What a beautiful Sunday to go hiking! Got a late start -- about 1:30 pm, but made it all the way to the top and back at the trailhead by 6 pm. There were about 12 cars at the trailhead, but we passed maybe 8 people on the trail. Great time to go now before the snow falls, and I think it'll happen within the next two weeks. I've been told by a fellow hiker that Spray Park is already snow covered, but it's a manageable hike. You'll encounter spotty snow and ice along the road for the last mile or two to Mowich Lake -- nothing to worry about, though, except for the potholes near the Hwy 165 junction. At Mowich Lake, you'll see scattered snow on the mountain peaks and trees all around you, adding a wonderful accent to an already picturesque setting. Dress warm for sure, it's a little chilly at the lake and especially at the top...and bring your cameras! Even a cheap off-the-shelf one-time panoramic camera will do the job. For those who haven't hiked here before, it's going to be in your top 10 hikes, a ""classic"" for sure. It's a little over two miles to Eunice Lake and another mile to Tolmie Peak. Don't let the 1200-ft elevation gain over the 3.25-mile trail fool you...most of the gain begins about a half-mile before the lake. It's definitely worth the climb, so take your time getting there. Views only get better. In a word, Mt. Rainier commands MAJESTY. At the top, you'll see the famous Eunice Lake/Mt. Rainier shots, then Mt. St. Helens to the south, the Olympics, Puget Sound, the Puyallup Valley, and Tacoma and Seattle skyline to the west, Mt. Baker and Glacier Peak to the north, and the Stuart Range to the east. You can even see Green Lake if you move around a little bit. The trail is in remarkably good condition. You'll encounter patchy snow and ice, both of which can be maneuvered around. So, get out and enjoy the beauty while it lasts! Hiking Freak.

What a great day to do this one. The sky was clear from start to finish. The trail was in great shape. Of course I followed the Carbon River trail crew all the way to the lookout so that may have had something to do with it. I certainly commend them for the great job they do. There were a few small patches of snow and some muddy spots when going around Eunice Lake but they were not a problem. The Beargrass was in full bloom and covered the side of Tolmie Peak. It is to early for the Tiger Lily which will soon be profuse in the same area. Mt. Baker and Mt. St Helens were clear and The Mountain was breathtaking as always. Overall, a great day of hiking and photo taking.

Despite the fact that the Mowich Lake road is still closed at the Paul Peak trailhead, I felt Tolmie calling me. The road is actually in fine shape all the way to the lake, but the parking area at the end is still inundated with the white stuff, so one is forced to make the trek up the hot dusty road (but not for long--look for it to open completely within a week). Luckily, however, a good deal of the road can be bypassed by taking the Grindstone trail (thank you Baily Willis!) which is noted to be unmaintained, but you'd never know it. From Mowich to Eunice Lakes, no snow of any consequence is encountered and one gets a nice view of the Mowich River valley. Once arriving at Eunice, snow finally makes a substantial appearance, but is easily crossed, with my ice axe making no more use than as an ornamental piece on my day pack. Eunice still has large flows of ice lazing upon its surface, but looks to melt out shortly. The remaining mile to the lookout is completely clear with incredible views in all directions for those lucky enough to time it right. Mighty Rainiers' northwest side looms LARGE, St. Helens is seen to the south, Baker to the north, and the Olympics to the west. If one is looking for a degree of solitude, I suggest going within the week before the road reopens (otherwise, go on a weekday, or deal with the masses). Incidently, kudos should go out to the folks at Rainier for their excellent webpage. One minor peeve, however, is that they need to update their trail reports a bit more frequently. The current report lists the trail to Tolmie as being under 75% of snow; its more like 7.5% at this point.

Checked in w/ fully-staffed Wilkeson Ranger Station (red caboose) re: access to trailhead at Mowich Lake & was told road was closed due to snow 2mi from lake; however, found that we could actually park on snow-free road only short distance from Mowich campground (i.e. road NOT gated at Paul Peak trailhead), so road could be fully open soon. Lots of cars at this point, but once on trail, very little traffic (most probably stayed at lake). Trail from Mowich Lk to Eunice Lk in good shape, little wet in places, but very little snow. At Eunice Lk found trail mostly snow covered, but only around lake & outlet - lake itself is pretty much thawed-out. Last mile of trail from Eunice Lk to Tolmie Peak (5939') was snow-free & in great shape, but no views were to be had due to the lousy weather (we were in the clouds all day, from Mowich lake on up). Hung out for an hour at the lookout, but visibility never got better than 50 - 100 yards. On the bright(er) side........ hardly any bugs!!