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| Backpack | 20.50 Miles |
5,512 AEG |
| | Backpack | 20.50 Miles | 3 Days | | |
| 5,512 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | Annual backpacking trip with my sister and niece.
We had read a description that called this trail "the loneliest trail in Mt Rainier NP," and that was certainly accurate. We saw zero people until mid-day on the second day, when we met two very sweet park volunteers.
From the unsigned trailhead, this trail traveled through old growth forest, generally paralleling Huckleberry Creek and crossing numerous feeder streams and boggy spots via footlogs. Crossing the Park Service boundary, we quickly reached an abandoned ranger cabin. Surprisingly, no falling tree has yet crushed the roof, but it's surely a matter of time. After entering the park, the trail climbed continuously, although gently, at the same time becoming less and less defined. Certainly, there were no discernible human footprints, and the trail was quite overgrown in spots. We continued parallel to Huckleberry Creek, climbing higher and higher above the water. Eventually, we hit some switchbacks that lead away from Huckleberry Creek for the final push up to camp.
I hiked in a bit of a stunned silence - so many trees, so much green! We were able to pick ripe huckleberries and salmonberries along the trail. A few flowers were going - pinesap, western coralroot, twinflower, monkeyflower. But, we were really looking forward to the flowers once we climbed out of the forest into the sub-alpine meadows. Camp that night was Forest Lake, which has only one site complete with bear pole.
The second day, we hiked up to the sub-alpine meadows along and below the Sourdough Ridge. Great timing, as the wildflower show was close to peak. Just hung out for the day enjoying the flowers and a few patches of snow. Camped back down at Forest Lake again.
Hike out was also enjoyable. Didn't realize how much we had climbed up on the first day until we hiked down it on the last day. Arrived back at the trailhead just in time to see our ride pull up.
Overall great trip. We were very lucky to have 3 days in a row of beautiful sun at Mt Rainier.  |
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Wildflowers Observation Extreme
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Ada Creek |
Medium flow |
Medium flow |
| | | Foot-log crossing in good condition. |
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Huckleberry Creek |
Medium flow |
Medium flow |
| | | Good flow. Snow that feeds the creek is still melting. |
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Josephine Creek |
Medium flow |
Medium flow |
| | | Foot-log crossing in good condition. |
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Lost Creek |
Medium flow |
Medium flow |
| | | Foot-log crossing in good condition. | | _____________________
| "Let it ride / Let it roll / Let it go" |
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