9/6/17

The White River entrance to Mt Rainier National Park is closed because of the Norse Peak fires.

https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/white-river-closure.htm

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5509/

(Ignore bug/snow/trail conditions info. I was unable to post unless I plugged something into those menus.)

After working on a WTA trail party all day, I decided to hike from Sunrise Visitors Center down the Wonderland trail 2.6 miles to the White River Camp Ground.

Past two ladies on their way up the trail who wanted to know how much further they had until the Sunrise Camp Ground, they were almost there as I met them on my first switch back.

On the way down the trail right after the first (dry) waterfall the trail goes up about 10 feet and the trail is then a little sketchy with dry sand/dirt and a narrow trail with a good drop-off on one side.

The trail is in great condition, but with the little rain we've had this summer the trail was a little rough going down due too the trail bed being what it is. The trail crosses the creeks that run through the "loop A" portion of the camp ground a few times. 

All in all this is a well maintainted/ well traveled trail. I would highly suggest treking poles for either up or down, and if you have bad knees a knee brace as well.

Easy 2.6 miles on the wonderland trail and then .5 on the Sunrise Rim to the visitors center. No real views of the mountain through the trees. 

Road to white river cg all clear. Headed up to Sunrise. First 1/2 mile relatively snow free. Next 1/2 mile was mix of trail and snow. The rest of the way is not for navigationally challenged. Party of 3 with 2 gps helps. As you ascend the normal signs, cut logs etc., Of trail disappeared. Once we reached the waterfall crossing g it was pure willpower. The crossing g was still a good snow field - safe crossing, but traction a must. No evidence of anyone having attempted the Ascent nor at sunrise yet, which made for a great experience. Once across the falls shoot we just navigated our way through tree Wells with the GPS and eventually made it to the parking lot area. Beautiful day. About 90 inches of snow reading on the gages. Est. About another 1-2 weeks before the falls passing will be unsafe until melt out. 

I got a late start on Saturday and figured that I would scout out this trail in the hopes of night hiking the next morning and reaching Sunrise to photograph stars and the sunrise.

I am SO glad that I scouted this out first in daylight before attempting it at night. The first couple of switchbacks are mostly clear and then become completely snow-covered. Never having hiked this trail before, I pulled out the trust GPS and basically cut a straightish line up the hill to where I might find the next switchback. Somewhere along here, I put on the snowshoes due to postholing and lost my hat. After a bit, I stumbled across the next switchback, but then lost it after about ten minutes of hiking. 

Shortly after that, with the guidance of my GPS, I navigating my way towards where the trail should have been. I stayed pretty close to it, though at one point I ended up hiking up a ravine, which was all sorts of fun to climb out of. After this, I wandered in the direction of where the trail should be. I came across one little "1 mile" marker on a tree and that was the last I saw of anything that resembled a trail. 

Unable to find the trail and, therefore, cross the stream that really needed to be crossed, I figured that I would try to just climb up the ridge. I was only about 150 vertical feet below the Sunrise Rim trail. After removing the snowshoes and kicking in steps on a thin section of snow, and then having the whole section with me on it slide down about fifteen feet, I decided to choose life. 

The summary here is that I don't recommend hiking to Sunrise via this trail for at least another two weeks, at which point the road will probably be open.