There's No Place Like Grand Park

Grand Park 10/16/11

 If I had to pick one hike as a favorite out of the several we've done this past year, and even in years past, it would be Grand Park. Bar none.  We have done a few less than picturesque hikes last month (hence no photo or blog entries covering them) and they both left me consoling myself saying, "Well they can't all be Grand Park."  This hike is just spectacular.  We were last here in late July and I must say that I was worried that since we were just here, some of the thrill might have wore off because it wasn't new to us anymore, but I couldn't have been more wrong.

 The first mile of the trail that was previously dry but full of tree explosions that caused us to have to 4x4 over them and go well off the main trail in the process was now wetter but clear of trees and full of mushrooms.

I love the orange ones!

There was a very crisp fall air blowing through the forested areas that refreshed us as we climbed up and up.  Elevation gain on this trail is 1200 feet.

The first open meadow (the teaser with Mt. Rainier peeking just behind Mark) was much dryer and more yellow than on our last jaunt.   It looked and felt completely different.

 This is from July.  See what I mean?

 

This part was under a few feet of snow in July.  There is just a hint of snow left just behind Mark.  Again, it looks completely different and beautiful.

See-

I like the snow look too!

 The biggest surprise was entering Grand park.  The surprise was realizing that when we went in July, due to the snow covering the trail, we entered the park well off the main trail and ended up much more southwest than we should have been.

 

We could tell because Little Tahoma was visible in this picture.  It is the spikey peak to the left of Rainier in this picture.

 

A better view of Little Tahoma.

 In this picture from July, it's mostly hidden from view.  The funny part is that we just followed someone else's tracks through the snow to get here and we weren't the only ones.  Everyone who came up behind us did so as well.  On our latest trip, we could not figure out precisely where we deviated from the original trail meaning we probably couldn't do it again if we tried. 

 As it happens, the trail treks a mile through the park before dropping down into the valley again and heading ever so much closer to Rainier.  We walked a good bit of that mile scoping out a place where trees would not obstruct our view while we ate lunch.

Looking back on where we had just been.

 It definitely seemed much harder to find the perfect lunch spot in this part of the park.  There were a lot more trees to try to move past.

 Rainer looked to me like a powder keg on this trip.  The snow was so fresh and new.  Photos just don't do it's beauty justice.  You can see the trail heading off toward the valley in this one.

Here's a better view of the trail heading down toward Sunrise.

Looking toward home.  When we left, it was cloudy but as we got closer to the trailhead, the clouds cleared. 

The lunch spot.

 We ate mixed nuts, beef stroganaff, drank fruit tea and for desert, dark chocolate. 

Yum!  Does it get any better than this?

But all too soon it's time to head back.  This trek one way was 3.5 miles.  In July, it took us three hours to get to wherever we ended up in the Park.  On this trip, it was 1.5 hours up.  We made great time less the snow and the tree explosions.  On the way back both trips, it was about 2 hours. 

Note to "Mom."  Notice, I am wearing the hat you made for Daniel and I love it.  I think it's really mine!  It is just long enough that it kept the sun out of my eyes without hindering my peripheral vision.  Just perfect.

  And speaking of love, I love this field.  All my favorite colors!  Looks like heaven to me.

 Back at Lake Eleanor.  This is one mile from the trailhead and has a few campsites.  Really secluded and quiet.

And my favorite part of Lake Eleanor is the open air toilet with no roof or door.  Samuel would get a big kick out of this.

It's a ten mile drive to the trailhead from the main hiway on a gravel logging road that pretty much goes straight up.

But you cannot beat the views.

I never noticed these trees on the last trip because they were green.   Now that they are orange and yellow, you bet I notice them.

Love it!

The rain has come to Washington well before I wished it.  Who am I kidding, I don't wish for rain to fall except at night when I sleep unless there is thunder and lightning involved. Then I want to see and hear it.  And if rain falls as snow, then let it snow!  But my point is that rain is a deterrent to hiking.  We headed up to Mowich a month ago gambling on the weather holding as it was at home, but instead of brightening up, it poured instead.  Mark had his rain gear and I wore a poncho and we logged a few miles anyway and it was fun.  It felt like we were being naughty little children tromping through puddles and mud and I enjoyed that.   But it was short lived and not nearly as fulfilling as this hike was.

We've certainly done longer hikes than Grand Park.  We logged 8.5 miles in three hours on a flatter more boring trail but it left me feeling like it was another "been there done that, no need to return trail."  I like a little (or a lot of) challenge and a nice view.  That is Grand Park.  The trek up is tedious, especially that last mile.  But once you get there, the "wow" factor is off the charts.  

We would like to get in a few more fall hikes before the 6 month rainy season begins.  Maybe a snowshoe or two if we can make time work in our favor.   Here's hoping.  If this is the last one for awhile, it was certainly a good one.  There's no place like Grand Park.

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!!!!!!