Jefferson Ridge

Lower Lena Lake Zoo, I don't go there in the summer

I don't like to hike on the weekends as we get close to summer and the crowds come out.  But I managed to find solitude on Jefferson Ridge.  It's been a really tough week.  This week my oldest child flew the coop in a very unpleasant way.

Anyway the road up is rough with big rocks. I'm glad I took my Jeep.  The roads are not what I remember either.  But with my GPS I found the trailhead quickly.  Problem was I had no water and everything looked so dry.  I made a .6 mile each way side trip down the Elk Lake trail to get water for my hike up Jefferson Ridge.  I heard shots being fired and had no way to know if they were being fired safely.

After fetching water I drove up to a blue ribbon that marks the start of the trail.  The actual trail register is even further up the road.  One can drive up higher than the register and nearly attain the ridge by car, but what fun is that?  I would like to find the trail where it joins the elk lake trail, I'm pretty sure they join up.

I hiked up slowly since it was hot and I was not in a race.  When I reached the top I was surprised to find that an old look out tower once stood here.  WHAT A MESS.  There was broken melted glass everywhere and all kinds of metal and wood left over from the lookout.  I had no idea the place was such a mess.  The only other time I went up there it was before the snow had begun to melt and the deep snow hid all the junk.

There are good views on both sides of the ridge, this is a fun hike and it is steep too, so it's a good place to get a work out away from the crowds on Mount Rose.  I've given up on Mount Rose, maybe I've blogged about it too much or maybe it's a result of Elinor being closed last summer, I don't know.  But Mount Rose is no longer a place of solitude.  People are on Mount Rose everyday of the year now.

I had tea on the ridge but added snow to it so I could have iced tea.  It was very warm today, the last bits of snow were very welcome.  Patches and I both utilized the snow to cool off.


5.2 miles with 2,500 feet elevation gain including my foray for water.




Amanita with lots of spores on the ground

Bear Grass

Clay Pigeon on the lower trail

Strange deep scary hole on the ridge

View looking towards Seattle telephone poles on the ridge

North Face of Mount Washington

This section of the trail does not get much use

All along the ridge living trees had been topped and used as
 power poles for the lookout at least that's my theory.

South Brother

Trail crosses the road for the last time here
One could drive up to this point

Slime mold

Forested ridge

deforested ridge

Our state flower

Patches finds a patch of snow to cool off in

Part of the old lookout

Oven from the old lookout

Time for some iced tea

The trail is brushed out now

Junk on summit

Junk on summit

Junk on summit

Junk on summit