After some unseasonably chilly conditions last weekend, we're ready for a return to sunshine that's gonna last all weekend long!

With some considerate clouds keeping temperatures on the chillier side, I decided it was a perfect day to run to the summit of Wenatchee Mountain, or Microwave as most of us probably know it.

Blues and purples are dominating the color wheel this week on the Lake Clara Trail, as the wildflower bloom continues to put on a show.

As we enter June, the mountain forest is alive with birdsong and the welcoming aroma of fresh plant life. Wandering up the Lake Clara Trail for the first time in a couple weeks, I was impressed by the new growth on the lower trails

Gazing up at over 2000 feet of vertical gain, the lush green shades of new life brighten the lower mountain, while far above Windy Ridge and Microwave are clinging resolutely to the fading vestige of winter.

I was curious to see whether spring had yet sprung on this 3-mile-roundtrip trail that winds through the forests beneath Mission Peak to its namesake lake, and by the end of the hike my conclusion was: sort of.