6 of us from the Mountaineers CHS (Conditioning for Hiking Series) cohort had the trifecta of highlights: beautiful fall foliage just starting up high, abundant ripe blueberries and huckleberries for noshing in the basin, and wonderfully cool water for swimming. Add a fourth: two sort of unusual birds, an American goshawk I've heard several times around mile 2.5 this summer, and a belted kingfisher at Rainbow Lake, and the trip was a winner.
Despite 90s in Seattle, we braved the heat with an early Tuesday start (before 7 a.m.), took lots of breaks, and enjoyed an hour at Rainbow Lake and 15 minutes at Island. The light breeze did wonders for our spirits, and shade trees, a beautiful comfortable trail and gentle gradient, and (bonus!) extra water (I carried an extra gallon) were all welcome elements of this hot hike.
Here's my report:
There were 3 others at the TH getting day passes from the kiosk when we started. The parking lot had maybe 10-12 cars, most likely backpackers at various lakes (including a party of 4 at Island’s main campsite, and another group of 4 women at Rainbow’s main campsite.) On the day we mostly saw backpackers and one other day hiker who came up from Exit 45.
Beware the pothole as you enter the Granite/Pratt parking lot, and also note that there are loose boards across the lower boardwalks as you traverse from the Granite junction toward the Talapus/Olallie junction.
I broke the spiderweb trail (narrowly missing a HUGE spider across the trail beyond Granite, we must have been first up that way on the morning) and set a 1.9 mph moving pace which we maintained pretty consistently for the 12.5 miles. The trail is in great condition except for the boardwalks (a few loose boards) and the steep section going up toward the ridge into Island/Rainbow (dry and slick. I used it as a teaching lesson for my students on how to use trekking poles and watch foot placement).
HIGHLIGHTS:
Relief from the heat - Exit 47 is my absolute favorite TH of all times due to the abundant running water, copious shade, multiple Alpine Lakes destinations, and surprisingly few people once you pass the Granite Junction. I will have been on this trail 8-10 times by the time 2025 is done.
Berry bushes – blues and huckles bursting with ripe, delicious fruit; look for sunny patches right now; those in the forest still need time to ripen but they are abundant in the Rainbow-Island basin.
American goshawk – it’s been calling off and on since May (this was my 6th trip on this access trail), around mile 2.5. I finally got eyes on it and it’s mature enough for Merlin to be able to identify it. Not sure where the nest is but awesome to see it flying.
Swimming – what a delight. All summer I’ve been wading; this time, two of us made our way across Rainbow Lake during our hour-long break. So refreshing, and none of the pollen scum that was there June 29 on my last visit. Lily pads have yellow flowers, and backpackers were enjoying foraging for berries. We had a lovely breeze and the deep cooling effect of the swim lasted until we made our way up and out of the basin. We also spent 15 minutes at Island Lake; the lake level has dropped since spring and the dirt path accessing the wading rock is no longer under water.
Fall colors: Fall is coming, folks. Maples are already starting to turn, beautiful reds and yellows against a blue sky. One of the reasons I love revisiting lakes in all seasons is to note the seasonal changes. There's always something new to learn or experience every time I go.
Afternoon lighting: I’m usually off the trail by 2 to beat rush hour traffic. With the heat and plenty of rest breaks, we got back to the cars by 4:15. The plus side was beautiful late afternoon sun including illuminating spider webs and domes we wouldn’t have otherwise seen.
Birds: 10 species including the Goshawk and belted kingfisher as less common.
Mammals: we heard plenty of picas calling, saw one, and spotted a chipmunk and Douglas squirrels as well. I think we had a deer within 100 feet of the parking lot, and I guessed a bear up high poking around in the underbrush (wouldn’t be unusual this time of year) but no visuals on either. Wishful thinking?
Our totals for this 12.6 mile, 3000’ gain outing: 6.5 hours moving time or 2 mph average pace. One of my most enjoyable of the season. Now if only WDOT can get I-5 traffic under control…
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