Wonderland Trail 2 Loop Finisher

Click here for the regular blog post on the three segments making up my 2018 hike of the Wonderland.

Without repeating myself in this 2018 hike section, I’ll synopsize these two days; an incredible weather window that just couldn’t be passed up. In order to avoid involving anyone else for logistics, I decided to finish the trail by positioning myself via bike and looping back twice. I started at Longmire for the short day on Sunday, October 21st. This allowed me to hike the Wonderland from Box Canyon to Longmire. On day two I drove to Box Canyon, retrieved my steed from the forest, and biked to the north side of the park at the Fryingpan Creek trail head, which is just a few miles before White River. This allowed me to hike from Fryingpan Creek to Box Canyon, taking me past Summerland, over Panhandle Gap and the Cowlitz Divide via Indian Bar, then regaining my vehicle. Then it was just a matter of driving around to pick up my bike.

Details are in the blog post above, but this proved to be superbly enjoyable. Aside from easy access areas like Reflection Lakes and Summerland, I had the trail to myself. The latest I had done the Wonderland in the past was October 1-3 in the 90’s, also taking advantage of superb weather. As this week wears on the forecast calls for snow levels to drop to 4500 feet, so winter is afoot. It was a sublime experience to cover this section of the trail this late in the season without contending with snow (there were a few icy spots before Panhandle Gap from previous snowfall that had not melted out).

I’m putting this year’s Wonderland as my #31, unique in both the execution and timing for the three segments. There’s always something new to experience on this excursion, no matter how many times I’ve set foot to the trail over the years. Reference the map above for loop particulars, the total stats were 79 miles with 13,300’ of elevation gain/loss.

A full photo gallery of the Wonderland hikes can be seen here. Cheers!

Alpenglow on Point 5920: Wonderland Trail above Indian Bar

Silver Forest/Tipsoo Lake/Silver Falls/Crystal Lake

SILVER FOREST TRAIL This was the finisher hike. I drove to 4 different locations to hike the last trails on my list to cover the entire park. I started before sunrise at Sunrise to tread the Silver Forest trail, a short (.8 miles) trail section that just sort of peters out. Speculation from someone who has been here his entire life has the trail previously going all the way to Sunrise Point. Nonetheless, it provided excellent views to the mountain where I set up my tripod and recorded a time lapse of the pinkness working its way down from the summit. Winter is quickly upon us, with my feet crunching on previous snow and temps below freezing at 6400 feet. But this day dawned crystal clear, and with the impending road closure in just a few days, it was the time to tick this one off.

A frosty Tipsoo Lake in early morning, Chinook Pass

TIPSOO LAKE TRAILS After driving to Chinook Pass, I wandered around the trails inside the park boundary that encompass Tipsoo Lake, including the short section of the Naches Loop trail. I had been here in the early 80’s when the lake was snow covered in July, and enjoyed the frosty surroundings and continuing sunrise above the nearby peaks. The lack of summer crowds made it especially enjoyable.

Silver Falls

SILVER FALLS LOOP TRAIL From Chinook Pass I drove to Ohanapecosh campground (now closed), parking at the maintenance area and walking through the camp to the start of the Silver Falls Loop trail at the visitor center. By now the temps were warming and this loop travels through wonderful old growth, accented by the yellow and gold understory. Once hitting the falls, the loop continues on the other side of the river in quiet, mossy and fragrant forest accented by golden rays of light spotlighting the greens and yellows. The loop is just short of 3 miles and provided one of the most peaceful and pleasant forest strolls I have had this year. Simply wonderful.

Upper Crystal Lake from the PCT connector trail

CRYSTAL LAKES CONNECTOR TO PCT I had visited Crystal Peak and Lakes in June during inclement weather; upper Crystal Lake was somewhat snow covered and frozen. When I was perusing one of my maps a few weeks ago, I noticed a 1 mile connector trail from the upper lake to Sourdough Gap and the PCT (park boundary). On my drive back I stopped for this final trail section, now warm enough to be in one layer. This is a very pleasant trail with good grade and involves a 3000 foot climb. There were a couple of hummocks overlooking Upper Crystal Lake that made for perfect lounging in afternoon sunshine. A beautiful day to cap off the project indeed!

Todays stats: 17 miles/3400’ elevation

TOTAL STATS FOR THE ALL TRAILS PROJECT: 539 miles/111,000’ elevation

Silver Forest trail early morning

Beautiful fall skies near the park border with the PCT

Eagle Peak Trail/Mildred Point/Van Trump Park

I took advantage of the leading edge of an incoming high pressure system to get these two hikes in. The Eagle Peak trail is the bookend to the Pinnacle Peak trail, cradling the northern part of the Tatoosh Range. Due to time constraints I was not able to do more than check out the scramble routes to Eagle and Chutla Peaks, but enjoyed crisp clear skies once I climbed above the fog layer. This is an excellent trail with steady grade; I was able to maintain pace on most of the 3,000 foot ascent to the saddle, where the “end of maintained trail” sign is. It also made for easy trotting all the way back to my vehicle, which I regained 3 hours later. Stats for this trail: 8 miles/3,000’.

Clear skies and fall colors on the Eagle Peak trail

A hiker gazes down at Kautz Creek (Mildred Point)

Comet Falls from the trail

I drove the relatively short distance to the trail head for Comet Falls for round two under noticeably less blue….a cloud layer had moved in and essentially stayed for the rest of my day. However, no rain was anticipated nor encountered. I had been on the Rampart Ridge trail to Van Trump Park years ago but missed some essential points, which I covered today. Comet Falls is truly impressive with an open view to the lengthy drop of this watercourse. The trail continued to the right, switch backing up until I crossed the creek above the falls. I continued on to Mildred Point, a bit of a quad buster on the last half mile. Big, steep steps. But Mildred Point sports one of the best views I’ve seen in this entire park, despite the “main attraction” being in absentia. The cloud layer precluded views above to the glacier, but the overlook down to Kauntz Creek is steep and sometimes precipitous, magnifying the view. I looked right to an airy jagged outcropping and made my way there to perch on top, albeit with cautious footing. I’ve stood atop many a peak in this park, and this pinnacle ranks as one of the airiest.

