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Summit Lake trail, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF, WA
July 2013


Synopsis
Not surprisingly this fairly easy trail was a busy one with many backpackers, families, dogs, and day hikers. Still it leads through some beautiful old growth forest and mountain meadows with awe-inspiring views of Summit Lake and Mount Rainier. The avalanche lilies in July were spectacular with meadows after meadows richly dense with their blooms. The numbers almost cheapened their beauty. Adding to the wildflower extravaganza are the paintbrush, beargrass, and shooting stars that dot the meadows, bogs and mountainsides.

Despite the busy crowds and screaming kids, we saw a teenage black bear lumber across the trail ahead of us. Perhaps fleeing or just passing through the usual boisterous of the weekend crowd. Birds were few and far between. Hermit and Varied Thrushes still sang their melodies in the morning and Golden-crowned Kinglets chirped and seeped in the mossy covered pines. An unfamiliar alarm call alerted me to the presence of a Barred Owl that didn't look too concerned about the Varied Thrush as it made a few contact flutters on its back.

If you're not too concerned about sharing the trail, but are more interested in flowers, views, and old growth or if you want to take the dog and/or kids on a mountain trail, this is the perfect match. If you're hoping for solitude, look elsewhere.

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Pictures (click on thumbnail)
















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Bird List
Osprey 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Barred Owl 1, being mobbed by Varied Thrush
Black Swift 3
Rufous Hummingbird 1
Common Raven 1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
Pacific Wren 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 4
Varied Thrush 6
Dark-eyed Junco 10
Red Crossbill 2
Pine Siskin 5
Critters:
Black Bear 1 young "teenager"
Butterflies:
Satyr anglewing
Anise swallowtail
Fritillary sp.
Flowers in bloom:
Beargrass
Lupine
Western coralroot
Foamflower
Rein Orchid
Northwestern twayblade
Blueberry
Pink mountain heather
Bunchberry
Five-leaved bramble
Dwarf bramble
Mountain bistort
Cusick's speedwell
Alpine mitrewort
Round leaved yellow violet
Spotted saxifrage
Common harebell
Foamflower
Star-flowered solomon seal
Heartleaf arnica
Hooker's fairybell
Avalanche lily
Henderson's shooting star
Mexican hedge nettle
Brewer's cinquefoil
Towering louswort
Small-flowered paintbrush
Showy Jacob's ladder
Spreading stonecrop
Littleleaf montia
Davidson's penstemon
Rusty saxifrage
Partridgefoot
Tiger lily
Cascade penstemon
Spreading phlox
White heather
White rhododendron
Sitka valerian
Mountain ash
Vanilla leaf
False bugbane
Queen's cup
Rosy twiststalk
White marshmarigold

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Information
Located: Outside of the Carbon River entrance of Mount Rainier NP, SE of Buckley
Interagency Pass or Northwest Forest Pass required

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Email: Birder AT NWBirding.com
page updated: 7/25/13