The trail to Owyhigh lakes is in MRNP perfect shape.One blowdown close to TH ,the rest to the lakes is smooth sailing. .3 miles passed the lakes at a meadow take right and start climbing more steeply.This boothpath will take you all the way up to the summit.Trail might be hard to follow in upper part of meadow,then aim for the nice green saddle and you will hook up with the summit trail again,Last part follows ridge to top. The hardest part was to put the backpack back on and leave this lovely place on a picture perfect day.2 other hikers at summit.

Route: a SSE traverse of the ridge containing Tamanos Mtn ending at Owyhigh Lakes. Snow conditions: good; continuous snow from about 5000' to summit (except for rocky areas within a couple of hundred vertical feet of summit). Windfall: a bit. Trip planning & route determination: Ish. Companions: Ish & Amy.

This is a scramble that was recommended to us a couple of years ago by Hiker Jim, and it was a great choice for today. The first 3.5 miles to Owyhigh Lakes (more like big ponds) goes very quickly. From the lakes there are two easy ways to the summit of Tamamos. Approximately .3 miles South of the lakes is a good boot trail which takes you all the way to the summit block. This was our descent route. But on the way up we chose the route in the ""Beckey Guide"". From the lakes we headed west up an open slope, then contoured up and southerly. There was a faint boot path occasionally. About 2/3 of the way up we crossed the well used path that starts south of the lakes, and followed that northwesterly to a saddle, then northerly to the rocky summit. The final 30 feet is an easy scramble on good rock. Last weekend when we were at Mt. Adams the visibility was terrible, but today we could see all the way to Mt. Hood, Mt. Stuart, and Three Fingers. This is a nice trip, and would make a fine early season snow scramble.

Went for a hike on an exceptionally warm day to Owyhigh Lakes with the intention of visiting the lakes and climbing Barrier Peak. The trail up from White River Road is national park perfect, climbing slowly through forest and entering the Shaw Creek Valley. Soon openings appear in the forest, providing views of peaks and flowers. Approaching the lake the mosquito population increased dramatically, the hot morning with no wind seemed to further motivate the biting insects. Their numbers thinned higher up, but we were always followed to an extent. We headed to the notch in Governors Ridge just north of Barrier Peak, leaving the trail just before the lake. Up through forest steep at times the notch in the ridge appears. After climbing the steep loose rock the notch is reached, and more loose rock appears. The steep east faces with loose rock (which by now was very hot to the touch and hard to hold onto, when a good handhold could be found) was enough of a deterrent to us that we turned back. Returning to the the lakes (it is easier to return to the trail on the south side of the lakes, not the way we went in) we purified some water to refresh, and decided to summit Tamaros Mountain on the west side of the valley. We headed up from the main trail from near the very shallow saddle west of Barrier Peak. The way is open and easy to follow. A boot path appears (perhaps 100 yards from the main trail) goes up a while, then evaporates in another meadow. Reaching the ridge a fine view of Mt Rainier appears, improving only slightly at the summit at the high north end of the ridge. Nice views abounded, and near solitude as well on the sunny Sunday (saw only three people all day, on the main trail only). All in all a nice trip, but if views of the mountain are your goal you will do better at crowded Burroughs Mountain, or more lonely Goat Island.

Owyhigh Lakes / Tamanos Mountain Sunday, May 30, 2004 Thanks to the ever enterprising National Park Service deciding that Memorial Day weekend might be as good a chance as any to con tourists and other water-logged campers looking for a warm car ride out of $10 to see the White River Campground while the picnic tables remain standing on end, the White River entrance off of Hwy 410 was open. This allows an easy drive to the parking area rather than the walk, bike or roller-blade required just a week ago. The road up to Sunrise beyond the campground intersection remains gated. At least the NPS is putting the early season tourist dollars to good use as the trail crews have already cleared all of this season’s blow-downs up to approximately 5,200 feet, where at least one remains before the lakes. The trail was in excellent shape and the old growth, now one year older, looks as majestic as ever. We did not see evidence of other hikers above the last cleared blow-down. The trail is completely snow-free until approximately 5,100 feet where it becomes about 50% snow covered until the just past the last switchback. From here on up we were on 100% snow and followed a set of large cougar tracks in the fresh surface snow. All of the bridges are in good shape and the creek crossing log is melted-out and looks to have survived the winter. Up in the basin, the Owyhigh Lakes were just starting to melt out, and soon will be reflecting the majesty of the Governor’s Ridge spires which loom above to the east. We continued on skis and snowshoes past the lakes to the saddle and then carefully worked our way up to the low spot on the ridge as the skies parted and we enjoyed beautiful blue sky and sun. It was fun to see a solitary set of goat tracks climbing the same snowy slope. From the saddle, we climbed the ridge to the rocky summit and enjoyed great views back toward Governor’s Ridge as well as over to Goat Island Mountain and Summerland. Sporadically we were blessed with the thunderous roar of rock and ice fall coming from the direction of the Sarvant Glaciers, and in once instance could watch as the wet surface snow poured down the slope and over the rocks far below. Those of us on skis made quick work of the 1,500’ of Tamanos’ SE facing bowl and we soon re-grouped back down at the lakes. All too soon we were back on dirt where the nearly perfect grade of this trail kept the knees happy all the way back to the truck which set lonely in the parking area. We all concluded it was a great way to spend Memorial Day Sunday and we had it all to ourselves. Happy Trails! Donald Larkin Trail Team “Wooooooo, Hooooooo!”