Kautz Creek Snowshoe, Kautz Creek to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground — Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

What a great day to be out at Rainier. We couldn't have asked for better weather. We went a bit further than the guide here states and scrambled a couple unnamed peaks on the west side of the gully from Satulick Mountain. Great views of peaks to the east and even Rainier itself. The lower half was visible under the clouds. The trail is fairly straightforward for the first 2-3 miles, and snowshoes are not needed. The creek crossing can be slick, FYI. After roughly 3 miles, we strapped on the snowshoes and ascended the rest of the way. Current conditions are a mix of deeper powder and crunchy crust from the last melt. The top provides excellent snow conditions. Take note: there are absolutely no views until you get all the way up to the 5,000 foot mark on the ridge that traverses north toward Mount Ararat. You have to work a little to get them. According to my watch, we gained about 3,500 feet, including the two unnamed peaks, but the views are amazing from up there, and well worth the trek. Rainier opens up, as does the valley and the Tatoosh Range. Fantastic peaks to gaze upon. We only saw one other hiker the whole day, which surprised me a bit considering how incredible this area is. I definitely could see trekking in for an overnight and climbing Iron Mountain and Copper Mountain.

More Information on this Trip Report

• https://www.strava.com/activities/453070061