Klapatche Park

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

I wanted to scout the snow levels above 5000' for an upcoming trip up the Puyallup Cleaver, plus see how the West Side Road was faring. There were a few short sections of snow before Round Pass (4000') that required pushing the bike, but these were easily managed. Thanks to the person or people who place the flags at the Marine Memorial, very nice display this year right before Memorial Day. I paid my respects, then continued on bike up the West Side road to St Andrews. The park has placed some nice log bike racks at each of the trail heads. I was obviously wrong in my prediction last year that the extensive improvements to the WSR meant that shuttle service would begin this year. Although I didn't continue on the road to Klapatche Point, the road is in good condition with the usual branches and twigs and detritus with only one fallen tree to carry over; however, there is a substantial washout about half a mile from St Andrews that will require shoring up to keep the road open after this season (still enough room to drive around it). I stashed the bike in the rack and proceeded up the St Andrews trail, not encountering any snow until 5100'. Not my favorite for navigation, dirty forest snow, but the section was short and the trail emerged somewhat to deposit me on the snow covered meadow leading to Klapatche Park. Looks like this level at 5500' will be cleared out with continuing melt by the middle of July, which bodes well for Wonderland hikers from July onward. Today stats: 23 miles/4200' elevation.

Solitude anyone? My footprints approaching Klapatche Park (5/24/18)

Stashing the steed at St. Andrews Creek on the West Side Road (5/24/18)

Greenwater to MRNP White River Entrance

I like to do early season biking in the park when the roads are closed to vehicular traffic, and this short trip had us biking from Greenwater into the Highway 410 entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park during pristine weather. Craig stayed at the intersection while I biked down to the White River entrance, which had been plowed up to that point but went no further. Makes it really easy to determine a turn around point, so I did the short climb to 410 and rejoined Craig lounging in the sun against the grader. Life is good. This ride involved 43 miles with 2400 feet of climb.

Precariously perched log on the closed highway 410.

White River park entrance, end of plowing as of April 9, 2018

Muir Snowfield (2/14/18)

These posts will cover all the areas I'm visiting in the confines of Mt. Rainier National Park in celebration of 35 years exploring here, including new places with a smattering of old.

This was a traditional outing, where in February I bike from Longmire to Paradise, then hike up the Muir Snowfield and return. I was packing my new camera, a Panasonic G9 with a Leica 8-18 lens and wanted to get some snow shots in the process. As expected, the weather was clear but cold, but the heat generated by climbing from Longmire (2800') to Paradise (5400') means I stayed toasty from the internal furnace. This fine day had plenty of people out on the snow, but not very many above Panorama Point. I especially like the trio of women who had quite the spread on their portable table at Pan Point; that's the way to spend an afternoon whilst getting one's drink and snack on! On this sojourn I only climbed to 7,000 feet, concentrating on photo ops in areas not frequented by people. And as usual, the best part was the exhilarating ride back to my waiting vehicle, making for a 28 mile day with 4500' of climb. I love this park!

Just your everyday lunch get together!

Tracks in the winter playground of Paradise.