Eunice Lake and Tolmie Peak

 Beautiful day to head up to Mount Rainier via Mowich Lake to hike up to Eunice Lake and Tolmie Peak Lookout. We did 6 miles round trip with 1,100 ft of elevation gain.
There were lots of avalanche lilies in bloom, these were at the trailhead.

The first part of the trail is along the Wonderland trail from Mowich Lake towards Ipsut Pass. The trail goes through the forest on the west side of Mowich Lake. There are a few spots to get a glimpse of Mt Rainier and Mowich Lake through the trees.

The first part of the trail from Mowich Lake to Ipsut Pass is a fairly level path with gentle ups and downs.

Just before the Wonderland Trail reaches Ipsut Pass, the spur trail to Eunice Lake and Tolmie Peak goes off to the left. It passes a couple of large rock formations with wildflowers at the base.

As the trail begins to gain elevation over a series of switchbacks up to Eunice Lake, we saw a doe and fawn grazing in the woods.

After a couple of switchbacks, there is a short boot track leading to a small waterfall.

There were a few easily traversed snow patches near Eunice Lake (the lookout tower is up on Tolmie Peak)

Parts of the trail was very muddy where the snow melt was running over the trail.

West end of Eunice Lake, where the trail begins a steep climb up Tolmie.

 View of Eunice Lake and Mt Rainier from along the trail up to the lookout.


















View of Mt Rainier through the fire lookout.











Pano looking south from the lookout: Tolmie Peak, Mt Rainier, Eunice Lake and far to the southwest Mt St Helens.

zoom of Mt St Helens














Pano looking north from the lookout: the Olympic Mtns, Mt Baker, Glacier Peak and Mt Stuart in the far distance. Boot track leading out to the summit of Tolmie Peak.

 zoom of Mt Baker

 zoom of Glacier Peak

 The wildflowers are blooming near the lookout.































We hiked out along the boot track eastward towards Tolmie summit for a while.

There is a lot of exposure with steep drop offs here.













Pano from along the boot track. I did not feel comfortable going beyond here.

 Looking back at the Fire Lookout on Tolmie Peak from along the boot track.

 On our way down from Tolmie, we took another boot track on the west end of Tolmie, looking out towards Puget Sound. There was a mixture of large snow patches and wildflowers in bloom.

Back down at Eunice Lake we followed a trail by the lakeshore. Wide angle photo of Eunice Lake and Tolmie Peak.

Some of the wildflowers we saw in bloom along the trail today: