We started the Lower Loop Trail at 9:35am, and it took us just under 3 hours to summit Mt. Ellinor at 5,951 ft.
There were two patches of snow on the trail that require careful footing. The good news – no crampons or microspikes required. I checked a week ago and that was not the case then.
It was a foggy climb all the way to the summit. Thankfully, there were chipmunks and a family of goats (and baby goats!) that kept us entertained for almost an hour while we took a long break and watched the cloud cover wander over the mountaintops.
Even without a view, there was wildlife, wildflowers and a greater sense of wild with the foreboding wind, fog, clouds and snow.
Of all Mt. Ellinor has to offer, I love that it has the wild many of us seek.
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