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Bunchgrass Ridge Loop, 7 July, 2024
Fifteen hikers enjoyed a moderate hike on an off-the-beaten-path route that made a loop up the Bunchgrass Creek drainage and back down an open ridge above it with amazing views. The varied terrain and vegetation, near ideal temperatures, and cooling breeze made for a great day.
We started off at 9:00 from the gravel pit off the Tony Grove road, on an unmarked trail that traversed numerous downed logs and wound through tall vegetation. An open slope followed, then a forested area where the trail dropped down into the Bunchgrass Creek drainage. After passing a small pond with only a little water that will probably dry up in a couple of weeks, we went through a riparian area where we had to hop over a couple of small streams. In a few sheltered places there were still remnants of snow.
The route then intersected the old White Pine Lake trail, which basically paralleled the regular White Pine Lake trail for a short distance before joining it where it crosses Bunchgrass Creek. This main trail sees a lot of use on summer weekends and seemed like a superhighway of other hikers compared to the rest of the route.
We soon took off on an unmarked trail to the northeast, which we stayed on for only a short way before we took off from that and walked southeast up a gradual slope through open forest. There was no trail for this part but the walking was fairly easy, and it was an improvement over the side slope we walked when we did this hike last year.
Soon the trees mostly gave way to an open slope with great views of the surrounding country, including Naomi Peak, Mt. Magog, and Mt. Gog. Most of the trees were impressive limber pines, and an old, very large limber pine log provided several of us with a place to sit for lunch.
Then we continued down the ridge, with nonstop views and quite a few flowers. We had to watch our footing a bit going over the rocky ground, but the angle of descent was gentle. At the lower end of the ridge a trail led us back to the trail we had come up in the Bunchgrass drainage, thus completing the “lollipop” part of the hike. The rest of the way back was straightforward, and we reached our cars around 1:30.
Trip Summary:
- Fifteen hikers: Ralph, Alan, Derek, Jane P., Joan, Jane E., Dave W., Dave P., Kathy, Brent, Teresa, Kamren, Susan, Deanna, and Laurel (the leader).
- Carpooled 26 miles and parked at the Tony Grove gravel pit.
- Hiked the “lollipop” route up the Bunchgrass Creek drainage to the White Pine Lake trail, then turned off-trail and followed a long, gently sloping ridge back to the trail in the Bunchgrass drainage.
- Started hiking at 9:00, lunch on the ridge ~11:30-12:00, back to the cars by 1:30, and back to Logan a bit before 2:30.
- Temperature around 54°F to start, in the low 70s at the end. Sunny with a nice breeze.
- Hiked about 6 ¼ miles with about 1400 feet of elevation gain.
Thanks
to Laurel for the narrative and photos, Dave P for
photos, and Ralph and Dave W for photos and GPS data.
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| Cache Hikers, near the start of the day | |||
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| Hiking up the Bunchgrass drainage |
The pond was almost dry |
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| We followed an old trail north through the upper Bunchgrass area | |||
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| A leisurely lunch on the ridge, with Mount Magog and Mount Gog in the background | |||
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| Looking west
from our lunch area toward Naomi Peak and Mount
Magog |
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| A couple of
hikers chose an easterly view toward Logan Canyon
during lunch |
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| Hiking down
the Bunchgrass ridge |
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| Evidence of past logging |
Snowmobiles are not allowed here |
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| Hairy clematis |
Blue flax |
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| Horsemint |
Larkspur |
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| Glacier lilies |
Paintbrush |
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| Elephanthead | American bistort |
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| Two species of
Penstemon |
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| Potentilla |
Sedum |
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| Yarrow |
Rose |
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| Rose-Laurel |
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Our GPS track shows about 6.2 miles
and 1400 feet of ascent.
You can look at our route using Google Earth
or download our GPS file.
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