One Night Wilderness: Portland. Douglas Lorain
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу One Night Wilderness: Portland - Douglas Lorain страница 10
Название: One Night Wilderness: Portland
Автор: Douglas Lorain
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Книги о Путешествиях
Серия: One Night Wilderness
isbn: 9780899975436
isbn:
Go right at the junction, pass through a forested saddle, and then make a winding descent to a junction with Puyallup Trail at 1.8 miles. Turn right on this gently rolling trail as it rounds the north end of a ridge and then gradually descends to a nice campsite at the northern tip of Goat Lake at 3 miles. Although not spectacularly scenic, this long and narrow lake is very lovely, surrounded by stately forest with a narrow strip of grasses and flowers along the shore. The only views are of the long ridge of Mt. Wow rising to the southeast. For a larger and better campsite, continue on the trail that goes east and a bit uphill from Goat Lake for 0.1 mile, and then turn right on an obvious path that goes downhill for about 150 yards to an attractive camp on the east shore of Goat Lake.
So far the scenery on this hike has been pleasant, but not particularly dramatic. For a big scenic payoff, set up camp at Goat Lake and spend the afternoon on a side trip to the top of Gobblers Knob. From the junction with the access trail to the camp on Goat Lake’s east shore, take the main trail, which steadily ascends a forested hillside and enters Mount Rainier National Park after about 0.5 mile. Firearms, livestock, and pets are prohibited beyond this point. The trail then continues uphill, now mostly over open slopes, to a minor saddle at the top of a ridge. Just 100 yards down the other side of the ridge is a junction. Veer left (uphill) on the Gobblers Knob Trail and in 0.4 mile ascend 10 well-graded switchbacks to the staffed lookout building perched atop the rocky summit.
The views of the route of this hike to the west are superb, but you probably won’t notice them since your attention will be drawn to the east and the breathtaking view of the towering mass of nearby Mt. Rainier. Huge Tahoma Glacier tumbles down in an awesome display of white, while below that is a mantle of alpine meadows, rocky ridges, and forested valleys. This is one of the best views of the mountain anywhere. After plenty of time spent staring in awe, return the way you came.
Lake Christine, Glacier View Wilderness
5 Indian Henrys Hunting Ground and Pyramid Park
| RATINGS | Scenery 9 Difficulty 9 Solitude 5 | |
| ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE | 18 miles | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 4900 feet | |
| OPTIONAL MAP | Green Trails: Mount Rainier West | |
| USUALLY OPEN | Late July to October | |
| BEST TIMES | Late July to October | |
| AGENCY | Mount Rainier National Park | |
| PERMIT | Required. Reservations are strongly advised. All cars must also display an entry permit for the national park. | |
| INFORMATIONRESERVATION | Mount Rainier National Park sets aside only 40 percent of its available backcountry permits on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining permits are given to hikers who made advance reservations. Since obtaining a permit for popular areas, especially on summer weekends, is extremely difficult, it is highly recommended that you reserve a permit in advance. Reservations are accepted starting on March 15 by mail, fax, or in person at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center. You cannot make a reservation over the phone. The cost is $20 per group and is nonrefundable. To obtain a reservation form and for further information, go to www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/wilderness-reservation-information.htm. |
Highlights
Indian Henrys Hunting Ground is one of the most famous backcountry beauty spots in Mount Rainier National Park. This glorious meadow, with its bonanza of wildflowers, scenic ponds, and drop-dead-gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier certainly deserves the fame, but all that popularity has forced the park to protect this fragile area by closing the meadow to camping. Most hikers approach Indian Henrys along the Wonderland Trail from Longmire and spend the night at crowded Devils Dream Camp, a little over 1 mile to the south. But for adventuresome hikers who are willing to do some moderate cross-country hiking, there is a better and less crowded option. By hiking into Indian Henrys Hunting Ground on the little-used Kautz Creek Trail and continuing up to spectacular but off-trail Pyramid Park, you can avoid the crowds and spend the night at an amazingly beautiful alpine retreat with a dramatic up-close look at the rugged west face of Mt. Rainier.
Getting There
Leave Interstate 5 north of Vancouver at Exit 68 and travel 31 miles east on U.S. Highway 12 to a junction at the town of Morton. Turn left on State Highway 7 and drive 17 miles to a junction with Highway 706. Turn right (east), enter Mount Rainier National Park after 14 miles, and continue another 3.4 miles to the Kautz Creek Trailhead. The parking lot is on the right. To obtain a permit (or to pick up your reserved permit) you will need to continue driving another 3 miles to Longmire and stop in at the wilderness information center.
Hiking It
The trail starts next to a small sign on the north side of the highway across from the parking lot. Initially the path takes you over the remains of a massive debris and mud flow that devastated this valley in October 1947. The flow was triggered by heavy rains, which caused a partial collapse of the Kautz Glacier. Landslide events like this are fairly common on Mt. Rainier, although they are usually smaller in size. As recently as the fall of 2006, over 18 inches of rain fell in one day, which caused such extensive damage many park roads and trails had to be closed for the entire summer of 2007. For the next few years you should expect to encounter damage along many of the park’s trails, so be sure to check on conditions before hiking this route. On the remains of the 1947 slide, small trees now crowd the area, mostly western hemlocks and western red cedars, but in more open and sunny areas deciduous trees, especially red alders, predominate. The dense undergrowth is mostly composed of salal, along with various ferns and mosses.
Initially the trail is very gentle, wide, and strewn with gravel to accommodate tourists interested in exploring the geology of the mudflow. At 1 mile, however, the trail crosses silty Kautz Creek on a seasonally-installed log bridge and becomes a wilderness trail. The much narrower path now enters an old-growth forest unaffected by the 1947 mudflow and begins a long, persistent, and at times moderately steep climb. The way is viewless but shady and pleasant throughout. Numerous short switchbacks help keep the climb from becoming overly steep. You cross a trickling creek at about 3 miles (the first reliable source of clear water), then climb some more in a series of short, steep switchbacks. Still not done with the uphill, you ascend at a gentler grade on a wide ridge and slowly enter more open high-elevation terrain. Mt. Rainier is frequently in view, while closer at hand are rocky buttes and increasing numbers of heather, huckleberries, and various wildflowers. A final short, steep uphill leads to a high point on the southeast shoulder of Mt. Ararat (a name that significantly overstates the size of this small butte), and then you descend about 150 feet to a junction at 5.7 miles with the Wonderland Trail.