Even though we left plenty early, we were a bit delayed by roadwork and were worried that we may not get one of the limited parking spaces. There were plenty left, almost all of them in fact, and we wondered where several hundred hikers per day parked on nice summer weekends.
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| Me and my shadow. |
The first two-thirds of the 4.2 miles is mostly in the trees, with occasional views of The Mountain. For that time, we were the only two hikers per this nice summer weekday.
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| Merten’s Coralroot Orchid |
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| Trip-trapping over a bridge. |
Soon after this crossing over Fryingpan Creek, the landscape started to change and open up, and the trail narrowed, and that undoubtedly makes it difficult for several hundred hikers per day to maneuver around one another. Not far past this crossing, we finally did encounter other hikers making their way down.
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| Single file, please. |
There were several hundred wildflowers, though. The trail steepened on the approach to Summerland with patches of snow to kick across in the shady sections.
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| Summerland meadow. |
After a series of switchbacks, the trail opened up into Summerland’s meadow, group shelter, “facilities,” and views galore.
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| Golden-mantled ground squirrel |
I had hoped to catch a glimpse of some mountain goats, but none were available for a photo-session. Other critters were more accommodating.
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| Walking into Wonderland |
We pushed on a bit past Summerland, thinking we might add another mile or so, on what becomes the Wonderland Trail, a 93-mile trail that circumnavigates Rainier. TBG hiked it when he was 15, over the course of ten days. Taking it in small bites is the only way that interests me.
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| Through-hikers traversing a snow field. |
We didn’t get much further because further required crossing some large snowfields, and we weren’t in the mood for post-holing or sliding beneath the snow into the rushing run-off. We met up with a group of five hikers from the East Coast who had no such qualms and for whom we took some photos.
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| Our lunchtime view. |
Now why, you may ask, would we choose the above for our lunchtime view?
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| Do you see it? |
A glissading marmot!
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| Hoary marmot. |
If this chubby thing hadn’t been doing its own snowfield traversing, we never would’ve seen it.
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| Day hikers only. |
After a nice break sitting on top of a warm rock, chatting with other hikers, watching the marmots, and letting our backs dry off in the sun, we packed up to move out.
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| Tip-toeing past a sleepy marmot. |
Only a few minutes after we started back, a fearless furry friend ambled up onto this rock and immediately flattened itself in the sun. We moved very slowly past, but it didn’t seem at all concerned with our proximity. On the way down, we encountered many other hikers, some from a YMCA retiree group, some from the Youth Conservation Corps hard at work doing trail maintenance, some recent transplants again from the East Coast, and a group of four young hikers from the Houston area who were very grateful that we shared our bug spray, and one of whom squealed with delight when I informed them of the marmot activity.
Like the beginning of our hike, we had most of the forested section of the trail to ourselves, and we were surprised to see there were still parking spaces available in the lot. Don’t worry, hundreds of other hikers per day, we left a view or two for you.
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| Just as pretty on a Wednesday. |