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Spray Park, Knapsack Pass, Observation Rock

Sep 01, 2012

by ann last modified Sep 01, 2012 11:19 PM
Type of Outing
Day hike
Read More in our Hiking Guide
Hike: Spray Park
Region: Mt. Rainier -- NW - Carbon River / Mowich
Agency: Mount Rainier National Park, Carbon River Ranger Station
Avg Rating: 4.00
Read More in our Hiking Guide
Hike: Knapsack Pass
Region: Mt. Rainier
Avg Rating: 2.75
Read More in our Hiking Guide
Hike: Observation Rock
Region: Mt. Rainier -- NW - Carbon River / Mowich
Agency: Mt. Rainier National Park
Avg Rating: 1.00
Hiking Companions
Hiked with kids
Why You Should Go Now
Wildflowers blooming
Ripe berries
View of Observation Rock and Mt Rainier from our turn around point
Beautiful day! Our goal was Observation Rock, but we got slowed down by route finding on the scramble over knapsack pass. We left Mowich lake on the well established trail which we thought would take us up to the pass, then at some fork went right when we probably should have gone left, and ended up accidentally climbing a nice 6400' peak with great views, including a flock of 8 goats in the meadow below. We still are disputing the identity of our summit. The trail lead us over the peak and down a ridge, then ended at the edge of a steep gully. We scrambled down the gully and found another trail which led us over a pass into spray park. We followed the trail ever higher, over a few snowfields, up to 7000' before deciding to turn around and follow the trail through the flower meadows of spray park and back to the car.

Very few bugs. We found ripe blueberries on the ridge. One of the kids said "These dont taste like regular blueberries, just like deliciousness.
Stopped on the way down to view Spray Falls, which is worth the short detour.
view of tarn from our turn around point
the off route scramble gully
spray falls
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