning we took our time with breakfast and packing up, lingering and enjoying the quiet before the hoards of day hikers arrived.
On the hike out, just above Elk Cove, a hummingbird flew into my shot! You can make it out below the row of paintbrush on the left. Neato!
It was still hazy, but we could just make out Mt. Adams.
On the way back down the Vista Ridge Trail we took 15 minutes to gorge ourselves on huckleberries. There were SO MANY. I have never seen such such a huge, healthy, abundant crop before. I wonder if it's because they're getting more light because of the trees that burned? Anyone know?
Elk Cove has a tie with Paradise Park for being my favorite spot in the Mt. Hood Wilderness. Glad we got up there at the right time for some sunshine and wildflowers. Such a beautiful area up there.
Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
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Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
avalanche lilies.justpeachy wrote:We even saw some lingeringglacier lilies.
Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
Wow..thanx! After seeing Paradise Park I figured the flowers would be pretty much done on the north side too. I guess I know where I'll be heading Monday or Tuesday... I'd go tomorrow but Saturday crowds and all .. It doesn't look like a couple more days should matter too much..
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Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
Lovely photos and report, Cheryl -- especially Cove Creek (and I agree, it's quite idyllic). Hope to get up there soon -- thankfully, the flowers are quite late this year, for some reason (and the flies, too, of course...)
Your theory on the huckleberries is spot on. The USFS is proposing to thin the forest on the west side of Vista Ridge in the vicinity of the TH for that very purpose -- to create a huckleberry harvest area for Native Americans. Similar thinning projects have been done in the area of Veda Lake. The conservation community is generally opposing the Vista Ridge project, though, because so much of the forest in the area has been burned recently, and because the thinning has resulted in blowdowns of nearby trees on other projects, apparently.
Thanks for posting!
Tom
Your theory on the huckleberries is spot on. The USFS is proposing to thin the forest on the west side of Vista Ridge in the vicinity of the TH for that very purpose -- to create a huckleberry harvest area for Native Americans. Similar thinning projects have been done in the area of Veda Lake. The conservation community is generally opposing the Vista Ridge project, though, because so much of the forest in the area has been burned recently, and because the thinning has resulted in blowdowns of nearby trees on other projects, apparently.
Thanks for posting!
Tom
Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
Wow have those flowers come on in the last two weeks! Looks lovely up there. Wonderful photos.
I've heard the native americans used to regularly burn the forests to increase the huckleberry yields.
I've heard the native americans used to regularly burn the forests to increase the huckleberry yields.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
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Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
I just saw on Oregon Field Guide's facebook page that they were up in this area on Tuesday shooting a story. I wonder what the subject is?
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Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
What a beautiful sight. Perhaps next year I can put this on my to do list. Thank you for the great trip report.
Pooh on the poop though.
Pooh on the poop though.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
Beautiful! I've never been up there, but looks like I need to put it on my list.
"Going to the mountains is going home."
— John Muir
— John Muir
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Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
Great pics! And hear I thought the flowers were fading after so many weeks...
How were the bugs overall? I know you mention them camping but otherwise?
Also, I'm assuming the huckleberries do better with a little more light, but think also of all of the nutrients released from the fire!
Again, amazing pics!
How were the bugs overall? I know you mention them camping but otherwise?
Also, I'm assuming the huckleberries do better with a little more light, but think also of all of the nutrients released from the fire!
Again, amazing pics!
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Re: Elk Cove Flower Bonanza - Aug 16-17, 2014
Great trip report! Makes me want to head up there on Monday. What are the roads like? We tried to find this trailhead last year and got lost.