Day Hike - Whiskey Dick Mountain

We started from the Recreation Drive entrance on the east side of the wildlife area (https://maps.app.goo.gl/bnvqYxqViiTtM5XX9 ). There is a small parking lot big enough for 4 cars, but there is room along the side of the road for a few more. There is no vault toilet at the trailhead, but there are some a half mile down the road at the river park (Rocky Coulee Recreation Area). 

Our group was eight Mountaineers, including a dog. We did a lollipop loop hike. We started west on the trail parallel to the creek bed. This must have been a former road given how wide the trail was. We traveled 1.6 miles on trail until we reached the square concrete structure, and then headed off trail up into the hills. Up until then, the flowers were pretty sparse, but once we got up to ~1400 ft we started to see more starting with sagebrush false-dandelion and Hooker's balsamroot. Arrowleaf balsamroot, which were plentiful here last year, were hard to find. Once we got up to ~1800 ft there were plentiful small flowers like desert yellow fleabane, thymeleaf buckwheat, and narrowleaf goldenweed. They were pretty steady for the rest of our trip until we dropped back down to lower elevations. We reached a peak elevation of ~2200 ft. Showy phlox and longleaf phlox were common. The weather has not been hot the past two weeks (high in 50s and 60s), but many of these flowers are already starting to fade. A highlight were the blooming columbia plateau cactuses that we occasionally encountered in clusters. Their blooms were just starting to open so should be good for the next couple of weeks. We continued off-trail west-northwest until reaching Pumphouse Road (double track dirt road) which we followed northwest until it intersected with Whiskey Dick Ridge Road (double track dirt road). (These roads open to all-terrain vehicles starting in May, I think). This was our half-way point. We looped back on the other side of the large ravine until we reached the point where we initially went off trail. I wish we had stayed at higher elevation longer because the flowers were definitely more plentiful there, but the scenery was still wonderful. We found pockets of arrowleaf balsamroot and rock lupine in the ravines, so that was nice. The lupine is just getting started and will probably be at peak in another week or so. 

One person was feeling nauseous and had clammy skin after our first big climb (In hindsight, it would have been better to choose a less-steep route). Our first aid lead checked her out and felt that she had a weak pulse.  She laid down had some food and water, and felt much better and was ready to continue. We felt that given we were only 2 miles, 700 ft into a 10.5 mile, 1500 ft hike, she may want to reconsider. So after much discussion, she and her friend and carpool partner decided to turn back. We all still had cell reception ad the time and since there were no trees, we were in eyesight for a long time. They were asked to send a text message when returning to their car so that we know they made it safely (which they did). 

This was my first hike as a leader or participant that also had a dog. He was great, dealt well with the on- and off-trail conditions, got a little tired (as we all did), and we all got along well. He stayed on-leash at all times. This was a good area for dogs with its wide trails and wide open spaces.

We used the iNaturalist Seek app for flower identifications, so all credit and thanks to them for the flower naming. 

We started at 9am, traveled 10.4 miles, and returned at 3:45pm. Not bad considering how often we stopped to smell the flowers. Did not see anyone else all day, though there was one other car in the parking lot when we returned.

Beautiful weather. Mostly sunny. Car thermometer was 67 degrees when we got back. Windy enough to keep us from getting hot, and not too windy to be an annoyance.