Owyhigh Lakes, Tamanos Mountain — Saturday, Sep. 12, 2015

Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River

I don't write a lot of reports and the park service probably hates for anyone to spark any intrest in this undiscovered gem but take your kids, take your mother-in-law to Owyhigh(OH WE HIGH) (At least thats what I think it's called) The trail is so NOT steep and the surface is so soft and relatively rock and root free that it is a very quick and easy 3 mile hike to Tamanos Creek Camp(4 sites) Then the trail to the lakes is absolutely flat. Set in a large meadow surrounded by tall sharp peaks, the lakes are small but the whole setting is very spectacular with a good amount of wildlife AND probably best of all, so few people. I saw maybe a dozen in two days. Just beyond the lakes is a trail that goes up Tamanos mountain. The trail is very steep and water eroded but it only takes about 45 minutes to get up to a saddle that has the most amazing top to bottom view of Rainier from just a little different angle. The breakup of the emmons glacier from our heatwave is amazing, just looks like continous crevasses on the route I used the one time I climbed it. Tamanos has a little lake if you need water. The non-Rainier views are also great from there. Once back down on the main trail you can follow the east side trail to Ohanapacosh passing more and more of these meadow areas with little lakes(I could see many from Tamanos) Judging from the scat everywhere I'm guessing the wildlife like the lack of people as much I did. Anyway, for a lot of reasons I was very taken by this easy to get to and very rewarding overnight trip. Sorry didn't take my camera. ps: There is supposed to be a spring near the group campsite but a casual search didn't find it. The Lakes are really only the real source of water. Campsite #3 is the best.