It was a wonderful day to go to Grassy Knoll and beyond to Grassy Pass. The road had it's usual pot holes but with careful pothole avoidance it wasn't too bad. Just be careful not to miss them in the dappled shadows. they seem to come in clusters. We saw quite a bit of bear poop on the road and again along the trail on Grassy Pass. Where we stopped for lunch there was a fresh still moist deposit. We didn't see any bear, not that we were hoping for an encounter, but it would have been nice to see some in a ravine or along the road.
No bears, but the Bear Grass was incredible along the trail to Grassy Knoll. This trail is in one the plant's 5-7 year bloom cycle. There were other flowers as well but most were well past their prime and we missed the time when the area is in full bloom. There were wild onions (their fragrance floated on the humid air), penstemon, larkspur, paintbrush and more.
Here's a few shots of the bear grass that I caught with my point and shoot.
Mt. Adams in the background.
Finally a little bit of Balsamroot.
