Nisqually Vista Loop, Bench and Snow Lakes, Comet Falls, Van Trump Park & Skyline Trail Loop — Wednesday, Jun. 15, 2005

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

Rainier in June 15th thru 18th 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------< P>Wednesday -- Nisqually Vista -------------- We arrived late and I opted for an easy afternoon stroll. Nisqually Vista via the Avalanche Lily trail provided a new view of Mt. Rainier. The Vista trail goes to the brink of the steep deep glacier canyon. It gives a dramatic view of the mountain, which was beautiful white against a deep blue, cirrus streaked sky, with the gray glacier snout deep below in the canyon. A couple of tiny snow patches were on the trail which did have many thousand white avalanche lilies all around it in the awakening meadows. Thursday --- Snow & Bench lakes ----------- We came early this year to be sure to see the lilies in bloom. This day was my lily jackpot, millions of avalanche lilies lining the trail and covering the meadows. The gray overcast provided excellent light for flower photography. At the end of the trail Unicorn Peak cut a powerful and stately shape above glass still Snow lake. The Snow lake trail is a thousand feet lower than Paradise and so the meadows had had 3 or 4 more snow free weeks to develop their early season flower show. Much more was blooming than up at Paradise yesterday, 22 species at least. I was the lone hiker this morning . I explored around the lakes and a little up on the snow field just below Unicorn. On the way back I met a mother with a 4 year old son enjoying some of the lake views and water. The trail goes up and down, up and down ending at the same elevation as it started. So you get more of a work out than a casual glance at the map would indicate. This is a beautiful , peaceful, uncrowded trail close to Paradise yet with only 1 % of the people. Friday -- Skyline Trail to Mazama Ridge & Van Trump Monument -------- This day was mostly cloudy after the overnight rain yet Rainier was visible in the sun during 98% of my hiking time. I started from Paradise Lodge up the Skyline trail north east towards Mazama ridge and the junction with the Lakes trail and then went North up to the Stevens / Van Trump monument at 6000 ft. where I had a solitary lunch. The first photo opportunity was at the Myrtle falls view point where the mountain posed for me above the falls. Again the early season flowers were superb, with this trail being loaded with lilies (glacier & avalanche), anemone, and several other species. Many more flowers than were out lower down by the lodge. There was patchy snow ascending the switchbacks on the north side of Mazama ridge and again up by the monument. Once up on the ridge I had a superb view of the Tatoosh range, snow capped with green forests and meadows below. From my lunch spot I watched a mountaineering class ascending a snow slope above me near Panorama point. The big mountain dominated the view, with some glacier streams and little waterfalls in the middle ground and snow, rock, and flowers at my feet. On the way back I detoured slightly to admire some more little falls, and mini rock gardens. Saturday - Comet Falls (Van Trump Park trail) ----------- This mostly sunny day was designated for waterfalls and Van Trump creek delivers, with 5 great visible falls (and several invisible in the canyon) on the way up to Comet, the best falls in the park, a 320 ft. plunge into rainbow pools below. This trail is very steep, steep, and very steep again before flattening some on the final approach to Comet falls. At the junction of the two forks of Van Trump creek I got a surprise. The big sturdy bridge is gone, washed away by the glacial outburst flood of 2 years ago. In it's place is a single log bridge with a wire handrail. Not very comforting for crossing a dozen feet above a raging stream. I took pictures of Comet from above and below and then found a good lunch spot just below it with some other hikers. This was my last lily photo day in the park and there were excellent specimens in the little clearings from 4600 ft. on up to Comet falls at 5000. I also found excellent Jeffrey Shooting Star's a little lower. Returning to the car and then the lodge to pick up Marjie, I was very pleased with these 4 days in Rainier's early summer floral splendor. Robert Michelson