I made a last minute decision this morning to head up to Black Crater. Recent trip reports made me confident that I could throw on my standard day pack and not worry about snow, and they were right. Other than a few small patches near the top it's mostly clear.

The butterflies are out in force and the wildflowers are coming out. I'm happy to see some green emerging after hiking this peak last year right after the reopening post-Milli fire. There is still a lot of eerie burned areas that feel like walking on the moon, but it is definitely recovering.

Be aware that they are working on the road just east of the trailhead (about 1.5 miles) and I had to wait about 20 minutes both on the drive up and the drive down for the all clear to pass through. Something to consider if you're on a tight schedule.