Tatoosh Peak

[cfm]

Tatoosh Peak is the namesake peak in the Tatoosh Wilderness, just south of Mount Rainier. The Tatoosh trail is about 9 miles long and there are two trailheads, so you could do this as a shuttle hike. Most people use the north trailhead off FS 52, it's a shorter hike with the Tatoosh Lakes as their final destination. I started at the south trailhead, near Packwood. There were no cars in the lot on Sunday, and none when I returned the next day. Did not see another human on my 30 hour trip.

Opening photo

The trail starts on an old road and rises gently for the first mile or so. After you cross Hinkle Tinkle Creek and a collapsed cabin, it gets steeper, but there are switchbacks to ease your suffering. This is an old pack trail for the former fire lookout tower on Tatoosh Peak.

After a long climb, you near the terminus of the Tatoosh Ridgeline at 5000 ft and pass a turnoff for Butter Peak. Now begins a lovely rolling trip through subalpine meadows and forest. Views to the east and south open up, while the cliffs of the ridge and steep hanging meadows loom over your western shoulder.

This is the Schneider springs fire, in the William O Douglas Wilderness. The smoke seemed to be blowing eastward, and skies were clear in the Tatoosh:

You walk along a mile of hanging meadows filled with hippies on a stick, must have been incredible in full bloom. Huckleberries are ripe, but collecting them is forbidden here.

Tatoosh ahead

After ? miles of hiking and a 4000 foot gain, you reach the summit, with a mighty fine view!

Goat Rocks to the south and I think that's Packwood Lake:

My plan was to camp near the unnamed partially frozen tarn below the peak, but getting down there was a little sketchy with a full overnight pack.

Found a pretty good tent site:

Summer was still going strong here on the NE side of the peak. I woke up in clouds and Rainier was hiding, but I explored all around the next morning. Just loved the rock gardens, mossy seeps and glacier scoured bedrock. So dreamy! Finally packed up and headed down the hill.

My tent is over there by the trees:

[Bosterson]

Neat, Jen! I haven't been back to Tatoosh since going 12 years ago - hopefully it is still not a busy place. Martha Hardy's book "Tatoosh," about her time in the old fire lookout up there, is a good read.

We were there in late Aug 2009 - flowers were quite nice.

[Aimless]

hopefully it is still not a busy place.

Any hike with over 4000 feet of elevation gain is going to keep out the riffraff.

Amazing photos. I'd love to get up there before it's out of my abilities, but I'm not sure if that day hasn't already passed. 3000 ft. eg is getting to be plenty hard with an overnight load, even one that's stripped down to the bare essentials.

[bobcat]

Beautiful! I need to add it to the wish list.

"hippies on a stick" - that's a new one on me.

[johnspeth]

After 8 miles of hiking and a 4000 foot gain, you reach the summit, with a mighty fine view!

8 miles seems wrong. I think it's about 5 miles if you stick to the trail. That's 3 fewer miles to enjoy the hike.

[cfm]

Well maybe Gaia is wrong. I think it took me about 5 1/2 hours to get to the summit. I guess I'm just slow.