It rained all week---but my day was today and the good Lord brought out the sun! Gary and I were amazed as we made the haul up the road to Sunrise in Mount Rainier National Park to see nothing…but blue sky and a huge mountain staring at us! While I missed sunrise on the mountain this week compared to my luck last weekend it still was stunning. And what a difference only SIX days makes. Last Saturday it was so hot. Well fall is zipping in on us in a hurry at Sunrise. It was bitter cold up there at 6300’ even in the sun at 10am. A cold breeze blowing and it wasn’t above 45 degrees outside. Still wore shorts however! But my hands and ears were COLD the first ½ hour. The other huge change: where was the smoke? Six days ago from Sun Top Mountain the north portion of the national park was a plume of smoke from the Redstone Mountain fire. Apparently as many buckets of rain fell here as did in Fall City this week as there was absolutely no smoke visible today! From atop Skyscraper Mountain you could see the burned areas across the West Fork White River valley below us. You could even smell the smell of burnt wood when the wind blew right. But no visible smoke was seen. Thus the area was crisp and beautiful in all directions. Mount Fremont was towering to the east and Berkley Park below us is gorgeous. And of course Grand Park…how I love Grand Park to the south. From up there the place looked like an airport runway could be there it is so flat! The ice patterns on Mount Rainier were lovely and very photogenic today from that side of the mountain---bright glare of the sunlight reflecting off of the ice. It sure looked like the upper half of the mountain finally got fresh snow to whiten it up again this week. Hoary marmots, one of my favorite critters, were the most active I have ever in my life seen them. Fall is such a great time to see them as they were SO active in eating and wow, are they fat plump rascals now! One was so huge it could only lay in the heather like a whale and watch me walk by 20’ away. From the start of the Wonderland Trail to Skyscraper Pass…about 3.4 miles…we saw no fewer than 17 of them! One family unit was amazing with two little ones! They were very bashful today and I was unsuccessful in shooting any of those little guys…with the camera you nut. Saw active squirrels around Frozen Lake and by Berkley Park in masses—golden mantled squirrels I think they were but I’m not 100% sure at the moment. I had high hopes of seeing ptarmigans today but no luck. They do favor the higher ridges of Fremont and Burroughts Mountains which I didn’t visit today so hopefully others had more luck. Raptors were heavily concentrated over the area and one appeared to be a lovely golden eagle—watch out marmots! Clark’s nutcrackers were flying about over the ridges and calling in earnest. Finally, just when leaving the 7078’ summit of Skyscraper Mountain, a mama mountain goat and her young kid appeared on the ridge north of the summit from me. Even at the vast distance between us they were very intently watching my actions. Gentians, asters, white yarrow, and pussytoes were blooming still in areas. One single red paintbrush flower was still in bloom too, holding on to the last bites of summer.

As one of the other reports mentioned, the numbers really drop off once you pass Frozen Lake. We started up the Burroughs Mtn trail, but didn't feel like traversing the steep snow slopes with my 7-month-old son on my back. We turned around and set our sights on Skyscraper Mountain instead. The trail from Frozen Lake is lovely as it passes through alpine meadows. At the pass we left the trail and hiked the last 300 feet to the summit on a well-defined path. We passed four others coming down near the top and had a solo hiker join us while we enjoyed the views. My son did great on this hike and seemed to enjoy the views from the top. The insects were minimal, though the sun was pretty intense. We'll definitely head back for more alpine meadow hiking later this year.

After years of wanting to, I finally hiked the Wonderland Trail July 20-July 31. Our group of six stayed at Mowich, Ipsut, Mystic Lake, Sunrise, Summerland, Indian Bar, Nickel Creek, Longmire Lodge, Devil’s Dream, South Puyallup and Golden Lakes. We unanimously anointed Summerland and Indian Bar the best camps because they were in the high country; so many of the camps were down in the trees, dark and nasty. Devil’s Dream’s masses of mosquitoes drove everyone there into their tents. Significant trail notes follow. At Panhandle Gap there is about 100 feet of booted trail on moderately steep snow above rock. Those with poles or ice axes feel a lot safer. With warm weather and high water the bridge over the White River at the campground ended twenty feet before the river crossing, making travel difficult across slippery rocks to cross, and extremely difficult for children and anyone without a pole or other support. On the south fork of Mowich River only one of three bridges remains, requiring at least a calf-high wade, which is done best in the early morning. Overall, the trail is not well maintained, with few new water bars or repaired bridges. The south and west sides of the trail have not been brushed for perhaps five years. We saw no trail maintenance activity during the entire eleven days except for one crew that had cut three small blow downs with a chainsaw near Moraine Park, and there was evidence of work on a culvert near South Puyallup. If the Park has 2,000,000 visitors a year, and charges a $10/car/day fee, one wonders what money has been allocated to trail maintenance.

My first ""official"" day of unemployment and what did I do? Hiking of course! My friend, Dick, invited me along with a few others to hike to Skyscaper Mountain. We started from the Sunrise parking lot at 10 a.m. It was already hot. The path to Skyscaper Pass isn't difficult, but the altitude always gets me. It was nice to be at Sunrise on a weekday...we didn't run into very many people along the way. You take the trail from Sunrise towards frozen lake. Take the middle trail like you are heading towards Berkely Park, but stay left at the next junction. This is the wonderland trail. The trail starts to lose elevation then starts back up. The heat was intense but we made a steady attempt. By the time we got to the pass, I decided not to attempt the hike up to Skyscraper Mountain (trail is unofficial and not on the maps) and the scramble to the top. I was satisfied with the views from the pass and new I would be too tired to make it to the top and hike back in this heat. The rest of the group made it to Skyscraper Mountain. Their report was ""great views...lots of bugs."" I practiced my orienteering skills with my map and compass while they enjoyed the climb. When they returned to the pass, they were visibly tired. The hike back to Sunrise was hot. The flowers are past their prime, but there are areas where the flowers are in full bloom. Marmots were out playing. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. We had views of Mt Stuart, Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak and Adams. Returned to the vehicle at 4:30.

A later than usual start found us arriving at the Sunrise Parking Lot with what appeared to be a majority of the Puget Sound population. We lucked out with parking and quickly made for the trail as those formerly ahead and behind of us on the drive up wound their way around and around the parking lot -- at least the view is good. Once past Frozen Lake, the congestion eased and the reliable Berkeley Park breeze provided relief from the hot sun. The trail is in good condition, and the bulk of hikers seemed evenly split between the Burroughs Trail, Fremont Lookout and Berkeley Park. After the ""Y"" where the trail drops abruptly into Berkeley Park, we were virtually alone until we reached Skyscraper Pass. The flowers seem to have already peaked but the occasional paintbrush and lupine are still beautiful set against the crumbling backdrop of the Burroughs or the oasis like expanse of Berkeley Park. We were treated here to a very nice whistle demonstration put on by the local marmot population. We were lucky enough to ascend Skyscraper Mtn just as two groups of six or eight descended. We arrived on top (7,078') and enjoyed lunch and the views all to ourselves (with the exception of many flies). Grand Park appeared to float to the north while the West Fork White River poured from the Winthrop Glacier below us. A large rockfall just below us and the accompanying dust cloud served to remind us that these hills are always changing. We hoped that it may have been triggered by goats but never saw any. A quick descent and an enjoyable hike back to Sunrise in time for an evening drive down Hwy 410 brought an end to yet another enjoyable day ""up the hill"". May your boots be as dusty as ours! 2/3's Donald Larkin Trail Team