Spray Park
Last modified
Oct 26, 2009 10:01 PM
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Big Pants Trekkers
Entrance to Spray Park with Mount Rainier views. Photo by Thomas Sunderland.
In many ways, you never recover from your first walk into Spray Park. The trail isn't difficult to follow. It's just difficult to forget. The 3.5-mile walk leads to seemingly endless open meadows of heather and alpine blossoms that tease the nose, ease the mind, and tickle the imagination. The place is a virtual lily factory. The so-called park itself--actually a vast corridor of open meadows interspersed among rocky moraines, lingering snow patches, whistling marmots, and sun-basking hikers--is a wonder to behold in the summer, truly qualifying as one of Rainier's most magnificent day-hike destinations. Recent Trip Reports
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Spray Park
— Jul 28, 2009
— snowdog
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Water on trail | Snow on trail | Bugs
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We got a bit of a late start, arriving at Mowich Lake about 10:30am. Yes, it was hot, and yes,...
We got a bit of a late start, arriving at Mowich Lake about 10:30am. Yes, it was hot, and yes, the bugs were pesky- but aren't they everywhere at the moment?
We got to Spray Park in about an hour (3 miles) and the flowers were amazing & prolific! Just past Spray Park,on top of a ridge there is a spur trail that leads up between Echo Rock & Observation Rock. We chose to head up the snow (faster) and go around behind OR(to better sneak up on the summit), but encountered a bunch of red,crumbly pumice. Getting over that slowed us up a bit.(the red mixed with the gray granite was pretty though) We regained a snowslope & then scurried up to the top. The hot sun was producing a veritable symphony of rockfall from the glaciers directly above us- always nice to be watching & listening from a safe distance! We did enjoy a respite from bugs with a nice breeze and a bit of altitude. (about 8300') Heading down (good glissades, but bumpy with suncups on my tender derriere,) we noticed some dark, ominous clouds coming our way from the east- this put a bit more spring in our step. We drove home dreading the hot house that awaited , so we detoured to grab something to eat in an air-conditioned environment- putting off coming home until much later- house was still 87- ugh. Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
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Arriving at Mowich Lake parking lot shortly before 8 a.m., we found it about 1/2 full. (The road in...
Arriving at Mowich Lake parking lot shortly before 8 a.m., we found it about 1/2 full. (The road in was fine, some minor washboards but not the kind that make your teeth chatter.) We were promptly greeted by the gray jays - looked like the overnighters weren't up, for the most part.
The trail to Spray Park was delightful and not crowded (on the way up, that is). We encountered a few muddy spots here and there, and patches of snow in the upper section of the park. Obviously, it's melting out fast in this weather! The avalanche lilies stole the show. Beargrass was just starting to bloom, with much more to come. Jeffrey's shooting star, paintbrush, bistort, lupine, marsh marigold, sitka valerium, pink mountain heather, showy sedge, and many others were on display as well. A few bugs pestered us over lunch, but nothing too troublesome. A hummingbird buzzed by rather close (sounded like a giant bee) and caused us to upset part of lunch. Enjoyed the calls of the marmots and pine siskins. By the time we started to hike out around noon, the trail was pretty much like I-5. Cars lined the road beyond the parking lot for a mile or so. A delightful hike--I was ready to see some lilies and Spray Park certainly delivers. Day hike
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Arrived at Mowich just after 8:00. Only 4 cars in parking lot, probably most were camping. The edge of the...
Arrived at Mowich just after 8:00. Only 4 cars in parking lot, probably most were camping. The edge of the lake has patches of snow, but it’s melting quickly. I would assume it will be gone after this weekend. I took some photos of the lake and then hit the Spray Park trail.
So many flowers, some I’ve never seen. I stopped at Eagle Cliff for the view and then headed up to Spray park. I skipped the falls today, I never seem to be able to photograph it right. The trail was the same as I remember except maybe a few more switchbacks. But worth every step once I arrived. Trail was muddy in many spots. I saw several backpackers today. Marmots were grazing and whistling enjoying the day. Bugs were mostly flies and they followed me up the trail but going down there was a nice breeze, not a problem. I wandered around tarns and areas I haven’t explored, enjoying the solitude planning my next trip there and where I will go. Saw a baby pika in the rocky area on the way down, so adorable! Then came the butterfly show. Did around 8 miles today 6 hours. Hike #62 of 2009 I will be back for Tolmie…. Oh, and I accidentally forgot to put my Rainer pass on my dash, remembered when I saw a ranger on the trail.. told him I forgot and hoped I wouldn’t get a ticket.. There was something on my window a reminder to pay or show my pass.. my bad.. Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Snow on trail
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The road to Mowich Lake opened on Thursday, 16 July, with the Springtime landslide across the road outside the Park...
The road to Mowich Lake opened on Thursday, 16 July, with the Springtime landslide across the road outside the Park completely cleared. The road is in very good shape.
Patches of snow at the campground but melting fast. No snow on the trail until reaching lower Spray Park. At Spray Park, the trail crosses snow patches but is easy to follow. With warm weather expected to continue, much of the snow will be gone by next weekend. Lots and lots of avalanche lilies, and many louseworts in mid Spray Park. We took the side trail west towards Mt Pleasant-Hessong ridge, and climbed to the ridge. The approach to Hessong Rock requires solid ice axe skills on steep snow at this time. We continued to Mt Pleasant, then glissaded off the northeast side on great snow. We finished off the trip by ascending Knapsack Pass and dropping westward back to Mowich Lake. There remains a fair amount of snow in this area. Overnight
Issues:
Mudholes | Water on trail | Snow on trail
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~
This weekend was the best two day backpacking trip ever!!!
