A fun hour hike takes you up to the top of the ski lift and back down. It takes a half hour up at a steady pace and the same time down if you want to be nice to your knees. The trail was dry before this week's new rain, with the only mud at the very top. I wore my Keen Uneek sandals which performed wonderfully. Super lightweight, vented, and yet with a great sole for climbing. I only got one rock in them on the way down, but the partial open back let me get rid of it while on the move. So nice! The last of the magenta shooting stars were on display, as were many other yellow and white wildflowers. There were also bugs in the woddier areas, so bring bug spray or apply beforehand. Also sunscreen as it gets warm up there even if overcast, this is evidenced by all the tree trunks and rocks white-washed by the sun near the top. If you love to be prepared then dress in layers, if you're more of a minimalist wear only your smallest layer. I was supremely comfortable with shorts, sandals and a tank top, it was overcast, and probably in the mid-high 50's. Your temperature will rise as quickly as the terrain. I saw many different forms of bear deterrent being carried by fellow hikers, from long rifles and handguns to screaming children and personal-speakers blaring Creedence. After performing your own risk assessment (time of year/day/weather/amount of people/etc.) you can decide what you're most comfortable with. I carried a handful of keys, a steel water bottle, and a positive attitude. Had my risk assessment for the day been higher I would have upped my deterrent accordingly.

While most people head upwards from the ski hill parking lot, a more relaxing option is to explore the meadows to the left of the ski lift. While vestiges of an old trail system are visible, it has not been maintained, and has mostly become absorbed into the marshy ground cover. The walking is wet, and you will either want waterproof boots, or if it's a nice day and you aren't squeamish, sandals. I watched a handful of ducks paddling around on one of the small ponds, and minnows swimming around a half-submerged plastic bucket in another. A somewhat tame robin darted to and fro, grabbing worms and making more than a half-hearted attempt to grab a monarch butterfly. Luckily for the butterfly it was the more agile of the two and flew off into the sunny evening, leaving the robin to its terrestrial pursuits.