Inter GlacierRecent Trip Reports
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Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming | Fall foliage
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Arriving at the White River campground (4200') at 7am found the climbers parking lot virtually empty giving notice summer is...
Arriving at the White River campground (4200') at 7am found the climbers parking lot virtually empty giving notice summer is just about over. The lower part of the trail up to Glacier Basin that was seriously damaged from the past floods is well marked with yellow tape. Just need to keep your eyes open. The cloudless sky was full of the morning sun shadows providing sharp beautiful view of the top of Rainier. I arrived at Glacier Basin (5970') at about 8:30am and found only a few campers with plenty of open campsites. The bugs were super light due to the cool nights.
The rest of the way up to the bottom of Inter Glacier was dry and hot in the open until I got right above the Wedge at about 6300' when the cold air coming off the glacier started picking up to add a light refreshing breeze. On approach the glacier was icy, dirty with vertical cuts where the water was cutting down into the glacier. Although I was watching and listening for rockfall I didn't see anything until I got to the bottom of the glacier (7158') when I started hearing golf ball and baseball size rocks zinging and landing around me. Looking up I could see every couple of minutes rocks quietly bouncing down the face, including the center. Without a helmet I beat a hasty retreat out of the dodgeball alley. Camp Schurman would have to wait until things cooled down and or they get some snow. The hike back down the trail found more folks coming up the trail but nothing like it had been three weeks prior. Go early and enjoy the solitude, views of mother nature at work, struggling wild flowers and a few signs of fall coming. Day hike
Issues:
Water on trail
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Sorry Sadie - Uncle Sam says ""No Dogs Allowed!"" Pretty narrowminded, but that's the way things are. A lovely...
Sorry Sadie - Uncle Sam says ""No Dogs Allowed!"" Pretty narrowminded, but that's the way things are. A lovely day for a run up to Interglacier. I hadn't been up that way since 2001 when I climbed Rainier from the Emmons Glacier side. The White River Campground was busy - but not full, which amazed me. I had taken some East Coast friends up to Sunrise about a week earlier and was shocked at how few cars there were in the lot at 10:00 a.m. I don't know if gas prices have everyone (especially the RV'ers) staying away or what - but the traffic and crowds really weren't that bad. We got to the Glacier Basin trailhead about 10:45 a.m. and made it to the Glacier Basin campground about 3.1 miles by 12:15 p.m. Stopped for a quick bite of lunch and then on up to Interglacier another mile or so farther up the trail. The conditions were perfect! We did see some Mountain Goats just below Mt. Ruth; and some deer; and traces of elk (certainly their smell was in evidence). A beautiful sunny day; the trail was clear of any snow (in fact, the snow is pretty pathetic for this time of year - when I did the summit of Rainier, we glissaded down Interglacier - there was no glissading today - snow was scrace and spotty with lots of rocks). A couple of the guys coming off Rainier who had summited said that the conditions were much better higher up, but that the Ranger feared there was maybe one good week left for climbing for this season. There is a little water here and there on the trail, but nothing serious - no heavy mud bogs. And, mercifully, the bugs were minimal - although they still seemed mighty hungry. DEET is in order. Sadie missed a nice hike - but she was resting comfortably at home planning her next big adventure! |
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