Day 3
7.1 miles, 1146ft gain/ 3231ft loss. Another beautiful sunny day! We’re packed and ready to go by 8:00am, as this is our longest day. It seems that it will also be the hottest, as we can already feel the heat starting to build. Shouldering packs, we head up the trail, and its steep here, especially on snow fields, about 800ft up until we reach a flat that gives us more stupendous views.
Back towards the way we came, you now have a full view of Mt. Rainier, and the Ohanapecosh River valley seems small in comparison, dwarfed by the mountain. The Cowlitz chimneys are also visible, and we can once again see the Goat Rocks, and the Tatoosh range, also covered in snow. Mt. Adams is also visible from here, and we take a minute to catch our breath and admire the view.
Then, we continue down, a nice walk along the Cowlitz divide, offering great views to the east and west. Little by little, the snow finally begins to release its tenacious grip, and we begin to see more and more of the trail, leaving meadows that now finally clear of the snow, are beginning to bud and bloom.
I stop dead in my tracks, and say, “bear!” There, on the trail in front of us, perhaps 25 to 30 yards away, is a black bear…
They aren’t the only thing coming out of hibernation, as we encounter for the first time, biting insects. Then, around 10:30am, I stop dead in my tracks, and say, “bear!” There, on the trail in front of us, perhaps 25 to 30 yards away, is a black bear, looking back at us, and sniffing the air inquisitively. I move quickly to grab my camera, and get a couple of shots before he saunters off. All the years I’ve spent in the woods around here, and it’s the first time I’ve seen one in the wild. This kind of encounter, I don’t mind, as he didn’t really seem that interested in us.
We reach the woods, and begin the long switchbacks down to the car, and home. All in all, an awesome hike that allowed us to see the best the Wonderland Trail has to offer. If there is any one section that you would venture to try, I would strongly suggest this part. You will never forget the massive spectacle that is Indian Bar, or the up close views of the mountain as seen from Summerland, views that cannot be seen unless you trek into this part of the Mt. Rainier Wilderness. Thanks to Brian and Greg for making this trip memorable!