I love hiking at Mt Rainier National Park, there are lots of great day hikes.
The trail to Skyscraper Mountain is about 8 miles with an elevation gain of 1700 ft
(this hike goes down and up and down and up and then the reverse as you return).
The trail starts at the Sunrise parking lot and follows the Sourdough Ridge Trail.
We met this marmot along the trail.
When the trail divides at the far side of Frozen Lake, take the center trail joining the Wonderland Trail westbound (the right trail goes to Freemont Lookout, the left trail goes up to Burroughs Mountains).
In the distance you can see our destination,Skyscraper Mountain, under the small cloud.
There were lots of wildflowers in bloom to enjoy along the trail.
1 mile along the trail splits, the Wonderland Trail continues along the edge of Berkeley Park to the left, do not descend on the Northern Loop Trail on the right that goes to Berkeley Camp. Continue on the Wonderland Trail for another 1.2 miles where it bends sharply to the south and descends again. Stop and enjoy the view of Mt Rainier, but do not continue on the Wonderland Trail
To the north is the boot track up Skyscraper Mountain, a 0.5 mile trail ascending about 375 ft
The panoramic views are spectacular, to the east Mt Fremont and Redstone Peak,
to the north, views of Grand Park in the forefront, and the Cascade Mountains in the far distance
To the northwest, Winthrop Creek and the Cascade Mountains
and to the south: Third Burroughs in front of Mt Rainier
We took a slight detour on the trail back, when we reached Frozen Lake,
we continued on the Wonderland Trail past Shadow Lake, joining the Sunrise Rim Trail
back to the parking lot, for another fabulous view of Mt Rainier.
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