Eventually I had to leave, and trotted back to the intersection for the spur trail to Van Trump Park (.3 miles). Time was running short for me so I didn’t continue past the “end of maintained trail” very far, although the trail looks to continue for quite a distance. I have a future jaunt in mind on this continuance to Wapowety Cleaver. Van Trump Park is one of the most accessible high alpine areas on Mt. Rainier. But my time constraints mandated a departure, and in less than an hour I was back at my vehicle. Stats for this hike: 11 miles/4,100’. Total Stats: 19 miles/7,100’

Van Trump Park

Falls Creek (Comet Falls Trail)

Fall colors on the Comet Falls Trail

Crystal Mountain Trail/Pinnacle Peak Trail

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old. As I near the completion of hiking every maintained trail in Mt. Rainier National Park, the stats (2018) so far including this outing: 503 miles/100,600 feet of elevation gain/loss.

I had planned a 13 mile loop centered on Crystal Mountain that would include the Crystal Mountain trail, which tickles and enters park boundary in a few spots. However, the weather was not cooperating, with rain showers in the forecast and snow levels @6000’. I was joined by my buddy Craig and as we finished breakfast at the Alpine Inn, any hope of clearing skies soon vanished. This is another hike that would be best done with the immense views towards Mt. Rainier that dominate this high ridge walk. However, we were already here so to expedite the process we took the gondola up and walked the trail to shorten the approach and get right to it. This was a very pleasant walk along the ridge that we ski in the winter, so we know how good the views are. It was still cool to walk to the north back country and see the terrain without its white blanket. We returned to the Summit House with snow showers and ate lunch to see if this was a temporary condition. Alas, the visibility only decreased as the snow and rain increased, so we skipped the hike past Hen Skin lake to our waiting vehicles and rode the gondola down. It was still an enjoyable day with maximum chilling….any day outdoors is a good day, regardless of the weather. This was such a short hike I didn’t record anything, but the Crystal Mountain Trail out and back surely did not exceed 5 miles.

Low visibility and snow at the Summit House, Crystal Mountain (6900’)

Pinnacle Peak trail saddle (looking south)

We drove around to the other side of the park up Stevens Canyon and stopped at Reflection Lakes. It seemed like there was a weather window in the making so we made arrangements to meet at the Cougar Rock campground. I practically sprinted up the Pinnacle Peak trail (1.3 miles) to its end at the saddle, and contemplated bagging a few peaks that were right there (Pinnacle, Plummer, Lane). However, I didn’t want to keep Craig waiting too long and those peaks deserved good views. Despite rainless skies, the cloud deck was low enough to obstruct views of Mt. Rainier so I ran back down the trail to call it a day. Stats: 2.7 miles/1,000’ elevation gain/loss. 1 hour. One more trail to go to finish this project, the Eagle Peak trail, which I will save for good weather.

Color on the Pinnacle Peak trail

With my son during Crystal ski day; the view that was missing during the summer trip

Natural Bridge

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

I am very familiar with Mt. Rainier’s Northern Loop Trail; it is a perfect trainer for ultra marathons, being about 35 miles with 9200’ of climb. Of course that mileage has changed as one must add 10 miles of biking to the formula if accessing from the Carbon River side. The trail to Natural Bridge is a short distance past Windy Gap if approaching from the Carbon side (vice coming from Sunrise). This .7 mile trail is one I never checked out….in my haste to make time on this loop I had no desire to add 1.4 miles in the process.

Well today is a different day, and in order to hike this trail and check out the formation, I had to hike in about 13 miles. Well actually, I biked the Ipsut Creek trail (5 miles) and proceeded on foot to the NLT. The weather was unsettled, with low snow levels (@6500’) in the forecast with a chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. But with summer seemingly suddenly shutting down I couldn’t wait for perfect weather as it was nowhere to be seen in a 10 day forecast. I set off with appropriate gear for this outing, packing my Zpacks poncho instead of a rain jacket, wearing waterproof socks, and various upper body wear and hand wear for the anticipated conditions.

Now unused stranded bridges in the Carbon River flood plain

If you’re reading this you know I’ve been coming here for 35 years, and in the hundreds of Carbon River crossings over these decades I’ve witnessed the main river channel wander to and fro. Currently it has looped above the Ipsut Creek campground, occupying a creek channel, and shortly below the camp makes its way back to the main channel area. The wide flood plain of the Carbon bears witness to these wanderings with stranded log bridges mired in gravel and rocks and piles of stones upwards of 10 feet high, sometimes jammed into trees or sitting atop improbable places. This evidence of the power of water is truly a spectacle.

Trees in the mist on the 3000 foot climb to Windy Gap on the NLT

Once across I turned left on the NLT and started the switch backing 3000 foot climb towards Windy Gap (5830’). The trees disappeared into misty surroundings and the roar of the Carbon eventually subsided into the background during the ascent. I was treated with a view of the Yellowstone cliffs during a sun break and espied two goats grazing below them. Although the rain had yet to make an appearance, a stiff breeze at Windy Gap made me don an extra layer and some gloves as I made my way along the trail in the mist. I finally came to the turnoff for Natural Bridge and set foot to it for the first time. What awaits at the end is aptly named; Natural Bridge is exactly that, an arch of stone barely a foot wide across the top. Lakes James and Ethel can be seen in the background. In solitude I enjoyed the vista, snapping photos and eating lunch. As I packed up to leave the rain started and stayed with me through most of the return trip. However, I was toasty and comfortable inside the micro climate of Polartech Alpha (Beyond Clothing) that resided beneath the poncho, which also covered my back and front packs.

