Shrine Mountain Trail

Wanted to get out for a wildflower hike this weekend while they're still at their peak, and managed to convince Taryn to come along.  She then convinced me that Ginny should come along.  That combination made Shrine Mountain Trail at just 4.2 miles roundtrip and less than 700 feet of elevation gain an excellent choice.

If someone had told me that the opening number from The Sound of Music had been shot here, I might have believed it.  Broad alpine meadows with sweeping views of the mountains.

Taryn liked trying out tree stumps for their suitability as "thrones."  This one also seemed to pass the "bed" test.

The bright overcast conditions were perfect for shooting flowers.  And since that's what I'd mainly come for, I was happy to oblige.

The number and variety of blooming wildflowers were easily in the same category as the Lake Isabelle and Shelf Lake hikes I did last summer.

Closing in on the summit some interesting rock formations added some different texture to the scenery.

Some spots seemed more like manicured gardens than open wilderness.

The clouds looked slightly ominous for most of the hike.  And we did hear what sounded like rumbling thunder right as we began our descent.  But conditions never deteriorated to the point where it was too concerning, and it never actually rained.

I always love seeing the USGS summit stamp as validation that I've accomplished something significant.

We got some great unsolicited advice from another to push past the summit a bit to a striking overlook, which was a great call.

Starting so high makes this hike a terrific option for folks who'd like a summit view and to break a slight sweat but might struggle with a lot of elevation gain.

I think Ginny enjoyed the trip most of all.  It's great that she can go off leash and experience the hike the way she wants to, while we can have confidence that she'll come when called.

I've been on hikes where seeing a single paintbrush is cause to get excited and bust out the camera.  This hike thinks those hikes are cute.

Passing a small pond on the way back we saw this Golden Retriever taking full advantage.

After a very slow ascent we really hauled on the way back down and got back to the car in about three hours and 15 minutes.  I had two tired-but-happy girls with me, and yet another place in this terrific state that I was glad I'd gotten the chance to visit.