Burroughs Mountain — Thursday, Jul. 19, 2001

Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River

After a close call at the entrance gate (You can't pay your entrance fees or buy an annual pass with a credit card at the White River entrance) we arrived shortly before noon at Sunrise to a mix of blue skies, and clouds. Before we could lace our boots, the wave of fog was crashing over the ridge and filling the Sunrise valley. While not yet in full glory, the wildflowers are very nice -- the magenta paintbrush stealing the show in the swirling summer fog. All the usual supects (deer, chipmunks and camprobbers are here too.) All at a comfortable 70 degrees! We hiked in and out of the fog and clounds all the way to the second Burroughs where Meany's bench provided a great view of the inside of a cloud for lunch. The trail is in good shape with only two minor snow patches, both easily navigated without poles or ice axes and with much less than the 20% snow coverage reported by the NPS. A few rain drops and claps of thunder signaled it was time to leave our ""moon in a cloud"" destination and return to Sunrise. Hit 410 just in time for a true NW downpour. All in all a great way to spend a Friday afternoon in Washington!