Paradise Glacier — Friday, Aug. 2, 2024

What a great way to escape the Skyline crowds!  We hiked there via East Skyline which was lovely and amazingly quiet at 8 AM.  The hikers making full skyline loop usually go clockwise, so starting counter clockwise was still very calm.  Wild flowers are exploding everywhere! About the time we started meeting the down hill hikers we were ready to turn off on Paradise Glacier and instantly the people are gone again.  We only went to the end of maintained trail (.75 miles). We only saw 6 other people on this trail, 3 of them wondered further out on the moraine but eventually turned back as snowfield didn’t look safe to cross. This area has a moonscape feel, much less vegetation .  Great ,quiet lunch spot. Frogs and frog eggs in small tarn.  Returned to base via Golden Gate Trail.  I’ll never skip this side trip again if doing Skyline. Smoke from the Retreat Wildfire near White Pass limited visibility some.  Be aware, the volunteer rangers/ Meadow Rovers do not go out the Paradise Glacier Trail.