Hiked Mowich Lake Road from Paul Peak parking to trail head using the "shortcuts" this was uneventful, saw a doe and new fawn on road. Hike to spray park was challenging with full packs but was well-traveled and saw a few hikers out including a volunteer ranger name Flash. Heard a report of a bear near the upper spray park area but didn't encounter him. Flowers were beautiful and the mountain top came out just before we headed over the saddle towards Cataract Valley our planned stop for the night. There were a few small snow fields to cross but cairns/stacked stones were well spaced and easy to spot if you kept your eyes up. We lost light quickly as we descended, and the trail seemed longer than it should have been down to Cataract Valley camp but we made it and the trail was good in spite of a few creek crossings that took some figuring out. Cataract Valley camp was in good shape, the sites were a bit damp and the bugs were very active in the light of day but were not a bother at night. The compost toilets were in good shape, the enclosure could use some help though, there wasn't much privacy from there to site 6. The hike down from Cataract Valley to Carbon River was a mess. Wash-outs, over growth and a number of fallen trees on the trail. We skipped our plans to hike over Ipsut Pass and back to the car at the Paul Peak trailhead when we made friends with a group who gave us a ride from the Carbon River parking area.

No snow on road to gate, near Paul Peak trailhead. Snow cover starts just beyond gate. Around 12" of snow at Mowich Lake. Paul Peak trail clear of snow to just below Lake.

A gloriously beautiful day for a hike from Paul Peak trailhead to the South Mowich River and then on to the Golden Lakes along the Wonderland Trail. My 3rd edition of ""50 Hikes in MRNP"" says that's a 16 mile trek; the Park Service signs say 20 miles round trip. For the sake of my ego I'll opt to say 20 miles. The trail head has the most unusual wildlife warning I've ever seen, asking hikers to beware of a Goshawk agressively defending the area where the trail passes near her nest. Also the only wildlife warning I've ever had ""come true"" for me... I saw and heard no sign of the Goshawk in the morning during my hike in. In the evening (around 6:20 pm) on my way out, I had the awesome experience of being dived at about 10 times by the screaming Hawk. She started by screaming at me from a concealed location and eventually came swooping in at me from behind, flying just over my head and then up to a nearby branch, where she would watch, scream, and then swoop again. This went on for about 10 minutes. It is certainly intimidating, but the likelihood of the bird actually striking you is quite low, since the intent is to distract you and drive you away from the nest tree. Considering Goshawks (and Coopers and Sharpshins) are expert and normally completely silent hunters of birds in the woods, it was a privilege to see such a show. As to the trail... You will definitely be brushing against the brush, and not just with your legs, so be prepared if it's going to be wet at all. Between the river and the Golden Lakes you will find some trees over the trail. Several require a clamber over, one a short detour up hill and around, and one I found it easiest to take off my pack and shimmy under it. There is still snow on the trail, but it poses no problem in finding the route. All but one patch is after the switch backs in the woods, and none of them are big enough to keep you from easily finding the trail again. The Lakes themselves are partly melted out. There's a lot of snow in the camp area but at least two of the sites (4 and 5) are melted out and dry. Bugs were not a problem, but I imagine that another week or two of melt and they'll be out in force. From Golden Lakes I wanted to go on toward Sunset Park, but the trail was obscured by snow and I couldn't find it. I've never been to Golden lakes before, so someone who knows where the trail should be might find it. Also I was a bit pressed for time so didn't spend much time looking.

Spent about 7 hours walking in and out of the Mowich Valley twice. The trail is wide, smooth and gentle, mostly in the forest, but with some good views of Tahoma from a blowdown area 2 miles down the start of the trail, from the crossing area, and on the start of the ridge heading southeast towards Golden Lakes. Saw two parties on the trail and quite a few cars heading to Mowich Lake up the road. No bugs to speak of.

Take heart, there is some great snow-free hiking at Mount Rainier to be had in the Mowich access area. The Paul Peak trail is virtually completely free of blow-downs, those still around are easily gotten over. Trail work has been happening here in the past 1-2 weeks with great results to fixed tread and drainage. No snow at all at the Paul Peak trailhead nor along the trail, with trillium, palmate coltsfoot, calypso orchids, yellow violets, all dotting the forest floor. It sure is wonderful of the massive blow-down hillside event of 1-2 years back that created such a stunning open view from the Paul Peak trail as it decends to meet the Wonderland Trail--best views looking up the South Mowich River drainage in the park! Wonderland trail down then to the meeting of the North and South Mowich River crossings was through lush moss. The Wonderland trail disappears into the North Mowich River at the most amazing pile of fresh trees from the floods I've seen--the river undercut both shores and the trees just fell inward over the river channel, resulting in literally hundreds of possible trees to be chosen as the blessed sacred replacement for a footlog bridge for the park service to choose from (see photo). Rather than risk falling into the swift waters alone on this solo hike I roamed about the river channels of the North and South Mowich for the next 90 minutes. Found the previous footlog bridge about 200' downstream piled under a few trees, lots of fresh elk scat, and many peaceful photo opportunities. Then for the unusual treat of an uphill hike back to the trailhead. This is a very quiet hike to an area of the Wonderland that I'd guess is not used much by day hikers--and it is an area around the rivers that is very worth visiting after a terrific forest hike.