Kendall Peak

Kendall Peak was the destination for last week's 50 Peaks outing. A mild approach on the Pacific Crest Trail ended in a scramble to this 5780' peak. Kendall is the lowest peak sampled for this project so far and had signs of frequent foot traffic from the nearby popularity of Kendall Katwalk. Despite this, we found some alpine plant favorites, like Smelowskia ovalis and Lewisia columbiana. There were also many subalpine plants above the continuous treeline, including Spirea lucida and Ribes acerifolium. After sampling Kendall, the team ventured to the nearby Kendall Katwalk Peak; but, after a short scramble we discovered there was not enough area to sample above the treeline. Overall, this trip was a lot of fun and we felt rewarded to have sampled this popularly-hiked yet infrequently collected area!

Spirea lucida

Lewisia columbiana

The view from the summit, looking towards Snoqualmie Pass and Mt. Rainier.