Gorgeous day at the end of summer, time for one of my favorite hikes. We headed up to Paradise on Mt Rainier to do the High Skyline Loop Trail with a stop at Panorama Point. This is a 5+ mile loop trail with 1700 ft elevation gain. We started hiking at 8 AM and had the first half of the hike to ourselves.
There were very few wildflowers around the lower part of Paradise, but we had great views of the mountain.
We choose to do the Sklyline Trail in a clock wise direction, it is steeper, but we get to Panorama Point quicker.
We saw this grouse on the lower trail.
We did see a few wildflowers on our way up toward Glacier Vista.
and a couple of marmots enjoying the early morning sun.
We took the short side trail to Glacier Vista, overlooking Wilson Gully, and Wilson and Nisqually Glaciers.
Close up of the crevices and
a waterfall coming off the glacier.
As we hiked up the trail towards Panorama Point, we enjoyed the view looking down at the trails coming up from the parking lot and the Tatoosh Range in the distance, along with this marmot on the rock.
and another marmot a short distance up the trail.
The only company we had at Panorma Point this morning.
Panoramic view at Panorama Point looking north to east to south.
Panoramic view at Panorama Point looking south to west to north.
Too hazy in the south to see the other volcanic peaks today.
We took the High Skyline Trail from Panorama Point and on the way down came across several fields with wildflowers.
Some had great views.
So beautiful today!
We continued on the Skyline Tail where it came down from Mazama Ridge. Here we could look back and see Panorama Point in front of Mt Rainier.
Near the end of the loop trail, we took the short spur to enjoy Myrtle Falls.
We finished our hike before 11:30, so decided to drive to some great view points before heading home.
We ate lunch by the two Reflection Lakes:
Did the short hike down to view Narada Falls:
And the quick look at Christine Falls.
The upper falls from the bridge.
Looking down from the bridge to where the lower falls tumble down:
And the short walk to view the lower falls coming down under the bridge.
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