The Yellowstone cliffs make an appearance during a rare sun break on the NLT

On the bike ride back I stowed the poncho and wore a biking rain jacket I had stowed in the saddle bag, taking the time to visit Chenuis Falls (necessitating another crossing of the Carbon over 3 bridges). The rain tapered off during this side trip and I finished this outing sucking in the rain forest moist air with little pedaling on the road/trail. It took me 8 hours for this sojourn. The goal of hiking all the trails in the park is proving to be extremely rewarding on all counts. Stats: 27 miles (10 biking) and 5200 feet of climb/descent.

Chenuis Falls, a side trip on the Ipsut Creek trail

Wonderland Trail: Longmire to Sunrise

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

Recently I've felt in very good shape with a fair amount of hiking under my belt; I've even dropped a few pounds to my lowest weight in a couple of years. I had it in mind to blast the Wonderland, aiming for 48 hours or less. Alas, this did not work out. Right from the get go I didn't feel strong climbing, although the flats and downhills felt great. Starting at Longmire, I wanted to do the hardest part of the trail first proceeding CW, entailing 7 major climbs along this 57 mile stretch with 16,000 feet of elevation. I consider the remaining section from Sunrise to Longmire (CW) to be the easy part, at 36 miles and 6,000 feet of climb, bringing the total to 93 miles and 22,000 feet of elevation gain/loss. The downhills require specific training, as a smaller section of the quads must be engaged for braking. With my downhill legs tuned up, I was surprised that my climbing wasn't strong; I never felt good going uphill and progressively got worse. This resulted in a slowing pace, not only putting me behind "schedule" but left me suffering enough to forego the last 36 mile section. I started at Longmire at 5:18 AM and limped into Sunrise at 5 PM the next day, after taking a 3 hour snooze early morning. When I concluded that I wasn't up for the last 6,000 feet of climb, I texted a buddy of mine (via InReach) who selflessly picked me up at Sunrise and drove me back to my vehicle at Longmire, where I cleaned up, ate dinner and proceeded to crash in my truck for 12 hours. The lack of soreness in my legs tells me that something else thwarted my attempt....better luck next time.

Strava map showing 57 mile Wonderland section

Transiting Silver Forest

Approaching Indian Henry's on a frosty morning

Approaching Emerald Ridge on the Wonderland Trail

Tolmie Peak

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old. This and the next 3 posts included trips with my daughter while she was here on vacation.

This Thursday was the day we would depart Mowich and return home. The weather was cool but rather cloudy and we wondered if we would have a white out repeat of views from the Tolmie lookout akin to Gobblers Knob. When we departed there were patches of blue amidst the clouds, but upon arrival at Eunice Lake the clouds descended to water level and Tolmie lookout above disappeared in the mist. Not encouraging.

Eunice Lake from Tolmie trail after clearing skies

As we ascended the trail to Tolmie the skies seemed to get lighter and eventually opened up between layers to afford some views upon arrival. There were a few people at the lookout so we continued on the ridge to tag Tolmie Peak proper (5920'). Our original plan was to also scramble over to Howard, but my daughter was stung by a bee on the way up and her shoe was rubbing against the aching spot. Howard will wait. Most of our time was spent on Tolmie Peak in solitude but we returned to the lookout and stayed for a bit, snapping pix and taking in the limited but still wide ranging views.

Approaching Tolmie Peak summit

The return trip was on easy trail and gave us plenty of time to pack up and be home well before dinner, capping off our 4 day stay in the Mowich Lake part of the hill. Not to mention I got to cross off another trail I hadn't stepped foot on. When I wrote in a forum that this was the first time I had been to Tolmie after 35 years of hiking in the park, one response was "you gotta get out more." Agreed.

Stats: 8.5 miles/2000'

Looking east from Tolmie Peak

Wonderland Trail next to Mowich Lake

Hessong Rock/Mt Pleasant Loop

After sleeping in my Avalanche pseudo RV at Mowich Lake, my daughter and I got a not so alpine start at 10 AM and set out for Spray Park and our objectives for the day: Hessong Rock (6385') and Mt Pleasant (6454'). Fine cool weather continued and soon enough we gained the informal trail that led to the saddle where we would access both peaks. I had been at the saddle a few years before and my recollection of an expansive view towards the mountain with all of Spray Park below was refreshed. No need to drop packs today as we were lightly burdened with day packs, so we set off on the northwest side of Hessong to scramble to the peak. I have a very nice Leica wide angle 8-18 lens for my Panasonic G9 but nothing can do justice to the massive view from this peak. We spent a fair amount of time here, even going to the adjacent peak to make sure we were on the actual summit (we were). Finally wrenching ourselves away on this perfect day, we went back to the saddle and headed over to Mt Pleasant. The informal trail to this peak is obvious and easy, and shortly we were on the summit. With the exception of a few trees in the foreground, the view from Pleasant is equally impressive.

Expansive view from the summit of Mt Pleasant (6454')

In looking straight off the peak towards Rainier, there seemed to be an easy way to exit on a gentle ridge and intersect with the trail leading to Knapsack Pass. This plan panned out and we were happy to do this alternate way back to Mowich and stay off the well traveled Spray Park trail. With the exception of finding the "hop on" point for the rocky trail leading to Knapsack, the rest of the afternoon was spent in solitude and alpine meadow splendor, paralleling an idyllic creek on the descent. We had plenty of time to soak our feet, splash crystal water on our faces and pick sweet blueberries along the way. We were back at the vehicle with lots of light left to linger around the lake and try to stay awake until dark. We were successful on at least one count.

