Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake — Thursday, May. 26, 2005

Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich

The weather people had promised record heat for the last Friday in May and they delivered. We arrived at the Mowich Lake parking lot to find piles of old snow lining the lot. The temp at 9 am was 60+. The camping area was clear of snow. We hiked along the lake through large patches of snow but the Wonderland Trail was completely free. When we arrived at the junction near Ipsut Pass, we peered down the valley; the pass and trail are snow-free. We hiked up to the lake and finally encountered 1 to 3 feet deep patches and then continuous snow near the lake. The lake is in the process of rapid melt. We climbed the snow-free trail to the lookout and great 360 degrees views from St. Helens in the SW to Mt. Baker in the north and Mt. Stuart, Glacier Peak to NE. Light breezes helped keep the heat at bay, although temps were still in upper 70's to low 80's at 5900'. We found out later that the temps in the low lands exceeded 90 degrees. There were some bugs, but not too bad...yet. Early spring flowers are making their appearance, with yellow violets, avalanche lilies in the forest and glacier lilies, alpine desert parsley, alpine buckwheat, salt and pepper on the exposed southern flanks of Tolmie Peak. Very pretty, warmish hike. The trails are in great condition, but with some melting snow water now and then.