August 23: On the mountain

We took the chairlift most of the way up Sugarloaf Mountain today, then hiked the rest of the way to the summit on ski trails blanketed with stones, bunchberries, crowberries, cranberries, and flowering alpine cinquefoil. Just below the summit we were surprised to see a Whimbrel, a largish shorebird, fly past us. 

At the summit, out of breath,

sustained by berries

and flights of birds.