Started at the Palisades/White River trail head. Hiked up past the waterfalls up to the ridge. Stayed the night at the shelter at the trail junction of Ranger Creek trail (1197). Still a bit of snow on the ground near the top and on the trail on the back side but very passable. The way back down on 1197 there were many blow-downs but all are passable. All in all a great 17 mile hike. Great views at the top of Sun-Top, White River, Mt. Rainier and Crystal Mountain. Several waterfalls and good camping.

After failing to find the trailhead for Noble Knob off Forest Road 72, we gave up on the checkerboard mess of roads and went on down highway 410. We turned off at Buck Creek on the right and parked in the muddy lot across the bridge. Then we crossed the road to hike up the bank to Ranger Creek Trail. The forest was surprisingly beautiful, and the trail was in excellent shape. We encountered a couple of nice mountain bikers, but otherwise we had plenty of solitude. We stopped for lunch at Little Ranger Peak and watched the clouds roll in. You couldn't ask for a nicer, low key, winter hike.

Easter Sunday- We headed south on Hwy #410 from Enumclaw about 30 miles to the trailhead, which is just a wide spot on the left of the highway just past the Skookum Falls viewpoint. The trail heads uphill right away and crosses the White River trail. After a bit it enters the gorge of Ranger Creek and switchbacks at a steady grade to the first Ranger Falls, an ethereal 100' veil which spreads wider as it falls. The trail continues, switchbacking up the ever steepening, impressive rock walls of the gorge. Soon you arrive at the second falls, somewhat smaller but mossy-pretty. At the head of the gorge a clever staircase takes you to the top of the cleft and the trail gentles, wandering through open forest and over a couple creeks to the first White River view at about 2 miles. The easy trail continues through quiet forest another 1 1/2 miles to a second viewpoint at 4000' giving a trip length of 3 1/2 miles and about 1800' of gain. This is where we stopped and enjoyed lunch, with a view of the river below and just the top of Rainier peeking above the ridge to the west. Incredibly, we saw only two parties on this trail. The trail actually continues on, eventually dropping back down to the highway (and the White River trail), enabling a fifteen mile loop. As I've asserted in earlier reports, this network of trails built by boy scouts from Camp Sheppard, is under-utilized and a good place to find solitude and beauty. See Manning's Footsore for more info.

This ended up as my plan B hike after my aborted trip to the Summit Lake trail (which I reported separately). Mt. Rainier was nearby, but I had dogs with me, so I backtracked to highway 410. I thought about going to the PCT at Chinook Pass, but the ranger station reported six inches of snow there and from 410 I could see snow at higher elevations, so I decided to pass on the pass; besides, daylight was slipping away. This trail doesn't have the variety of either Summit Lake or the PCT, but it was quick to get to (the trailhead being right on the highway, just before the Buck Creek turnoff), and entirely snowfree. I hiked 2 3/4 miles to the Little Ranger Peak viewpoint (which was the only part of the hike that was not enclosed in forest). The ascent was steady (especially while following the creek) but the grade was mostly pretty gentle. I did not try to get out to the very edge of the point, since it looked too dangerous, settling for a partial view. I started back down from the point at about 6 PM, which was not early enough to avoid having to use my flashlight (and this turned out to be one time I was very glad to have extra batteries with me!)

Parked at Camp Shepperd and hiked the Palisades -Ranger Creek -White River trail loop starting and ending at Camp Shepperd. Overall, the trails were in excellent condition except for some blow down. We went as high as 5500 feet and encountered no snow. Views from the Palisades are dramatic--down into the White River valley and across to Rainier. Overall, a pleasant day hike.