Stats: 8 miles/2900'

A bit of reflection in a tarn on the route towards Knapsack Pass

Hint of fall with Mowich Lake in the background

Mowich lake as evening approaches

Echo Rock/Observation Rock, Ptarmigan Ridge bivy

A few years ago my daughter and I headed towards Observation Rock on a day hike in the middle of October during one of her school breaks. We ended up turning around short of the goal at 2 PM so as not to get back too late with the shorter days. This time, with a good weather forecast, we planned on hiking out of Mowich Lake for a few days to include a bivy in the Ptarmigan Ridge cross country zone.

Sunset at 6700'

After a fabulous night under the arcing spotlight known as the moon, we had a hot breakfast and set off for Echo Rock (7871'), one I had not climbed before so it was on my list. We knew from research that Echo was a moderate scramble, but looking at this orange monolith from any direction is intimidating nonetheless. We dropped our packs at the edge of the Flett Glacier. There had been some annoying scrambling up a ridge to attain the gentler slopes of the Flett on our approach, so it was nice to relieve ourselves of the weight after tanking up and snacking.

Echo Rock (7871') from the Flett glacier

We set off in the general direction of a notch that would take us to the other side of Echo in order to reach the summit. Although there were a number of class III moves involved, at no time did we encounter any significant exposure. Soon enough we came to the flattish summit area where we could orbit to see the views. The actual summit is a jutting slab maybe 12 feet above, so I climbed the notch and put my arms across the top and called it good, as I couldn't see trying to straddle an 8 inch sliver of rock. With age comes wisdom. We lingered on the top for a while before starting the more difficult descent, involving a few areas of down climbing. Aside from getting stuck on a sliding scree slope, my daughter did well in her cautious style and we were both glad to be done with it at the bottom.

Saddle leading to Observation Rock (8364')

With plenty of time left in the day we headed up the south ridge from Echo to attain the saddle above leading to the lower slopes of Observation Rock (8364'). We saw two people descending on a faint trail that led below the steep snow slope, a shortcut, if you may, back to our packs. Noted. I told my daughter she could use her poles all the way to the summit of Observation; the front side looks intimidating but the back side is a rather gentle slope. Once on top, we signed the summit register, the first one I had bothered with. The views from Observation are sublime....in all directiions vistas unfold before you with the mountain in one direction and Spray Park opposite. Gaze down on the Flett, Cat Eye Lake, Echo Rock, Moraine Park, Curtis Ridge and the Carbon Glacier, the Russell Glacier.....almost too many points to remember. This is truly a special place.

My daughter on the summit of Observation Rock (8364')

When we departed we took the aforementioned shortcut to claim our waiting packs, then found a much easier way down the Flett on our descent with the afternoon softened snow (wearing trail runners). Cool weather made for perfect hiking conditions on the way back, leaving Hessong Rock and Mt Pleasant for the next day. My daughter likes to sleep tentless, eat gourmet hot food, visit special areas but avoid excessive trashing of the legs; these two days surely satisfied on all counts.

Stats: 15 miles/4700'

Climbing the lower slopes of Echo Rock, Flett glacier in the background

Hands on the summit of Echo

Really round ptarmigans

West Side Road/Gobblers Knob

My daughter was home for hiking vacation with me, but this Sunday's forecast was not favorable for keeping dry. However, a day hike would fit the bill so we decided to go hike the WSR at Rainier and visit Lake George and Gobblers Knob, yet another trail I hadn't stepped foot on. While we were preparing to depart a car drove up with two bikes, so I jokingly said to them "Oh boy, bikes we can take for the ride back!" Their response: "No, really, take our bikes!" Turns out they were running the last leg of the Wonderland and their somewhat funky logistics were to ride their bikes on the WSR to the end at Klapatche Point, hike the 3 miles on the North Puyallup trail, then run the Wonderland to Longmire where their buddy would pick them up, drive back to the WSR.....and then they would have to hike the 9 miles on the WSR to retrieve their bikes and come back. My daughter and I kind of shook our heads at this plan; why not just walk or run the WSR? They were going to have to do it anyway to get their bikes, making it their second time in this soirée. We hadn't planned on hiking the entire WSR but what the hey. They caught up to us at Round Pass, confirming the plan, so we continued on to retrieve their bikes and bike back to the Lake George trail head as rain was predicted to appear later that afternoon.

Lake George patrol cabin

When we finally set foot on the Lake George trail, there was a light mist going but we enjoyed the hike with this fresh cleansing air (after the smoke the PNW had endured for weeks). At Lake George it was more raining than misting, and we took a break in the shelter after I extinguished an illegal, smouldering abandoned fire there. Then it was off for Gobblers Knob, when we came to the trail intersection for Goat Lake, which lies outside the park boundary. My astute daughter pointed out that this trail entailed .6 miles to the boundary with the comment, "Don't you think you should hike this? Otherwise, how can you claim to have hiked all the trails in the park?"

Interesting strata on the West Side Road

The logical girl was right, so she set off for Gobblers Knob while I tried to run down this trail to the boundary, getting absolutely soaked in the process from all the overhanging brush and light rain. Squishy shoes soaked. Plus I lost a few hundred feet of elevation in the process. Sometimes goals can be annoying, but I covered the ground as quick as I could and did an old man sprint up the trail to Gobblers Knob, where my daughter was waiting under an overhang on the only dry spot in sight. Luckily my G9 is weather sealed so I took some pix around the lookout of misty near trees and whiteness. One could only imagine the views in all directions. I guess I'm going to have to return sometime during good weather.

The view in all directions at Gobblers Knob

This was not a lingering summit, so we departed to regain the bikes at Round Pass. By then, despite wonder garments, we were feeling a bit clammy but the thought of a quick descent via mechanization helped a bit. By the time we regained my vehicle we were surely ready to get into dry clothes and crank the heat. We left the bikes at the prearranged lock spot, put the key in a helmet, and hoped Mark and Dan were doing OK on their soggy run to Longmire. Turns out they finished at 8 and were quite thankful to just pick up the bikes and go home. No problem, I can certainly relate to non standard outdoors plans. We were happy to help out. My daughter's comment at the end...."That was fun!"