Tom and I decided to take advantage of the break in...
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This weekend was the best two day backpacking trip ever!!! Tom and I decided to take advantage of the break in the weather and head up to the Mowich Lake area at Mt Rainier National Park for the last weekend one can get up there on the road (it closed today for the season) and backpack. After a less than stellar experience getting our permit from some guy named Jeff (I can’t/won’t calls someone that snotty a “ranger” out of respect for the men and women who wear the uniform proudly and represent the NPS well) at the Carbon River entrance to the park. We headed up the road to Mowich and arrived to clouds and mist. Spray Falls was just beginning to break out of the clouds when we headed out to the viewpoint. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2956862703_3132a1e8ea.jpg We made the long slog up the hill from the falls up to Spray Park. I swear, that hill always seems longer than I remember each time I go up. It’s steep but short I always say; then halfway up I realize that it’s steep and long… Oh Well, Spray Park is well worth the slog … The lady Tahoma deigned to show herself to us once we arrived in Spray Park proper. It was a beautiful day in the making (at least up there, it looks like the Puget Sound region was socked in all day) http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2957750570_738bd82f58.jpg We enjoyed the views and sunshine through Spray Park and then took the cut off to the Ptarmigan Ridge Cross Country Travel Area and headed up towards the ridge and snowfields. Our plan was to camp above tree line and enjoy the great views and get an early start to climb Observation Rock the next day. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2957807360_a6007c1afd.jpg We got camp set up and managed to enjoy some dinner, wine and a beautiful sunset (above the clouds, which even obscured the view of Mt Baker) before it became too cold to be out. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2957837316_f9bd9d2ea9.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2958195300_3ce73922e8.jpg When I got up to answer the call of nature at about 1:00 AM the clouds had moved away and we could see the lights of the Puget Sound Region and Eastern Washington. Did I mention that it was butt cold? Water that was inside the tent partially froze. We got a very late start in the morning because lets face it, Down sleeping bags are GOOD! Getting out of down sleeping bags in sub-freezing temperatures before the sunshine has warmed camp up a bit is BAD! There were these really weird ice crystals that push up out of the ground at night; they push up dirt and even small rocks. Some got to nearly 4” in length. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2957394731_8983be54e8.jpg After coffee and a leisurely breakfast we headed across the ridge to the snowfields and Flett Glacier. Our plans were to climb Observation Rock, but by the time we got up the glacier (Tom says it’s not a “real” glacier, that the Muir Snowfields a couple weeks ago were more of a “glacier experience” for me, but It’s a named glacier and harder than a rock, so I’m calling it one) we decided that it was just too late in the day to start the ascent and make it out before dark (we didn’t make it out before dark as it was) http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2958279158_e2b0ee23a8.jpg We instead headed across the glacier and climbed the moraine up to Echo Rock (where neither of us could find the route because we think it’s on the other side) and had a leisurely lunch. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2958289182_5a6ae217e5.jpg On our way down (because the ice was so hard and slick from melting and freezing water) we opted to hug the side of the snowfield (paying careful attention to falling rocks) which I was more than happy to do, because I definitely pushed my comfort level going up one steep stretch. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2958277756_725b7f2980.jpg We came across some Ptarmigans on (you guessed it) Ptarmigan Ridge. Almost all of them had turned completely white for the winter. We had seen them from camp, but it was a treat to get close enough to take a picture of one. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2957477487_3e19043f12.jpg It was fairly late, so we broke down camp fairly quickly and started down the rocks to get back to the main trail. We were sitting on the trail having a snack and heard a weird zipping and skittering noise. It took me a moment, but I realized, “Hey! I know what that sound is! It’s skis on hard ice, I’ve made that sound.” Sure enough, we walked over to the edge of the snowfield in time to watch a guy lose his edges on a turn and take a nasty slide down the ice. We weren’t sure how he was, so we decided to wait around in case they needed help. His girlfriend exercised good caution and rather than trying to make the ill advised turn (actually heading down that ice field at all was ill advised, we saw them turn back from the glacier earlier in the day) she side slipped down to the bottom. Once we saw her get down to him and watched him get up none the worse for wear, we headed down the trail. As we headed back down the trail, we say two bears running across the meadow into the trees. They were too fast for us to get cameras out (and a bit far away) but it was great to see them! We got off the trail a bit after dark, but it was a quiet and peaceful walk out. The sun was setting on Tahoma as we exited the trail. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/2957529265_227c5c6b6e.jpg We chatted with the ranger (a real one, not snotty Jeff the gate guard) a bit and headed out. We were the last people to leave Mowich Lake for the season; the road is closed. I can’t wait to go back next year! The rest of the pictures are available here: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/ You can view them as a slide show here: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/ ~L |
Driving Directions
From Puyallup, drive 13 miles east on State Route 410 to Buckley. Turn right (south) onto SR 165 and proceed through Carbonado. Just beyond the Carbon River Gorge bridge, bear right onto Mowich Lake Road. Follow the road about 17 miles to its end; the trailhead is at the far end of the Mowich Lake Campground. |
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