Summerland - Mt Rainier 9.12.15

[miah66]

I have a permit for this weekend at Rainier (not Summerland) and the forecast is not nearly as good.

I thought the weekend forecast was going to be nice?

[Get Out Backpacking]

Yeah! That section of the Wonderland is a magical place, I agree. After a Fall trip around the mountain a few years back, I was bowled over. Ohh, Golden Lakes and Klapatche Park also had splendid Fall colors too.

[miah66]

Yeah! That section of the Wonderland is a magical place, I agree. After a Fall trip around the mountain a few years back, I was bowled over. Ohh, Golden Lakes and Klapatche Park also had splendid Fall colors too.

This was actually my first hiking anywhere in Rainier (aside from Paradise & Indian Bar) so those are some places I'd like to go as well.

Wish List:

Klapatche Park
Spray Park
Grand Park
Indian Henry's
Burroughs Mtn
Owyhigh Lakes
Golden lakes
Mystic Lake
What am I missing?

[drm]

I have a permit for this weekend at Rainier (not Summerland) and the forecast is not nearly as good.

I thought the weekend forecast was going to be nice?

A little ways north seems to really affect the forecast. Adams forecast is a lot drier than Rainier and Hood is even drier.

Wish List:

Klapatche Park

Aurora Lake at Klapatche Park has reportedly dried up. Best to save that for another wetter time to get the famous reflection. Grand Park would probably be best for fall color. All on your list are good, though Indian Henry's is the only of them I haven't been to (priority for 2016). But the 800 pound gorilla you're missing is Indian Bar. It's the next place south of Summerland and on any top 5 camps for Rainier. Burroughs is one of the best dayhikes in the entire park IMO (you gotta go to the 3rd summit) for views and alpine terrain, but there is no camping anywhere on it.

The view from my campsite in Indian Bar at the very end of September in 2012.

[miah66]

But the 800 pound gorilla you're missing is Indian Bar. It's the next place south of Summerland and on any top 5 camps for Rainier...The view from my campsite in Indian Bar at the very end of September in 2012.

I second that. That was actually my very first backpack in MRNP, taken back in Oct 2013. We scored a walkup permit and had the shelter to ourselves. There was already snow covering the trail on the approach in from Box Canyon, and we (rather haphazardly) made our way down into the valley on icy, snowy slopes. Not the smartest looking back. It was a great night, and the next morning the entire valley was filled with fog and it was intermittently sleeting; thankfully the new slush provided great and much needed traction for the climb out the next morning.

Let me know if you want to do Indian Henry's sometime next year.

[sttjones]

That was a great trip. Looking forward to good weather in October. I see the snow level is dropping down to 6000 feet again, which will freeze the wildflowers. I only saw one Monkeyflower at Summerland. I hiked a trail off Westside road Monday and the fall mushrooms were really sprouting. The warm weather this weekend will really make them pop. I saw some meadows where the ground was all torn up from the elk rutting. I heard one dashing off into the woods.

[leiavoia]

http://www.costanoa.com/

Looks nice, but that's camping? Maybe that was your point. There are many attractions to dayhiking, but I remain convinced that the full charm of the wilderness can only be experienced by spending the night.

Exactly.
I just can't sleep on the ground (or an air bed).
Never fails to end up a sleepless night.
Which leads to a dog tired day.
And not a very fun overall experience.

Considered a hammock?

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Nice TR. I hiked Summerland/Panhandle Gap a couple days before you were there. I saw a goat at the Gap. Another hiker saw 2 bears below Summerland, but I missed them.

I also hit Klapatchie Park. Aurora Lake isn't completely gone, but it is a murky mud puddle at this point. St. Andrews Lake also looked quite low.

The fall colors in Spray Park were phenomenal a week ago. There was more volume to Spray Falls than I expected. Again other hikers saw bears (above Spray Park in the expansive meadows/benches near Echo and Observation Rocks) but I didn't.

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8018214