Westside, Part V

Wonderland Trail, 8/26-30, 32 miles

Maybe we should have called this the "wetside" of the Wonderland. After several years of failed attempts on the westside of Rainier, we finally made it to Lake Mowich. Two years ago, we trekked from Longmire to Klapatche Park. Our plan had been to go all the way to Lake Mowich, but were chased off the mountain by snow still lingering in the trees and clinging on the slopes. Last year we were thwarted by the floods the winter before. So this year we planned to head up the Westside Road and hike into Klapatche Park from there to continue along our northward route.

Because of continued road repair, our trip started in the Glacier View Wilderness outside the park. It was a beautiful day as we made our way past Goat Lake and over Gobbler's Knob to Lake George. Amazingly, we were the only campers at the lake so we decided to take over the shelter and a good thing too. The weather began to turn and before the sun was completely down it started raining. It continued to rain off and on for the next 3 days. We were soaked, our gear was soaked, and our mood was soggy. I remembered stories from a friend who had attempted to hike the Wonderland but hiked out after he opened a ramen package and it was already wet.

As the rains settled in the 4th night, and after talking to the ranger who informed us that the freezing level would be dropping over the weekend, Michael & I came to the decision to call my sister for a pick-up at Lake Mowich. We had hoped to hike over to the Carbon River and back in a loop on days 6 & 7, but the fact that I was already sleeping in the emergency blanket in side the sleeping bag made it clear that wee should have come prepared for winter camping instead.

But that's not to say it was all misery. A break in the rain at Klapatche Park let us wander around the flower garden around Aurora Lake. We spotted moving white dots on the cliff face over the North Puyallup River and surmised they were Mountain Goats. During a patch of sun, I stepped over a fresh pile of purple bear poo only to have Michael stop me dead in my tracks by saying "Bear! On your right." She was just 30 feet away grazing on the plentiful berries and paying us no mind. And the relief as we finally gazed at Lake Mowich knowing we had finished our task.

Lunch On High

Burroughs Mountain 8/25/07 6 miles

Several years ago as Michael & I traveled along the wonderland trail we spied Burroughs Mountain not far from the Sunrise Visitor Center and vowed to return someday and hike up to the views we knew would be on the other side. After the office outing previously in the week, I thought this weekend might be a good time to head up.

The late flowers of summer were still hanging on to their last petals for the occasional bee that might fly by. They lined the trails and spotted the meadows with a bit of color. However, the first color of fall had begun to overshadow the yellows and purples of arnica and cascade aster. splashes of red enticed us around Frozen Lake to the junction with the Burroughs Mountain trail.

And then we passed into the Alpine Tundra zone of Burroughs Mountain - a fragile life zone that supports small plants, lichens, and the odd small mammal. The sign at the beginning of this life zone explained that this is similar to the Arctic Tundra life zone so to stay on the trail as a footstep will cause years of damage.

As we crested first Burroughs Mountain, we stopped to take in the sight and watch as more clouds built up around Emmons Glacier. The day had started out clear with the mountain gleaming in the sunlight, but as the morning progressed the clouds started building. As we reached the crest the top of the mountain was all but hidden. The clouds continued to drift past during our climb up to second Burroughs and our chosen lunch spot overlooking the Emmons Glacier and the White River.

One moment we could barely see the river below us as clouds obscured our view and frosted our fleece. Then the clouds seemed to part instantly to show us the hills across the valley if not the whole of Mt Rainier. After lunch and a visit from a local ground squirrel, we followed the trail on the other side of First Burroughs that led to Shadow Lake and back into the trees of the subalpine zone.

Tree Hugger

I admit it. I am a tree hugger. There's something rather comforting about putting your arms around the trunk of a big sturdy Douglas-Fir and inhaling deeply the (forgive me) woodsy and earth filled air. I know, this admission ranks me up there with the wacko environmentalists, but I can't help myself. OK, once in a while you get sap on your shirt or a splinter in your cheek - I generally see these as little kisses from nature.

However, hugging trees isn't just the strange desire to grab onto something strong. There have been several instances in my life where hugging a tree has eased my passage through the woods or flat out saved my from serious damage.

I often reminisce of the hike along the northern part of Mt Rainier Park's wonderland trail when a tree came in very handy for our progress. We came across one of the many washouts along the way. the trail cut uphill through the trees on a trail that mountain goats must have built. Our downhill descent wasn't any easier and at one point the trail made a sharp drop about 5 feet down. With a full pack and a steep downhill, I was a little hesitant on jumping. But was able to grab hold of the tree next to the trail. I hugged that tree as it helped me safely descend the cliff and was able to continue after a gentle pat at the base of the trunk.

Another trip on the wonderland trail found me crossing a steep snowfield. I lost my footing, but was able to reach out and grab a branch from a nearby sub-Alpine Fir. I hugged that branch with all my strength to save myself from a slippery descent into its brethren far below.

Yeah, I'm a tree hugger, but I think in my case it's quite justified.

I think I've been here before . . .

Rampart Ridge Loop 6/3/07 5 miles

Last year, Michael & I made yet another attempt at the westside section of the Wonderland Trail. We started out at Longmire and made our way up Rampart Ridge, slowly climbing through the trees with gravity and the extra weight of our packs pulling us back down the hill. Once we made it to the top of the ridge, we knew we were well on our way into our trip.

As the Nisqually entrance opened the previous month, I thought it might be a good trip to head back to the Rampart Ridge and continue on through the loop as it traveled the ridge and back down to the Longmire meadows.

