Summerland

A very pleasant experience on the Wonderland Trail. Starts out nearly level along Fryingpan Creek for maybe a half mile, grand old trees. Climbs up to the creek in a slot gorge, switchbacks up onto a rib and goes through dark, quiet hemlock forest till crossing the creek at 3 miles. Then it turns tough and climbs a 1000' in less than a mile, but the switchbacks aren't too bad.

The best views at Summerland are the very first ones. Little Tahoma, K Spire, Emmons Glacier, Columbia Crest. Stunning. The higher you go, the less of the mountain you see because Meany Crest gets in the way. But, if you pretend Rainier isn't there, it's sublime in the moraines and tundra. Didn't make Panhandle Gap due to lazing about in the sun on a rock in the meadow for 90 minutes.