White River to Sunrise, Burroughs Mountain & Glacier Basin — Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2015

Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River

We started from White River Campground and ascended to the Sunrise area on the Wonderland Trail, which is in great condition. We then followed the Shadow Lake trail up to Frozen Lake before climbing up First and Second Burroughs. There was a bit of snow on the trail leading to Second Burroughs, but it was easy to cross, and it's probably gone by now anyway (writing this report two days after the hike). After lunch at Second Burroughs, we descended to the junction with the path to Third Burroughs. Since the mountain was not out, we opted to pass on Third Burroughs and descend to the Glacier Basin trail. The trail down is steep, rough, and rocky; sturdy boots and poles were helpful. About halfway down, we stopped to give our knees a break and to observe a herd of mountain goats on the hillside above us. The Glacier Basin trail, with its gentle grade and soft tread, was a sight for sore eyes when we finally arrived there. The last three miles were a breeze. We estimated the loop to be around ten miles with about 3500 feet of elevation gain. We saw surprisingly few other hikers.