Mt Rainier-Sunrise to Mowich Lake TR, sightseeing in OR & WA
Sept 24, 2019 8:00:13 GMT -8
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Post by bumknees on Sept 24, 2019 8:00:13 GMT -8
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OR, WA & Mt Rainier, 9-5 to 9-13-19
Wed, Sep 4, drive to Vancouver WA.
Thu, Sep 5, Go to Fort Vancouver NHS to purchase my America the Beautiful lifetime Senior Pass for $80. Pick up Dan at the Portland airport, and an hour later, Phil. We go back to Fort Vancouver, and then tour the fort. Next stop is Multnomah Falls, east of Portland along the Columbia River. It is a very high and scenic falls, plunging 620 ft over 2 falls. We explore the area for a while, staying at Troutdale, OR that night.
Fri, Sep 6, Drive down to the McLoughlin House in Oregon City, which is part of Fort Vancouver NHS. Next, we head to the Astoria OR area, to see Fort Clatsop, part of the Lewis & Clark NHS. Now we get to drive across the big bridge in Astoria, to get to Cape Disappointment SP in WA. We walk out to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. It is a little run down, but the views are nice. Drive over to the West Head Lighthouse, which is well maintained, as well as the associated buildings. Take a quick tour to the top, views are nice. Stay in Astoria this evening.
Sat, Sep 7, drive to Longview, WA to pick up another car, then on to Mt St Helens NM. It is foggy with low clouds, but they clear enough for decent views. Go to VC, take a nice hike along Johnson Ridge, also spotting about 20 elk in the valley below. Stay in Sumner, WA.
Sun, Sep 8, Head to the Sunrise area of Mt Rainier. We pick up our permit to go from Sunrise to Mowich Lake, some of which, is on the Wonderland Trail. Explore the Sunrise area, and spend the afternoon dropping off the car at Mowich Lake, on the NW side of the park. The last 13 or so miles of road are gravel, and rough in places. Stay in Enumclaw, WA.
Mon, Sep 9, Drive to Sunrise(6400 ft) to begin the 5 day backpack. Weather is low clouds, mist & fog, and would be that way for the first 2 days. We head out towards Frozen Lake, with few views. We take a break before we reach Skyscraper Pass(~7000 ft), and spot two mom Mountain Goats with kids. At Skyscrapper Pass, we spot 2 more pairs of mom & kid. We now do a mundane series of switchbacks down to Granite Creek Camp(5765 ft), and set up a damp camp. About 5.1 miles covered.
Tue, Sep 10, Break a wet camp, start a further descent towards Winthrop Glacier, bottoming out at the glacier toe at about 4700 ft. We take a few foggy pics of the glacier toe, and make a scary log bridge crossing of Winthrop Creek, the out flow from the glacier. The creek was really moving. We start going up on some old moraines, topping out at Mystic Camp(~5570 ft). Raining all afternoon, so a wet camp is made. Dan & Phil wander up to Mystic Lake, and see a bear & cub just above the camp. Rained most of the night. Cover 3.9 miles.
Wed, Sep 11, Finally, a clear day. We ascend to Mystic Lake(~5750 ft), getting some partial Rainier views, and some beautiful reflections on Mystic Lake. We continue up over a couple of shoulders of Old Desolate, stopping for a break at a sort of pass(~6100 ft), spotting a lone Mountain Goat. We also get great views of Rainier along the way. We start descending towards the Carbon Glacier along Moraine Creek. The glacier, at this point, is covered in rocks, so few views of ice. A few miles brings us to the Carbon Glacier toe, which Dan & Phil go to explore & take pics. I take a nap. We continue down to a swinging bridge that crosses Moraine Creek & the glacier outflow, and now exit the Wonderland Trail for the Spray Park Trail (~3200 ft). We start the climb to Cataract Valley Camp(4620 ft). Go about 6.7 miles.
Thu, Sep 12, We immediately continue the uphill climb, which will eventually top out at about 6200 ft. The way becomes more & more scenic as we go up. Great views of Rainier, which has a cloud top, and the surrounding areas, abound. After a break at the pass, we start the descent, heading to Eagles Roost Camp(4885 ft). The views are still fantastic for about 2 miles, till we enter the trees. We take a break at a nice sitting log, which happened to be in the middle of a nice blueberry patch. We each ate a few handfuls. After a view of Spray Falls, we enter Eagles Roost. Water here, is not as close as we would like. Do 4.9 miles.
Fri, Sep 13, Break our last camp, and head to Mowich Lake(4929 ft). Trail meanders up & down most of the way. Go about 2 miles, pick up car, head to Sunrise to get my car, and off to Portland for our last night.