Stats: 24 miles/5100'

Soggy conclusion for a wet but otherwise fun day on the WSR

Huckleberry/Grand Park Loop

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

For a more formal loop description click here to link to the williswall blog.

To finish off my series of hikes over a few days in August whilst camping at Mt. Rainier's White River campground, I drove back up to Sunrise and started this loop at 7:30 AM on August 23rd with much chillier temperatures than I had experienced the past month in the park. I don't mean cold chilly, but just a hint of fall in the air necessitating a light wind shirt to retain just a tad more warmth in the winds that made themselves known at 6500 feet elevation. Back on the Huckleberry Creek trail, I passed the point where I had peeled off a few days prior for McNeeley Peak and continued the steady drop into the valley, soon enough stowing the extra layer. Although clear at elevation, I could see smoke in the valley below. The 9 mile downhill jaunt along Huckleberry Creek ended with exiting the park (passing an unused patrol cabin) and entering national forest land and FS 73.

Huckleberry Creek feeder in old growth splendor

Late afternoon sun casts long shadows on the trail approaching Sunrise

The next 4 miles or so were spent climbing steadily on FS 73 with nary a vehicle in sight. The smoke commingled with mist to keep the temperatures down, then magically disappeared as I reentered the park on a trail to Lake Eleanor. The rest of the day brought blue skies and thin patchy clouds with temperatures remaining comfortable and basically sweat free during the ascent. Although Forest Lake, old growth forest and Lake Eleanor were pretty enough, there's nothing quite like transiting the entire length of Grand Park. One can revel in flatness in a decidedly unflat environment. Follow that up with Lodi Creek bubbling in and out of sight through Berkeley Park and top it off with the sun at your back in the open alpine environment back to Sunrise (accompanied by stiff breezes) and this 26 mile loop is sure to peg your outdoors pleasure meter. In the process I checked off two more unvisited trails by yours truly, Huckleberry Creek and Lake Eleanor/Grand Park to the intersection with the Northern Loop Trail. 5500 feet of elevation loss/gain makes this a worthy hike whether doing it in one day or 4. Places to camp along the way.....Forest Lake Camp, NOT Lake Eleanor Camp (at this writing closed due to hazard trees), Fire Creek Camp (not too far north on the NLT) and Berkeley Camp. If you desire to also stay at Sunrise then there is the close at hand Sunrise Camp. Lots to see and lots to offer if one doesn't mind the walk on FS 73.

Upper Huckleberry Creek trail early morning

The not unpleasant walk up FS 73 to connect northern trails on the loop

Shuttered patrol cabin on the northern park border, Huckleberry Creek Trail

Dege/Antler/McNeeley Peaks

One of the trails I had never transited the entire way is the Sourdough Ridge Trail that runs from Sunrise Point to Frozen Lake. On Tuesday, August 21st, I parked at Sunrise Point and hiked said trail, bagging a couple of peaks along the way. The smoke had cleared considerably, although still present, and I started this hike in the early afternoon with noticeably better visibility vice the day before when I did the Palisades. I soon came to the trail for Dege Peak, which leads all the way to the summit. Nice views from here and I could see my next destination, Antler Peak. Antler is a short easy scramble to the summit and affords comparable views to Dege due to its proximity, but still makes for nice views and a bit of solitude because it's off the established track. Once I regained the trail after lingering on the summit a bit, I eventually crossed paths with the first person I had seen that day as I descended to the waiting snack bar at Sunrise, where I had an early dinner....quite convenient.

The meadow transited to access the ridge to McNeeley Peak (6786'), right frame

With my drink and snack sated bod, I departed Sunrise westward for the short jaunt to the intersection with the Huckleberry Creek trail at 6800', descending to an obvious area to exit the path and head towards a saddle leading to McNeeley Peak. Attaining McNeeley involved the usual route finding exercise for best terrain leading to the summit, but this peak is described as an easy scramble and presented no problems. I spent considerable time at the summit with its 360 degree views, basking in the late afternoon sun and enjoying much better visibility than the day before. Eventually one must leave the pinnacle of that day's efforts and I descended to the pleasant meadow leading back to the Huckleberry Creek trail with an eye towards hitting the snack bar one more time before closing at 7 PM for a coffee. I also had the notion of catching a ride down the road to my vehicle at Sunrise Point. I'm happy to say I met with success on both counts, making this leisurely 3 peak bagging afternoon a delight in every way. Stats: 8.25 miles and 3000' elevation.

Antler Peak (7017'), right of trail, on trek back to Sunrise after summiting McNeeley

Looking back at Dege (7006') from Antler summit

Palisades Trail: Brown Peak/Slide Mtn/The Palisades

On this trip I not only hiked the Palisades Trail but also added a little peak bagging in the process. On a smoke filled sky on Monday, August 20th, I parked at Sunrise Point and ventured into the respiratory unknown. The trail passes Clover Lake (which I had visited years before) and proceeds north past Dick's Lake to terminate at Upper Palisades Lake. Before reaching Palisades, I departed the trail and proceeded to the summit of Brown Peak, an easy stroll. From this vantage point I could see the ridge walk, sometimes with obvious trail, to the series of peaks that make up Slide Mountain. With the limited visibility I could barely make out the next high point on the ridge, and from the first summit of Slide I could barely see Mt. Rainier. However, the smoke filled air didn't seem to bother me too much despite not being a smoker, and I continued on to the actual slide part of Slide Mountain, ending in a loose boulder and choss fest before calling it good enough. The slide is quite impressive from the top vantage point, but I was happy to be off the loose boulders and back on the ridge for the return to the trail proper. I made a quick jaunt to Upper Palisades Lake before retracing my route a short distance to the side trail to Hidden Lake. The trail continues all the way past Hidden Lake (although signed "unmaintained") and up the steep climb to Green Park saddle. From here it was cross country route finding to the summit of The Palisades at 7040'. Despite limited visibility, what I found most impressive from this lofty perch was looking down on the hexagonal andesite columns that dominate the geology of the Palisades. The return trip had me stopping at the deserted Hidden Lake and dipping my dusty legs and feet in the cool waters, all the while taking in the reflective sights and snacking in back country bliss. The hike out was pleasant, meeting only one other couple on the way.

