After a couple days at Stevens Canyon (link) it was impossible to ignore the pull of the mountain. So on a Sunday, yes a Sunday, during peak summer tourist season, two crowd-adverse gals decided to test the waters. Joan and I left our campsite at 5:30am for optimal crowd-avoidance strategy. It worked! We got our pick of a parking spot in the main area at Paradise.
After a stop at Reflection Lake, we decided “sub alpine” filled with hordes of skeeters was less appealing than hordes of people at alpine. I was reminded of my hike around Mt Rainier on the Wonderland Trail in 2014 (link).
Skyline Trail
We couldn’t ignore a calling to the Skyline Trail. With much trepidation about my knee and body performance, we began our hike. The views kept me smiling. It was my kind of WOW per mile. So many views and wildflowers. I felt like I could touch the mountain. How lucky to have beautiful blue skies devoid of smoke and fires. Temperatures were warm but with plenty of water and snow we stayed comfortable. At the end of the day, I was thrilled with my recovery and performance. The long steep downhill tested my body but my hips complained more than my knee so I figured this meant I’d moved on from knee rehab to rebuilding general fitness.
The first section of the Skyline Trail is paved which really helps with dust and erosion given it’s high use. Notice the marmot laying on the big rock in foreground.
The marmots are such portrait hams.
This was a flower power tour.
The lupine smelled strongly of grape jelly.
We had a few snow patches to hike through and were wishing we’d carried our microspikes.
This is the Nisqually Glacier. Notice the waterfall. There are 25 major glaciers on Mount Rainier and numerous unnamed snow or ice patches, which cover about 35 square miles.
Nothing like Glacier Lilies to accompany the Nisqually Glacier.
Trail reality . . . we definitely weren’t alone. Funny this viewpoint is of the Goat Rock wilderness where Joan had hiked the PCT the previous week (link), and where I’ve hiked two times previously.
I was thrilled to find Sky Pilots (Jacob’s Ladder).
Water water everywhere, fields of green and loads of floral color.
This was my third day in a row to hike. I was beyond excited about my performance and recovery.
DATE(S) HIKED: July 25, 2021
RESOURCES:
Other Jaunts in Washington (link) including the Wonderland Trail (link)
Jan's Jaunts and Jabberings 