Sat, Sep 14, Dan & Phil fly home, I drive, get home about 3pm.
OR, WA & Mt Rainier, 9-5 to 9-13-19
Wed, Sep 4, drive to Vancouver WA.
Thu, Sep 5, Go to Fort Vancouver NHS to purchase my America the Beautiful lifetime Senior Pass for $80. Pick up Dan at the Portland airport, and an hour later, Phil. We go back to Fort Vancouver, and then tour the fort. Next stop is Multnomah Falls, east of Portland along the Columbia River. It is a very high and scenic falls, plunging 620 ft over 2 falls. We explore the area for a while, staying at Troutdale, OR that night.
Fri, Sep 6, Drive down to the McLoughlin House in Oregon City, which is part of Fort Vancouver NHS. Next, we head to the Astoria OR area, to see Fort Clatsop, part of the Lewis & Clark NHS. Now we get to drive across the big bridge in Astoria, to get to Cape Disappointment SP in WA. We walk out to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. It is a little run down, but the views are nice. Drive over to the West Head Lighthouse, which is well maintained, as well as the associated buildings. Take a quick tour to the top, views are nice. Stay in Astoria this evening.
Sat, Sep 7, drive to Longview, WA to pick up another car, then on to Mt St Helens NM. It is foggy with low clouds, but they clear enough for decent views. Go to VC, take a nice hike along Johnson Ridge, also spotting about 20 elk in the valley below. Stay in Sumner, WA.
Sun, Sep 8, Head to the Sunrise area of Mt Rainier. We pick up our permit to go from Sunrise to Mowich Lake, some of which, is on the Wonderland Trail. Explore the Sunrise area, and spend the afternoon dropping off the car at Mowich Lake, on the NW side of the park. The last 13 or so miles of road are gravel, and rough in places. Stay in Enumclaw, WA.
Mon, Sep 9, Drive to Sunrise(6400 ft) to begin the 5 day backpack. Weather is low clouds, mist & fog, and would be that way for the first 2 days. We head out towards Frozen Lake, with few views. We take a break before we reach Skyscraper Pass(~7000 ft), and spot two mom Mountain Goats with kids. At Skyscrapper Pass, we spot 2 more pairs of mom & kid. We now do a mundane series of switchbacks down to Granite Creek Camp(5765 ft), and set up a damp camp. About 5.1 miles covered.
Tue, Sep 10, Break a wet camp, start a further descent towards Winthrop Glacier, bottoming out at the glacier toe at about 4700 ft. We take a few foggy pics of the glacier toe, and make a scary log bridge crossing of Winthrop Creek, the out flow from the glacier. The creek was really moving. We start going up on some old moraines, topping out at Mystic Camp(~5570 ft). Raining all afternoon, so a wet camp is made. Dan & Phil wander up to Mystic Lake, and see a bear & cub just above the camp. Rained most of the night. Cover 3.9 miles.
Wed, Sep 11, Finally, a clear day. We ascend to Mystic Lake(~5750 ft), getting some partial Rainier views, and some beautiful reflections on Mystic Lake. We continue up over a couple of shoulders of Old Desolate, stopping for a break at a sort of pass(~6100 ft), spotting a lone Mountain Goat. We also get great views of Rainier along the way. We start descending towards the Carbon Glacier along Moraine Creek. The glacier, at this point, is covered in rocks, so few views of ice. A few miles brings us to the Carbon Glacier toe, which Dan & Phil go to explore & take pics. I take a nap. We continue down to a swinging bridge that crosses Moraine Creek & the glacier outflow, and now exit the Wonderland Trail for the Spray Park Trail (~3200 ft). We start the climb to Cataract Valley Camp(4620 ft). Go about 6.7 miles.
Thu, Sep 12, We immediately continue the uphill climb, which will eventually top out at about 6200 ft. The way becomes more & more scenic as we go up. Great views of Rainier, which has a cloud top, and the surrounding areas, abound. After a break at the pass, we start the descent, heading to Eagles Roost Camp(4885 ft). The views are still fantastic for about 2 miles, till we enter the trees. We take a break at a nice sitting log, which happened to be in the middle of a nice blueberry patch. We each ate a few handfuls. After a view of Spray Falls, we enter Eagles Roost. Water here, is not as close as we would like. Do 4.9 miles.
Fri, Sep 13, Break our last camp, and head to Mowich Lake(4929 ft). Trail meanders up & down most of the way. Go about 2 miles, pick up car, head to Sunrise to get my car, and off to Portland for our last night.
Sat, Sep 14, Dan & Phil fly home, I drive, get home about 3pm.