Norse Peak Trail

Yesterday we chose to hike the Norse Peak Trail.  It proved to be a little ambitious on my part. (read, the trail kicked our butts and we had to turn back earlier than planned)   Maybe it was just an off day for us, perhaps we were a little tired from the work we have been doing around home lately (read, we've gotten more done around the house in the last few weeks than the last ten years).  Okay, you get the picture, right?

This is how it works, I pick the trail and Mark gets us there. All the trip reports said this trail was "moderate" as far as difficulty.    I figured after the Palisades Trail, this one would be a snap.  It was similar in mileage (10-11) and elevation gain (2800) but with better views along the way.  I really did not think we'd made the peak but instead go to Goat Lake which makes the trip more like 7-8 miles round trip with a little less climbing.  

We found the trail to be a very well manicured but mostly sandy due to horse traffic. The sand added a whole new element to our workout and I think that is what tired us out more than any other factor.   I really wanted to see some horses but all we saw was poop.  We didn't mind though.   We laughed about how stubborn Bud would be here.  He wouldn't have made the first turn. 

At any rate, I printed out a map which showed 13 switchbacks to the top and following that, moderate grades to the peak.  We counted them but soon lost count and at each one Mark simply called out that we were still going "up."  (on the way down, near the bottom, I handed my map to a pair of women telling them "good luck, it's all up but at least now, you have a map")

Our trail was straight across from Crystal Mountain Ski Resort.  Mark took this picture of the restaurant atop Crystal so I could see it when we arrived home.

You take a gondola up and eat with a 360 view of the area.  On a clear day you can see several volcanoes.  Sounds fun, we might try to do this if it's not too expensive.

The first view of the parking lots for Crystal.  These are where the kids played on the gigantic snow pack plowed out of the parking lot a year or so ago.  I've never seen it clear of snow until now.

Mark's telling me to please take another few steps forward to see... 

Mt. Rainier peeking at us, of course!

I was busy looking at God's meadow.  We are at 5k feet here and the flowers just started to appear for us on the trail.  LOVE IT!

A little farther up and over, the parking lot appears nearer.

This is my favorite kind of trail if I cannot hike by water.  A mountain peak trail filled with flowers and amazing views.  The breeze here was so refreshing.

We even managed to NOT forget my poles!

This area was just awesome as well.  We had conquered many of the switchbacks and were enjoying the slow grade in the more open meadows. 

Rainier again.  This was the best view spot we got to.  It was enough.  We'd had enough "up."

Overlooking Crystal, the parking lot and now high enough to see Rainier too.  Hard to believe that just two hours before this was taken, we were standing on that road below looking "up."

We took a break in a small meadow.  Mark took this picture and the one below to show me the cloud cover that remained in our home town.  When we took off for this hike, it was overcast. On the drive up, it actually sprinkled.  Another few miles and we were in clear blue sky. 

Looking toward home.

Taking a break.  Deciding whether we'd keep going or head down.  Opted for down.  We'd been going for 2.5 hours and it was enough. 

I took this picture hoping to see evidence of the trail we were on.  We were in the above trees on the left in this picture somewhere.  The rock formation on the very top of the mountain in the middle is Norse Peak. We were about 1.5 miles shy of reaching it but we were certainly "up" close to there. 

Another view of the mountain we were nearly to the top of.  Maybe next year.

On the way home, I snapped this picture of the Palisade Peak. It's the rocky peak directly in front of us.  We stood on that!

Here it is closer.  We walked the entire top surface you see here.

Here I am on it.

And here is Mark on it.

We climb little mountains and we stand on top of our world for a few moments together.  We enjoy it immensely.  It's amazing to drive down a stretch of hiway and point to a peak and tell someone, "You see that?  We stood up there." 

We're a little more tired than sore today and I haven't mentioned my knee in this update because it was 99% fine!!!!!!