View from Panhandle Gap

Well, it was another great trip; 94 miles, 30,000 ft. of climb (and descent), 8 nights in the Mt. Rainier back country.  I snapped the shot shown here from my iPhone (Twittered it directly to the web) at a place called Panhandle Gap, the highest pass on on the Wonderland Trail, where I had lunch on the penultimate day of the hike.

The snow was heavier than usual this year (although way less than 1999) but did not create any real challenges.  I did carry ice ax and crampons (small ones) but only needed them once to climb 400 feet or so over a series of switchbacks that I lost under a snowfield on the (just below Klapatche Park).

With all the snow, all the lakes were in good shape (even those that often go dry in the summer) but the flowers were slightly below average.  Don't get me wrong, there were millions of flowers and the scents were intoxicating, but not at the peak levels I've seen in some years.

Overall, the weather was great.  It was a little colder than usual the first two days, then really quite warm (above average).  I had rain a few times, but needed the rain gear only a couple hours total.  There was just enough fog and low, swirling clouds to be interesting (and sometime, surrealistic) but never enough to hamper route finding.

I saw more bear than I normally do, including 4 (or maybe 5) new cubs.  All were from a safe distance except one which I noticed a little later than optimal.  Above the treeline on Cowlitz Divide, about a mile or so from the top, I encountered a solo bear just off the trail about 50 feet ahead of me.  I backed up a hundred feet or so, unhooked my ice ax from my pack and used it to tap against my hiking staff as I slowly resumed walking forward.  That was sufficiently annoying, I guess, as the bear strolled down the side of the ridge into the trees.

There's plenty more I could say about the trip, but I'll spare you for now.  (Be warned though, if I see you in person I'd be happy to walk you through a tour with the 401 photos I snapped. <g>)