Smoke filled skies ghost the view of Mt. Rainier from Slide Mountain

The Palisade trail is a delight in any kind of weather and I thoroughly enjoyed myself both on trail and off despite the hazy views. Stats for this jaunt: 16.4 miles with 5,400 feet of climb. Plus, tick off another trail on my list for 2018.

The "slide" of Slide Mountain from the Palisades

Brown/Slide/Palisades elevation profile

East Eastern Loop

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

Willis Wall Blog post on this loop

This loop entails forging east via the Laughingwater Creek trail to the PCT northbound, turning back south at Chinook Pass and returning via the Eastside trail. I had never hiked the Laughingwater Creek trail before, and found it to be very pleasant. It climbs gradually to 3 Lakes through old growth forest. Unfortunately, the creek wasn't flowing enough to hear any laughing. Lots of swearing though, as I had to contend with skeeters through most of the day. The only other detriment was rather high temperatures, but overall this loop is a winner. Wild flowers were still in bloom, the views towards the mountain were frequent, and there was very little traffic on the trails....just a few hikers on the PCT. I don't count the tourists that I ran into on the Naches Loop trail near the Chinook Pass parking lot, and once back on the Eastside trail I was solo for the last 11 miles. Remarkable considering it was Saturday in the summer. Compared to the rest of the park, the east side is not frequented by the summer crowds. In fact, in the myriad times over the years that I have found myself on the Eastside Trail, I don't remember encountering even one other person. I mention it in the linked Blog post, but it's worth repeating here; this loop is an excellent choice for a fall outing, when the air is crisp and the bugs are gone. Although the flower season will be long past, the reds and yellows will more than compensate late season. Trail runners should definitely consider this loop as a trainer or just a leg tuneup; the 31 miles with modest elevation gain (6,600') make for a perfect day outing without exceeding 12 hours.

East Eastern Loop elevation profile

Other trails I can tick off on this trip: the PCT, Naches Loop trail, and the Eastside Trail between Chinook Pass and the Owyhigh Lakes turnoff.

Turn left on the Eastside Trail (Chinook Pass) and leave the crowds behind

Laughingwater Creek Trail prior to 3 Lakes

Shriner Peak

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

This is sort of an "isolated" hike in that it is on the east side of the park off Highway 123, far from the crowds at Sunrise or even the Stevens Canyon entrance. My early start found me alone on the trail to the lookout with nearly an hour up top before anyone else appeared, then Tracy and Mary appeared and were excellent company. The 4.5 mile trail ascends with a steady grade for 3,400 feet before topping out at the lookout at 5,834'. Although I wasn't rewarded with wide open views, the summit of Rainier made an appearance amidst sun breaks and fantastic cloud formations. I quite enjoyed my lonely trek up in the fog, which kept the temperature perfect for this uphill grind. Ghostly trees appeared along with dewy flowers and bushes, and the Shriner summit enjoyed partial sun breaks. I may have to make a return trip in the fall in clear weather; despite occluded views, one can tell the vistas are nothing short of astounding from this vantage point. I also found the very consistent grade to be easy on the body in both directions. Hard to believe I have never set foot on this trail before; my plan to hike all the trails I have somehow omitted over the past 35 years will no doubt continue to be extremely rewarding!

Lilies along the Shriner Peak trail, ascending in the fog

Partial view of Mt. Rainier from Shriner Peak

Creaky stairs lead to the weathered cat walk around the Shriner Peak lookout

3 Classic Bike Climbs, Mt. Rainier

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

LONGMIRE TO PARADISE

Not exactly a hike, but a good workout nonetheless. Since I have STP (Seattle To Portland) coming up in a few weeks with a busy schedule, I decided to use a few free days to get one last mondo ride in. The weather forecast was somewhat iffy, but I left early to start biking from Longmire at 6 AM. It was somewhat chilly, so I dressed like a winter climb....thermals, top and bottom, with extra gloves and layers. It actually wasn't too bad, and my single layer thermal top did the trick until I neared 5000 feet, where I had to add the rain jacket. Twice I passed deer on the side of the road, once within 6 feet. My silent approach has them looking at me with a perplexed expression in their doe eyes...actually a pretty cool experience. A steady drizzle accompanied the gusting winds as I topped out at 5400 feet, gliding through the fog to the deserted Visitor Center and setting up next to a window with about a foot and a half of overhang, at least getting me out of the rain. I didn't spend too long here, putting on a thermal cap and some waterproof gloves, then set off to circle back via the Paradise Valley road. This was a miserable segment, with the rain increasing to pummeling strength and a steady stream of water hitting my face, cast off from my front bike tire...there was no escaping the cold drenching, but I let the steed run this downhill segment at 25 MPH despite the squirting fire hose. However, once I turned back on the main drag and dropped a few hundred feet in elevation, the rain abated, the squirting tire retired and I enjoyed the swift descent back to Longmire. I was bone chilled so took a break and had breakfast (after I changed) at the Inn, trying to warm up with coffee and huevos rancheros. I didn't get truly warm until I drove to the next climb start point, the east entrance at Stevens Canyon (Ohanapecosh) with my heater running full hot and full blast, hanging gloves and socks in front of the vents to try and dry things out. Meanwhile the weather was changing for the better, boding well for the next climb.

