The upper meadow at Marmot Pass is one of my favorite locations in the Olympics having hiked there a few times. The WTA reports suggested the wildflowers were in bloom – perfect!

A good sign for the day ahead, Seattle and the Cascades in beautiful morning light.

Trail

The trail is in great condition with only a few wet / muddy spots. The WTA had a crew on the trail as I hiked (thank you!). It’s a steep trail throughout most of the hike to the pass covering forest, exposed rocky areas, and a few beautiful meadows.

The trail starts steeply through the forest along the Big Quilcene River with many small waterfalls feeding the rushing waters. It was a hot day and the forest cover provided a lot of relief from the sun.

The trail leads up steeply from the trailhead

Once you hit the scree field the sun really starts to shine but so do the flowers! I spent a lot of time along the trail here and the meadow immediately after taking photos.

Last time I went to the summit of Buckhorn Mountain but the weather was much warmer and I had spent a lot more time shooting photos so I opted to leave the pass and head back.

Along the walk back to the trailhead I marvelled at the massive trees. One tree was almost entirely hollow but somehow managed to be alive with a full crown.