Skyline Trail Loop — Friday, Sep. 9, 2016

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

Hordes of tourists? Check. Road construction on the way there? Check. Noise from a helicopter crew practicing nearby? Check. We had plenty of reasons to complain during this hike but loved nearly every minute of it. With the short summer season drawing to a close, we saw marmots, chipmunks, and deer foraging for food (none showed any fear of humans). And we reveled in the hard-earned 360-degree view from Panorama Point. While Mount Rainier looms over everything, Mt. Adams, Mount St. Helens, and even Mt. Hood are visible to the south. Less iconic but more prominent in the foreground: the Tatoosh Range. We did the loop clockwise and were surprised how much we enjoyed the second half, which features more shade, babbling glacier runoff, and a little more solitude. As usual, my son took photos and I shot a short video (see below).

More Information on this Trip Report

• https://3minutehikes.wordpress.com/2016/09/10/skyline-trail-loop/