Longmire to Paradise segment 1 (Strava)

Paradise in the rain and mist, 7:30 AM, July 1

OHANAPECOSH TO PARADISE
 

Flowers abound on the Stevens Canyon road

Despite the Sunday crowds, I snagged a parking spot at the entrance and changed into bike shorts, but due to the still not so summer like temps (50 degrees), I kept the thermal top on, somewhat dried after the hot air blasting in the truck. This is the longest segment with the most climb, the only respite for the legs being a short downhill stretch after Reflection Lakes before rejoining the main drag back to Paradise. The sun steadily made an appearance and I stopped on occasion to photograph the flowers that lined the road. Other than that, it was grind city for a few hours; one has to embrace hill climbing in all its glory for a day like this, despite some minor suffering. Arriving at Paradise for the second time was a totally different experience, with tour buses disgorging scads of people and slightly warmer temperatures (but lots of puffy jacket sightings), along with a fairly bloated parking lot. Despite improved weather, the mountain was still not making an appearance. I spent just a few minutes in this scene, casting off for the long downhill segment, amazed that the parking overflowed well onto Paradise Valley road. It was hard to believe the difference in just a few hours from when I was here in the morning, only needing to don my shell for the breezy descent. Traffic wasn't bad compared to earlier, and I was able to use my lane to negotiate the curves, bumpy road segments and drainage grates, giving myself plenty of clearance from the canyon side with its precipitous drop offs and stone walls. Interrupted only by the annoying climb up to Backbone Ridge, the last miles rewarded with a winding smooth road and sharp corners, suddenly braking at the entrance and my waiting vehicle.

Ohanapecosh to Paradise segment 2 (Strava)

Skies finally clear at 3:30 PM, Backbone Ridge, Stevens Canyon road

WHITE RIVER TO SUNRISE
 

Mt. Rainier creates fantastic cloud formations (White River campground, 8 PM)

Strava went haywire on this one....self corrected

After I finished my second leg and was back at my vehicle at the Stevens Canyon entrance (4 PM), I drove up Highway 123 to Highway 410 and reentered the Park at the White River entrance, easily finding a camping spot to park my pseudo Avalanche RV. My original plan was to do all three of these climbs in the same day, but temperatures were still chilly despite sunny skies and truthfully, at my age my legs were feeling the 65 miles and 7500 feet of climb. I concluded that continuing on climb 3 would be doable but slow so I opted to climb to Sunrise the next morning. I enjoyed the rest of my afternoon, partaking of the dinner my thoughtful wife had packed in a small cooler, lounging in the sun down by the river, and marveling at the ever changing and fantastic cloud formations the fierce upper winds roiling off Rainier's summit produced, whilst snacking on peanut M&Ms.  Since I had had little sleep the night before, I had to make myself stay up 'til 8, when I crashed in my Avalanche and slept until 6, most excellent. When I arose (Monday, July 2) the skies had enough holes to bask in occasional sun. I ate breakfast (also in the cooler), suited up and hit the 300 foot downhill segment to the intersection for the road to Sunrise, noting that it was frickin' cold....I don't mean summer cold, I mean winter cold. I had my thermal bottoms on for this climb and ended up with my thermal top and a fleece layer, and it was still chilly. After being snowed on nearing 6,000 feet, I donned my entire clothing ensemble. I was still cold, as the winds were gusting so as to move my bike when I was but doing 5 MPH. When I rolled into Sunrise a ranger took one look at me and asked if I wanted to come inside and warm up, directing me to a garage heater and letting me stand there for 20 minutes soaking up the heat while we chatted. Rebecca, I thank you! I've had such good experiences with Park personnel, both rangers and maintenance staff...these are really fine people. After elevating my body temperature back to normal I hit this exhilarating downhill, plenty toasty after exiting the gusting winds up high and enjoying a downhill traffic free experience. Despite pathetic speeds in comparison, I felt like a tour rider. No mind, this is the reward for the uphill grind. I negotiated the short 300 foot uphill back to my waiting vehicle and packed up for the ride home. Originally I had a hankering to go climb Shriner Peak, but thought that later in the year  with fall views would make for a better outing as I tick off those trails and areas I have yet to set foot on.

White River to Sunrise....Strava got a bit off here (Segment 3), Elev corrected to 2700'

Salsa at Sunrise Point (6100')

Despite rain pelting my face, sometimes heavy traffic and freezing gusting winds, my thoughts were how lucky I am to be able to do this kind of endurance endeavor at age 63...I actually climb better now than 10 years ago, when I thought the Longmire to Paradise segment made for quite the day. Even now I am learning that mindset is everything, that what once seemed too hard can become possible if I just get out and try it, adding the experience to my body memory. I can only hope that I can continue these types of outings as I progress toward and past my 70's. Total stats: 89 miles/10,200' climb.

Evening light at White River campground: Avalanche RV and Salsa Cutthroat Rival

Stevens Canyon pano, segment 2.

Golden Lakes/Colonnade

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

One can find solitude in the Park....you just have to work for it. I got an early start (6:45) to bike the length of the West Side Road (9 miles) to visit a few isolated areas at this time of year. I really didn't expect to see anyone as Wonderland early season hikers have had mixed success on the trail, with many turning back due to snow levels. However, I ran across a dad/daughter couple leaving the North Puyallup River Camp and ended up hiking with them to Golden Lakes, a very nice time indeed. Despite weighty packs they were booking...I stuck with them but had I been alone I would have scaled back a bit due to the length of the day. But hey, good training! We hung out at Golden Lakes for a bit, eating and taking pix; then they were on their way to Mowich Lake for the night, which shouldn't have been too bad because the road isn't open yet.

