THE HIKE. Quite wonderful, even with the vast fields of flowers now done. Still some color. The segment on the Owyhigh Lakes Trail flies by on great tread and kind slope. On the path from there up, you earn your views. Some steep slippery segments, not a problem with poles. The local views and variety going up are lovely; the emergence of Rainier as the saddle is achieved should put a smile on anyone's face. Reaching the initial (false) summit, I just relaxed and enjoyed for an hour and a half. Then checked out the scramble to the true summit, and decided to skip it.
DATA. On this lovely Thursday, on the trail I saw just one person all day, a hiker coming down as I went up. Including my car: 4 cars in the Owyhigh Lakes TH lot at 9:30 am, 2 cars at 5:30 pm. (Does everyone know you no longer need a permit to enter at Sunrise on weekdays?)
WATER. For water, one of the under-bridge streamlets about 2 miles in looked adequate, or, you could take a path to Owyhigh Lake from the trail. Tamanos Creek was dry below the bridge crossing over it.
STATS per GAIA. 9.75 miles, to 6730' from 3811'.
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