Palisades, Little Ranger Peak via Ranger Creek — Tuesday, May. 22, 2007

Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410

Did a loop up the Palisades Trail #1198 to Little Ranger Peak, then NE on the ridge to the shelter and down the Ranger Creek trail #1197. Then we took the trail that parallels hwy 410 (didn't get the number) back to the car. It took about 7.5 hours to complete the loop. Was pretty tired when we got back to the car. Trails are in good shape except for several blowdowns, especially on the Ranger Creek Trail, some of which were over 2 feet in diameter. There was also one large tree near the top of the Ranger Creek trail that was uprooted next to the trail and took the trail with it. Nothing we couldn't get over, under or around, but some that were challenging! Ran into patches of snow starting about 4800 feet on the Palisades trail. Some of the patches were a couple of feet deep, but soft enough for decent footing. I think I figured out the confusion with the sign that Dave H reported last year, although it still doesn't make sense. A short ways up the Palisades trail there is a sign that says 6.6 miles to the junction with the Ranger Creek trail (which is nearly a mile past the peak), and 7 miles to the peak. On the other side of the mountain, near the bottom of the Ranger Creek trail there is a sign that says 4+ miles to the junction with the Palisades trail and 2.6 miles to Little Ranger Peak. Having just come down that trail I knew there was no peak on it, but there is a ridge that extends S of Little Ranger Peak. The point where the trail makes a sharp switchback on the top of that ridge, at about 4100 feet, happens to match up pretty close to the mileage on the signs to Ranger Peak. Also, if I do a search on my TOPO! map for Little Ranger Peak, it points to that spot, even though the peak seems to be labeled correctly on the USGS map. The question is, why would anyone think that is the peak? Dave H did a good job of describing the Palisades trail and getting to the summit. The Ranger Creek trail goes through some nice forest, but no views. It is probably a pretty easy trail to go up because it is not steep, but I would have liked it to go down a little faster because my feet were getting sore from the long hike. Didn't see anyone else on the trail all day. That is the advantage of being retired and hiking on weekdays!