Total Distance: Approximately 26 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 3500 ft.
Time: 7:10 am - 6:40 pm
Weather: Cloudy, overcast, with a light rain on and off, a little blue sky and sun at the end.
Avid readers will know that back in week 95 I tried to get to Mystic Lake but was thwarted by snow. Not just a snow covered trail, but it was actually snowing at the end of June in Moraine Park, which is just below Mystic Lake in Mt. Rainier National Park. Today, it was 4 weeks later. I also had no one to go hiking with me, had my new found ice axe skills, and had a better idea of the terrain leading to the lake. I thought it would be a perfect day to hike the 25.4 miles to Mystic Lake and back. Now, I said I did 26 miles because I walked around the lake a bit and up to a little ranger station there at the lake too. I am sure I did at least 0.6 miles in addition to the trail mileage.
I checked the weather for this weekend and according to "The Weather Channel" app on my iPad, it was great either day. I woke up late Saturday, so I knew it was going to be a Sunday hike. Late last night, I checked noaa.gov (like I should have on Friday). It is a much more accurate forecaster and it was calling for rain. Sure enough, it was a rainy morning when I left my house at 5:30 am. Buying some snacks, gassing up the Subaru, driving to the trailhead, gearing up, and chatting with the ranger had me start walking by 7:10 am.
I was hiking for what seemed awhile when I looked down and saw it had been less than 15 minutes. Hiking alone can be weird like that. I got to spend a lot of time in my own head processing things. While the hiking commitment has brought me greater clarity, I am at a bit of a crossroads. While going through those things, I also got to focus on my pacing. I was diligently checking my watch at key landmarks on the way. I made it to the Green Lake Trailhead (about 3 miles on the road) in 55 minutes. I was so excited that I kept walking, drinking some water without stopping and shedding a layer without stopping. I was at the Ipsut Campground 25 minutes later. This surprised me, I had done 4.9 miles in 1 hour and 25 minutes. Inspired by the time, I kept moving. I know I can get to the Carbon Glacier viewing area in about 3 hours. My goal was to beat that. I hit the suspension bridge in two hours and forty minutes, and I was at the glacier 10 minutes later.
I usually break here, but I was feeling good enough to keep walking for a bit. I thought go for 10 more minutes, then take 15 minute break after 3 hours. As I was moving up though, I thought about wanting to know my pace, so I decided to continue up to Dick Creek Camp, then break. This way I would be able to look up how far I had gone and I would note the time. I made it to the camp 9.3 miles from my car in three hours and eight minutes. Here I took a 15 minute break. I ate some snacks, checked out the bathroom, and sat quietly. Up to this point I had not seen a single other person other than the ranger when I began.
I took off exactly 15 minutes later and started the steeper switchbacks above Dick Creek Camp. Four weeks ago, I began to encounter snow here, and I was completely in snow before Moraine Creek. Today, I got to the creek before I saw any snow, but there was a lot at the creek. I was able to cross the creek on trails, then I hit snow. There were great tracks in the snow, and it was mixed in with long stretches of trail. I have been here once, but I was on solid snow. Today, it felt like I was hiking in a new place since I was on the trails for the first time. I heard a voice or two, then I caught two hikers enjoying a snack who had left from Dick Creek camp this morning. We chatted briefly. They were a really nice married couple with rhyming first names (Aaron and Karen). They were super cute.
I kept moving. Right past them, I hit a long stretch of snow. I was thinking it would be like this the rest of the way, but I came over a crest, saw the trail, and the remainder of the hike through Moraine Park was snow free. It was about 11:30 am, and marmots were out and about. I love marmots so much. They are cute, and they hop from place to place like puppies do. I watched them and snapped a few photos. The trail started meandering to the north, way off from where I went 4 weeks ago. It began to climb, and I was getting ready for snow. As I climbed up higher and higher, I encountered only little patches of snow. I made it to the top of this ridge and I knew the rest of the trail was downhill to the lake. I kept following the trail, and soon enough through the fog I saw Mystic Lake.
I snapped a few pictures, including my standard self portrait with the lake in the background. I could feel my smile. I was really happy to have made it this far in one day. Now, I had only gone about 12.6 miles, I have gone further before. But I knew if I made it to the lake, I would have to hike out. I walked around the lake, where I saw a sign for a ranger station. I thought I would go there for lunch. The trail forked with no sign, and I chose the wrong direction. The trail went along the lake shore and eventually stopped. I was getting too hungry, so I set up a great spot right by the lake. I looked at my watch, 5 hours and 20 minutes after I began my hike I sat down at the lake.
I put on some warmer layers and ate a ton. I sat for about 30 minutes, then I thought I would go back and find the ranger station. I got back to the fork, took the trail the other way, and then I saw him, a big, cinnamon-colored brown bear. Now, I hike a lot in bear country and rarely see bears. I go places where I am told I will see them, and I don't. I was so excited that I watched him for about 15 minutes. He was right in the way of the trail, so I couldn't continue anyway. He did not mind me one bit. He was more focused on whatever he was eating to pay much attention to me. He moved far enough from the trail that I continued up and saw the ranger station. No one was there. I walked back down, looking closely for my new friend or any buddies he might have with him. I came around a bend, and he had hardly moved. I tried walking through and got within about 15 yards. I slowly took another step, and the branch I snapped caused him to grunt and look my way. I was definitely a little scared. I slowly walked backwards not looking directly at him. I then took a wide berth through the meadow off the trail. I then quickly moved out of there. I came around the other side of the lake where I bumped into Aaron and Karen. We could see the bear, and they remarked that I looked like I was a little close. I didn't realize I was being watched too.
The rest of the hike was pretty uneventful. I began walking from Mystic at 1:30 pm. I was back at Dick Creek Camp around 2:30 pm. I was at the glacier at 3:15 pm, and I got down to Ipsut at 4:30 pm. My feet were killing me, so I took of my shoes and socks and soaked my feet in the creek for 20 minutes. I was walking the road at 5 pm. I was at my car by 6:40 pm.
Orchid: Bear watching.
Onion: Sore feet.
Picture:
Google Map
