Forest Lake, Sourdough Ridge — Monday, Aug. 4, 2025

My hiking group hiked to Forest Lake today. If you want trail solitude out of Sunrise Mt Rainier this is the hike for you. We pulled into Sunrise just before 10:00AM it was overcast skies and 45 degrees. Mt Rainier was shrouded with low clouds early in the day. We headed up Sourdough Ridge and took the Huckleberry Creek trail over the ridge and hiked the long descent down to Forest Lake.  The topography over the ridge looks like a moon scape until you descend into the stunted evergreen trees. There were even a few snow patches high up on the basin walls still melting out. Wild flowers were more prolific on the north facing slopes and along the streams. We saw lupine, lousewort, white arnica, bistort, gentian, monkey pod, anemone, partridge foot, cusick speedwell, paint brush, false hellebore, valerian and more. The avalanche area from 2 winters ago has been cleared and there was no climbing over jumbled tree piles. There were a couple single log bridges over shallow streams that looked intimidating to a few in my group. Having Forest Lake all to ourselves we enjoyed a long leisurely snack break on the Eastern Lake shore.  We had this trail all to ourselves until our return ascent.  Two small groups were just arriving in the lake basin when we were headed backup the trail. The toilet facility up from the lake in the woods was very clean. Wildlife sightings were limited to a lone marmot and a hordes of juncos flitting in the trees on the switchbacks above the lake. Most all the elevation gain on this hike is on your return back up to the crest of Sourdough Ridge. If it’s a hot day plan on carrying extra water last mile to the ridge is basically a long slog up with a couple switchbacks on totally exposed terrain.  Once we got back to the Sourdough Ridge trail traffic became thick in both directions. The bathrooms at Sunrise had been serviced while we on the trail. We pulled out at 2:36 and the parking area was 90 percent full. Another fantastic day out in nature with friends!