The trail to Silver Forest was snow free but once in the woods there was still quite a bit of snow to the Sunset Patrol Cabin. However, nothing to impede navigation. George and Molly told me they bypassed Klapatche Park because of reports of the snow between So. Puyallup and No. Puyallup, descending to the West Side Road. Can't blame them as they described a miserable day on snow in the rain their day before; they were diggin' the blue skies and great weather for sure.

I back tracked to Silver Forest on the Wonderland and proceeded cross country to the ridge that leads to the Colonnade. Flowers were just peeking out from recent clearing of snow melt, with miniature avalanche lilies embracing their short bloom cycle. The ridge was clear of snow until a steep section at 5800 feet, and I didn't have the desire, time or legs to scramble up the south side for a few hundred feet of elevation gain with essentially the same view. So I got my drink and snack on and beat feet down to the Wonderland, as I still had some distance to go. I figured I could regain my bike by 7 and be back at my vehicle before dark, which worked out perfectly. This was a long day for me at 38 miles (18 biking, 20 hiking) with 7,000' of elevation gain, but all in all a wonderful day in perfect weather, with a little socializing and lots of solitude.

 

Some color on the ridge to the Colonnade

Snow melt feeds myriad creeks on the Wonderland Trail

A Golden Lake

Summerland

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

On the second day of our weathered out climbing weekend, 4 of us decided to visit Summerland. The day brought temps in the 40's with intermittent snow showers and misty rain. Varying depths of snow were met on the trail out of Fryingpan Creek trailhead, but once we arrived at the bridge across Fryingpan Creek, snow was continuous. We attempted to follow the summer route up the snow covered switchbacks, but steep slopes with poor run outs and no ice axes had us deciding to return via the winter route, bypassing this section by end running and paralleling the Creek until intercepting the bridge and usual trail. With low cloud ceilings none of us was compelled to visit Panhandle Gap with no visibility, but on the way back there were very occasional sun breaks, lighting up the snow covered terrain and casting shadows, a real treat. Most of my hikes are solo so spending a weekend with an eclectic group of souls with ages ranging from 27 to 70 was a real treat indeed. Maybe next time we can finally get up Little Tahoma. Today's hike involved 9 miles and 2300 feet of elevation.

Our return route avoided the steep wooded section via the winter route (6/10/18

View from the Summerland Shelter toward Panhandle Gap (6/10/18)

Crystal Peak/Crystal Lakes

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

What to do when plans for a climb months in advance (Little Tahoma) meets with a short stretch of the worst weather in June over those exact days? Well, a group of us simply hung about a cabin in Crystal Village and did a few day hikes. On June 9th we set out for Crystal Peak in questionable weather in hopes that the south facing slopes would be mostly snow free, even to 6,000 feet. We totally lucked out in that the rain was intermittent, the snow showers sporadic, and the route was mostly snow free, with only a small patch to cross that didn't require ice axes. Although views were limited due to the snow and rain producing clouds, a lunch break atop the peak was enjoyed by all. Shortly after starting the descent, the snow showers were producing large flakes that were carried up the hillside directly at us, like watching snowfall lying on one's back, very cool indeed. Once we reached the trail to Crystal Lakes we decided to visit those also as we were already here, with a 1500 foot climb to the lower and upper lakes. Snow showers and temps in the 40's did not quell anyone's appreciation for being here, taking in the monochromatic landscape and partially snow covered lakes, amidst show flurries; enjoyment in being outside comes in all flavors. Stats for the day, 11 miles and 4600' elevation gain/loss.

Snow gathers on the south side of the trees: trail to Crystal Peak

Upper Crystal Lake (5800')

Moraine Park

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

Taking advantage of this good weather for a combo hike/bike/trainer, I biked the Ipsut Creek trail and hiked to Moraine Park at 5700 feet. Looks like my planned Little Tahoma climb will be weathered out this coming weekend, so it was really nice to venture into parts not yet traveled in excellent weather. Every year I bike the Ipsut Creek trail and it seems every year the higher end becomes cobblier. Some sections are not kid friendly but I managed to stay peddling over a long expanse of good sized rocks. However, I knew this would be only a mild detriment after hiking all day; there's nothing like biking downhill for the last 5 miles at the end of a long session. At the lower Carbon crossing I ran into the NPS trail crew working on putting in the bridge, cutting trail across the slide area and doing general maintenance. After getting an email, part of my task today was to document blow downs and maintenance issues up to Moraine Park so they know what lies ahead. As it turns out, any blow downs were small and easily passed. However, I'm not sure what they're going to do for the crossing of Dick Creek as the creek has wandered past the end of the current bridge. I was able to position myself off side next to the bridge to leap to the far side and stay feet dry on the ascent, but I knew this would not work coming back as there was nothing safe to leap to (sure enough, I had to do a feet wet crossing here on the return).

Log bridge over the Lower Carbon River crossing

Just like last week's sojourn to Klapatche Park, once I hit 5100' there was continuous snow, in many places well over 6 feet deep. However, it was well consolidated and I only post holed about 4 times later in the afternoon on my return in my trail runners and shorts. Under somewhat hazy white skies, I found a small oasis to sit and have some lunch in the considerably thinner snow in upper Moraine Park, deciding there was no motivation to continue another 200 feet up to Mystic Pass on steep snow. From there it was almost all down hill and I finally saw someone else heading down the trail at the suspension bridge, where I stopped for another snack but eventually passed the older gentleman (70's?) in jeans, which he also biked in. Chafe city, but HYOH. I was rather pleased to see the crew had established the end points of the railing on the bridge, and also cut trail across the slide area in the time I had been higher. I made sure to send a detailed report to trail boss Zachary with pix this evening, I hope it helps them out.

Once I got to the lower parts of the trail I could let the steed run and soon found myself back at my vehicle at 5, making for a 25 mile day (10 on the bike) with 4400 feet of elevation, my legs telling me that was quite enough for this day's trainer in fabulous weather.
 

Moraine Park sporting good snow coverage on June 6, 2018