Once we hit the trail, the feel of our previous trip flooded back into my mind - the slow pace up the hill, the gravity pulling us back, the trees stretching above our heads, the breeze slipping through the branches. I could also remember the sense of excitement of starting out on a new adventure. And here we were, at the top of the ridge. Instead of heading north, this time we turned west and sauntered along the ridgeline to fabulous views of Mt Rainier and Longmire Village with the Nisqually River, that was a raging torrent in November now a sliver through the rock connecting the two views.

I love hiking at Mt Rainier and look forward to a summer filled with mountain hikes.

Damaging Storms

Carbon River Road 1/28/07 & 3/10/07

After two months of watching and listening to the reports out of Mt Rainier, Michael & I decided to walk up the Carbon River Road to survey the damage ourselves. The damage begins 1 1/2 miles beyond the park entrance, wiping out the road to the point where rangers built trails around the damage. In January we had just reached the damaged section of road. I hopped up on the side of the road to snap a picture and hopped back to the road. However, my toe caught the lip of the road and I went down, hard. Rolling on the ice-cold road, my hopes of hiking this summer started to fade. What if I had really screwed up my knee? It took us two hours to find our way back to the car, hobbling along using Michael as a crutch. How could I have done this - on a road? I could have taken the pain if i wasn't so humiliated by my clumsiness. Luckily, no permanently serious damage happened to my knee. I'm not too sure I can say that about the Carbon River Road.

After several weeks of recuperation, Michael & I hit the road again. We passed the spot where I had fallen and just beyond that the stunning remnants of nature at her wildest. Rocks, trees, mud strewn about where the road we had just driven on a few months meandered through the trees. Now the road was itself a creek bed, water streaming through the rocks and around culverts that had once allowed the water under the road. They were now useless, some filled with mud, others yards from where they originally laid.

Sections of the road are still in good working condition, but others were ripped apart, showing the same signs of the storms that hit Mt Rainier in November. Trees, rocks, & mud lay across the road or a stream ran down the middle. By the time we reached Ipsut Creek Campground, we had crawled over logs, around root balls ripped from the ground, boulder hopped up the creek, slid through mud and marveled at the destructive force of nature. But we also knew that nature will be able to rebuild herself. How humanity can rebuild access to her beauty is another question. The road will not be open this year. The superintendent has promised Carbon River Road will re-open.

At this point, Michael & I are planning other hikes for the summer beyond Mt Rainier. Our quest to finish the Wonderland Trail will need to be put on hold - the park is not issuing back country permits for the wonderland this year. But there is hope; both the WTA & SCA will be coordinating volunteers to help rebuild the mountain and the other areas hit by the November storm. I plan on volunteering along with hundreds of other from around the world who have already promised their time and money.

Paradise to Longmire

I love hiking in the fall and this past weekend's camping trip gave me everything I look forward to when autumn finally arrives. Everything seems crisper in the fall: crisp air, crisp colors, crisp light. Even on drizzly days the light is of a timber that makes what is usual seem just a little extraordinary. Michael & I arrived at Mt Rainier Friday night and patiently (ok, maybe a little impatiently) waited for the rest of our camping buddies to show - my sister, Joannie & Bobby. Kristi finally arrived w/ her little muttley Joey after dark. Sadly, Joannie & Bobby arrived the next afternoon so missed the hike. We awoke to sprinkles in the air and anticipation in our steps.

Michael & I had been plugging away at the Wonderland Trail whenever we found some time & energy. This was to be a little 5 mile day hike from Paradise to Longmire, unlike the overnighters we had accomplished early on and are still planning. We caught the shuttle up to paradise and after a quick chat with the rangers, went looking for our trailhead at the far-end of the torn-up parking lot near the Inn. It wasn't long on the trail when we came across a meadow filled with blueberry bushes and paused for our first taste of alpine sweetness. Further down we came across the bumper-crop - bushes so full of berries just raking your fingers through the leaves would harvest a handful of tiny blue orbs of tart-sweetness. We half expected a bear to be munching along with us. We did, however spy a doe and two bucks resting in a meadow a little further down from the blueberry fields.

We began to follow the Paradise River down the mountain past a series of beautiful little waterfalls. Kristi & I kept stopping to take a picture of each one - we both love watching waterefalls. Michael & I had snowshoed this same trail and compared this experience to the previous one: it's quieter in the winter - less car noise & less water noise too, but the tree branches aren't slapping us in the face in the fall. Then came Narada Falls cascading in a horsetail over the cliff. After admiring Narada and dodging the tourists' lenses, we continued our descent through the woods. In the meadows, I had noticed the cascade asters and pearly everlasting remained in bloom. In the forest, many of the flowers were gone, but the green undergrowth still remained and and appeared richer at the end of the growing season rather than fading.

Lunch was eaten at Paradise River Camp that is very clean, but I assume rarely camped in, so close to Longmire. There were a few berries here lower in the forest and Kristi noted that the ones in the upper meadow were much sweeter. At some point, I stubded my toe and slowed my pace a little. It's the third hike in a row that I've done that. Maybe I should really watch where I put my feet, but sometimes the wonders around me keep me distracted. Even in a forest where your views are blocked by trees, I can find the growth and patterns of the trees fascinating. Or I'll be looking for the last remnants of the previous season, a sign that this season is in full swing, or an omen for the next. What I got was a talus slope across the river filled with oranges, reds & yellows of turning vine maples, one of the first plants to herald in autumn.

All too soon, we reached the Nisqually River and after crossing, meandered into our camp at CougerRock. A few hours later Joannie & Bobby showed up for a well-earned meal and a rousing game of Yahtzee. Michael & I are almost done with our Wonderland adventure. Next year we will come off the trail knowing we had accomplished something wonderful.