Summerland trail

I drove up on Friday evening with Anja to La Wis Wis campground, on the outskirts of Mt. Rainier National Park. We met up with Adrienne, Jenny, Casady, Kristi, Maryan, and Allison to camp overnight and head out early for a day hike in Rainier -- the Summerland portion of the Wonderland trail, to the Panhandle gap. It was 12 miles, 3000 ft of elevation gain. The trail was beautiful; the first portion in a classic PNW forest, full of huge trees and moss, gently graded. The second portion was through alpine wildflower meadows, with Rainier above us. The third section was rocky and exposed, with snow in spots and glacial streams. From the Panhandle gap you could see south to Mt. Adams and the Wonderland trail heading onwards (it circumnavigates the mountain and is 90 miles long). We ate lunch and admired the view, the marmots, and the mountain goats, and then retraced our steps. Such a beautiful landscape with great company -- 

 

The view toward Mt. Adams, from the Panhandle gap. Anja and I went a little farther along on the trail, past the gap, in order to get closer to the mountain goats that were stretched out across the snowfield in front of us. The photo below is back at the gap where we sat for lunch.

This marmot visited us at lunch. And a few last photos on the way back down the mountain.

Edited to add some photos from friends: