MOUNT RAINIER Trail Guide 1941

Summary of Trail Mileages

This section of the Wonderland Trail (from the North Puyallup River Bridge at the end of the West Side Highway to Longmire) is 18.4 miles, or if the hiker continues to Reflection Lake, in the vicinity of Paradise Valley, it is 24 miles.

Starting from the North Puyallup River Bridge, Klapatche Park is 2.9 miles; St. Andrews Park, 4.4; South Puyallup River, 6.8; Tahoma Creek, 10.8; Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, 12.3; Kautz Creek, 16.0; Rampart Ridge Trail intersection, 16.8; Paradise Road just above Longmire, 18.4. Continuing along the Wonderland Trail from Longmire to Reflection Lake is 5.6 miles.

Things To See Along The Trail

From the huge log bridge across the North Puyallup River, the hiker sees toward "The Mountain" several small streams cascading steeply down from the hanging glaciers which are the terminal points of the Puyallup Glacier. These run together to form the North Puyallup River. Just beyond the highway bridge is a picnic area and parking space which marks the end of the West Side Road.

From here the hiker is soon lost to roads, bridges, and signs of man's work. The trail rises steeply in switchbacks through fine stands of large Douglas fir, western hemlock, and some western red cedar. In late summer patches of bleeding heart, a red-purple flower, lend color to open spots along the trail through the deep woods. The damp northerly slopes on the way to Klapatche Park are likely sites for a host of moisture-loving shrubs and plants.

Nearing Klapatche Park there is a sudden transition from woods to open-meadow country dotted with Alpine fir clumps. Here and there are small ponds. This is "park" country in the Hudsonian Zone (elevation around 6,000 feet), where the spring, summer, and fall parade of brilliantly colored flowers is incomparable. The trail winds through the meadows of Klapatche and St. Andrews Parks, a welcome and pleasant change after the strenuous uphill hiking from the North Puyallup. From these high areas may be had ever-changing vistas of "The Mountain."

From Klapatche to St. Andrews the hiker traverses the upper section of a huge cirque, or glacial carved basin, in which St. Andrews Creek is born. Even if one should happen to be hiking on a day of heavy fog and little visibility, the impressive power of glaciers as demonstrated in the carving of cirques and valleys is evident.

The old saying "all that goes up must come down" is true of hiking. So it is that the trail drops by switchbacks to the South Puyallup River. Along it may be seen thimbleberry thickets, dense patches of alder and elderberry, and enough other shrubs and flowers to please the heart of the most ardent botanist or the rankest amateur who doesn't know one shrub from another but appreciates the variety of form and color of the different species. Occasionally one as startled, by the whir of a sooty grouse flying up suddenly from near the trail. On an old slide area, extending down the mountainside for a long distance, is a remarkably fine growth of Alaska cedar with its characteristic drooping branches. On a calm day the stillness in the forest is broken only by the distant roar of the turbulent, usually muddy, glacial South Puyallup River. Virtually all glacial streams that have their origins at the terminal points of glaciers of any size are muddy, for they carry the dirt and rock material ground up by the glacier as it moves down the mountainside. Glaciers are essentially flowing bodies of ice which behave in many ways like flowing bodies of water (rivers) but move infinitely more slowly.

Past the South Puyallup River the trail starts up again, closely following the lateral, or side, moraine of the Tahoma Glacier, so that the hiker is on the very edge of a glacial moraine. Conies (sometimes known as pikas, rock rabbits, or little chief hares) are seen occasionally in rocky areas or, more often, only their squeaky call is heard, for they are difficult little animals to spot. Marmots are common. Up along the side of the moraine, the trail traverses rocky areas where trees and shrubs are just beginning to invade the realm of glacial debris which once prohibited all plant growth, then it follows around Emerald Ridge where views of Mount Rainier, Glacier Island, and vast ice fields may be had at close range. The trail soon meets the Tahoma Creek Campground Trail. Down this spur trail (2.2 miles) is Tahoma Creek Campground, a camp and picnic area along the West Side Road.

But continuing on along the Wonderland Trail, Tahoma Creek is crossed and Indian Henry's Hunting Ground is the next high country park area. There is a trailside shelter here. Mirror Lake is not far off the trail. Here, on clear calm days lovely reflections of Mount Rainier are mirrored in the placid waters of this small lake. This particular spot has been chosen many times for pictures of "The Mountain." One is again impressed, as in other places all around the Wonderland Trail, by the limitless changing aspects of Mount Rainier's summit.

Indian Henry's is an interesting park area featuring colorful flowers, meadows, fir and hemlock trees, and rocky crags where one may often see mountain goats and Columbian black-tailed deer.

From Indian Henry's the trail follows down past Squaw Lake into more dense forests. Devil's Dream Creek is along the trail. This deep, narrow, tree-rimmed and boulder-strewn canyon is appropriately named. Next along the trail the hiker crosses the crystal-clear water of Fishers Hornpipe Creek, then Pyramid and Kautz Creeks, and continues on up into an old burn now well reforested with young white pine, fir, and hemlock. Finally the trail winds down through ever larger trees until the Longmire to Paradise Valley Road is reached just about three-tenths of a mile above Longmire, park headquarters.

Sunrise Lodge and Mount Rainier

From Longmire the Wonderland Trail continues up the Nisqually River, past the junction of the Paradise and Nisqually Rivers, the Rainier National Park Company's power plant, and pretty little Carter Falls. Along this stretch of trail one may catch fleeting views of huge rock slide areas on Eagle Peak, most westerly peak in the Tatoosh Range. Along some sections of the trail, vine maple grows on the edges or at the end of rock slides. In autumn the leaves of the vine maple rival in red and yellow coloring the colorful maple tree leaves of our eastern parks. Farther along (just a short distance off the Wonderland Trail, on a trail that leads to Paradise Valley) is 168-foot Narada Falls.

Continuing on up the hillside below the Narada Falls Trail intersection the Wonderland Trail winds up toward Reflection Lake, which is soon reached after crossing the new Stevens Canyon Road. On clear, calm days Reflection Lake is a natural mirror reflecting perfectly the glaciers and snowfields of the upper part of "The Mountain." Swimming is allowed in this little lake, though the water is usually quite cold. The Rainier National Park Company maintains a small store at this point where boats and fishing tackle may be rented and where candy, pop, etc., may be bought. Further description of the Wonderland Trail past Reflection Lake will be found in Section 3.

Tipsoo Lake

Other Trails In The Longmire Area

From Longmire as a center there are several worthwhile trails. A list of these trails is given below, followed by short descriptions.

Rampart Ridge Trail from Longmire to its junction with the Wonderland Trail—2.9 miles.

Van Trump Trail from Christine Falls to its junction with the Wonderland Trail—5.5 miles.
Eagle Peak. Retrace back to Longmire. Round trip.—6.4 miles.

Trail Of The Shadows, near park headquarters—0.1 mile.

Lake George Trail and Gobbler's Knob Lookout (from Round Pass on the West Side Highway)—0.8 miles to Lake George.

Rampart Ridge Trail

This trail starts from the Trail Of The Shadows near Longmire and winds up to the tip of the ridge, where extensive bird's-eye views of Longmire, Paradise Valley, Kautz Creek Valley, and Mount Rainier itself may be enjoyed. One may either retrace back to Longmire or follow along Rampart Ridge to the Wonderland Trail intersection and thence back to Longmire, a total distance by this route of 4.5 miles.

Van Trump Park Trail

This trail leaves the Paradise Road at Christine Falls. At 1.5 miles is 320-foot-high Comet Falls, one of the highest falls in the park and well named, for its hurtling spray in falling resembles the tail of a comet.

Beyond Comet Falls is the high meadow country of Van Trump Park at elevations varying from 5,000 to 6,500 feet. Several of the heights on the edges of timber line in this section are good goat grounds. The trail continues down to Rampart Ridge, where it joins the Wonderland Trail three-tenths of a mile below the intersection of the Rampart Ridge Trail to Longmire.

Eagle Peak Trail

Up to the summit of Eagle Peak, near Longmire, is an interesting trail winding through various timber types and open meadows until a saddle near the summit of Eagle Peak is reached. From this 5,955-foot elevation, panoramic views in all directions are enjoyed.

Trail Of The Shadows

Here is one trail where the hiker does very little "up and down" hiking. It follows through the big trees characteristic of low elevations (Longmire, 2,700 feet) and circles the old beaver meadows and mineral springs near Longmire. These springs are the living evidence of the existence of hot magma material somewhere deep in the earth's surface—all that remains of the terrific heat that was once generated deep down in the earth when Mount Rainier was an active volcano. The Trail Of The Shadows is also a well marked self-guiding nature trail. Along it may be seen the original cabin built by the first settlers in what is now Mount Rainier National Park.

Lake George Trail

From Round Pass on the West Side Highway is a short trail leading to Lake George. Here fishing may be enjoyed amid scenic surroundings. A bit farther on and up above Lake George is Gobbler's Knob Lookout, not far from the western park boundary.

Silver Falls

Trails In The Paradise Valley Section

From Paradise Valley as a center there are many trails of interest. Some of these, such as the Fairy Pool Trail, nature trails, spur trails to other main trails, and campground trails, are not listed here, but information regarding them may be obtained from rangers or naturalists. The following are the main trails from Paradise Valley:

Skyline Trail (loop from Paradise Valley via Panorama Point, Timberline Ridge and Sluiskin Falls and return to Paradise Valley)—5.6 miles.

Paradise Glacier Trail (joins Skyline Trail at Golden Gate)—2 miles to junction.

Mazama Ridge Trail (from junction Skyline Trail to Reflection Lake)—1.9 miles.

Pinnacle Peak Trail from Reflection Lake to saddle near top of Tatoosh Range—1.3 miles.

Reflection Lake to Paradise Valley—1.5 miles.

Skyline Trail

This is the principal trail in the Paradise Valley section of the park. It provides so many points of interest along the way that a half-day is scarcely sufficient to complete the loop from the Ranger Station over the trail and back again.

Beginning at the base of Alta Vista Hill the Skyline Trail winds up through alpine meadow country of great beauty and variety of flora. A short distance up there is a branch in the trail. The right-hand fork goes up to the top of Alta Vista Hill where there is a marker pointing out the various scenic spots to be seen in all directions. The left-hand fork of the trail goes through meadow country until Glacier Vista is reached. Both forks of the Alta Vista Trail lead to Glacier Vista. From this high point on the edge of timber line, high, above the broken, debris-strewn ice masses of Nisqually Glacier, the hiker gazes in wonderment at the rock-strewn lower reaches of this glacier or stands in awe at the sight of its upper ice-crevassed mass originating in the névé fields (granular snow fields at the head of a glacier) toward the top of "The Mountain." Farther along the trail is Panorama Point (elevation 6,800), where are seen distant Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens, and perhaps on a clear day Mount Hood in Oregon. From here the trail winds up through rocky country and then begins the descent along Timberline Ridge. All along the way one notes the great diversity of forms into which the rigors of their high environment have twisted the timber-line trees. Alpine fir and mountain hemlock of great age may often be mere twisted, matted growths. Along the trail is noted an historic marker at the site of the base camp of the first successful summit climbing party—P. B. Van Trump and Hazard Stevens—in 1870. It was in this spot that their Indian guide, Sluiskin, refused to go farther, for he was certain that evil spirits would claim anyone who ventured to the summit of "The Mountain that was God." Not far below this historic spot is Sluiskin Falls, named in memory of the Indian guide.

Following down past Sluiskin Falls the trail switchbacks down into the upper end of Paradise Valley and then up into the lower section of Edith Creek Basin and back to its starting point near Paradise Ranger Station.

Paradise Glacier Trail

This trail starts from the trail but near the Ranger Station, follows through Edith Creek Basin and up into the Timberline Ridge section, joining the Skyline Trail through a shallow pass known as Golden Gate. A short distance beyond Golden Gate is Paradise Glacier which the hiker may inspect at close range without great danger for it is a "dead glacier," no longer a moving body of ice, and therefore not subject to crevassing as are other glaciers, such as the Nisqually. Good views of Paradise Valley, the Tatoosh Range, and the valley of the Nisqually River may be obtained from the upper limits of this trail.

Mazama Ridge Trail

This trail starts from a point on the Skyline Trail not far below Sluiskin Falls and leads down broad Mazama Ridge to Reflection Lake. (Mazama is from an Indian word meaning "Mount Goat.") It is an easy trail winding through some of the most colorful and extensive flower meadows of the entire Paradise Valley country. In early season great patches of avalanche lilies lie next to melting snowbanks. Later, the parade of flowers includes Indian paintbrush, pentstemon, potentilla, lupines, phlox, huckleberries, and many more. Scattered through the meadows are several gemlike lakes, notable of which is Artist's Pool. Here in this quiet spot one may find a fawn resting in the shade of a fir by the edge of the pool. It is but a short distance to Faraway Rock and an extensive view of Reflection, Louise, and Bench Lakes; of Stevens Canyon; and of the entire Tatoosh Range. The Mazama Ridge Trail will give the spring, summer, or fall hiker the warmth, color, and friendliness of grassy flower-filled meadows in direct contrast to the coldness and austere aspect of the not too distant glaciers on Mount Rainier.

Pinnacle Peak Trail

From Reflection Lake there is a trail leading up the side of Pinnacle Peak, a splendid conditioning climb for those interested in climbing Rainier itself. If the summit of Rainier is beyond one's ability, the climb up Pinnacle Peak is a good substitute, for the last few hundred feet are steep and rocky. The view from the top or even from the saddle near Pinnacle Peak is splendid. Far below is Reflection Lake and the Paradise Valley country with Mount Rainier over it all. In the other direction are forests and mountains in endless procession.

Narada Falls Trail

From Paradise Valley the hiker may walk to Narada Falls via a trail that starts from Paradise Valley and leads down the Paradise River past Washington Cascades to the falls.

Reflection Lake Trail

Another trail with the same starting point as the Paradise-Narada Trail goes to Reflection Lake. It branches off the Paradise-Narada Trail and winds up over Mazama Ridge in a low pass and then down to Reflection Lake.

LONGMIRE-PARADISE SECTION OF THE WONDERLAND TRAIL (SECTION 2)
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