Forum Index > Trip Reports > 17 Years of Tolmie Peak Moonrise and Sunsets
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Hesman
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Hesman
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PostFri Mar 10, 2017 9:13 pm 
I was introduced Tolmie Peak as a place to go to watch the full moon rise over Mount Rainier and the sun set over the Puget Sound and Olympics in 2003 by a boss I had at the time. I do not recall hiking any other trail so many times in my life of hiking. I had never planned on it being a repetative hike, but I became hooked in going back each year because the weather is different each year and I found that is what made it an interesting adventure. Since the weather varies each year, it makes me wonder if I'd get to see what I came for. I've usually gone with someone, but there were a few times when I went alone. I have yet to grow bored with going to Tolmie Peak to do the exact same thing every time and will probably continue going until I am no longer am able to. Another thing that I have found interesting over the years is that the moon has always risen in the same area between Mt. Fremont and Burroughs Mountain. Of all the times I have gone, the most rewarding trip was in September 2015 to watch the Lunar Eclipse. 2003: My first time to Tolmie Peak with the boss I had at the time, his family and a few workmates. I don't remember much from this trip, except that it was windy and rather cold. It was partly cloudy from what I remember and got to see what we came to watch. No pictures this time since I didn't have a digital camera. I believe we went in August. Didn't go in 2004. 2005: Went twice this year. Once in July with the boss I went with in 2003 and his family and I remember it was cloudy early in the day and my boss was hesitent in going. I was able to convince hime in going since I had been watching the clouds all day and noticed that they were slowly clearing off. The clouds had cleared out by the time we made it to the lookout. No pictures from this trip. I went with a friend in August and it was a good trip from what I remember. I have some pictures I took with my film camera, but I recall they didn't turn out the greatest. Didn't go in 2006. 2007: Went on July 28th with BryanK, TPayne and Twister. It was cold and was one of the few times that I've gone to watch the show and Mt. Rainier was clouded in. There was a NPS volunteer at the lookout and we all got to go into the lookout. It was also the first trip that I had a digital camera with me.
2008: On this trip, it was the first of many trips to Tolmie Peak when I went by myself. This year I went on August 28th. Besides the murderous mosquitoes and being a bit nervous about hiking out to my car in the dark by myself (up to this point in my hiking career, I had nerer hiked solo at night), it was a good trip.
2009: On this trip to Tomie Peak, I was joined by my parents. I had arrived at Mowich Lake earlier in the day on August 5th to hike to Spray Park before returning to Mowich Lake to meet them and hike to Tolmie Peak. We spent the night at Mowich Lake.
2010: On August 28th, TPayne, El Dooder, Trail Angel and myself went on this adventure. It was a rather clear night, one of the clearest nights to watch the moonrise.
2011: TPayne and I went on August 13th, only to get clouded out. There were no clouds on the drive to Mowich Lake and it was only on the hike to the lookout that TPayne notice the blue sky had disappeared. It remained cloudy the entire time we were at the lookout with only a few peakaboo glimpses of Rainier. By the time we had returned to Mowich Lake, the clouds had cleared off.
2012: On August 1st, TPayne and I went to watch the show. It was a very cold evening at the lookout and I recall TPayne saying it was in the low 40's or upper 30's at sunset.
2013: Once again I went by myself. On this trip, I spent the night on Tolmie Peak on the night of August 21st. I didn't bother with a tent. The sunrise the next morning was fabulous.
2014: On July 13th TPayne and myself went to Tolmie Peak thinking we were going to be clouded out, but right at sunset the clouds had dissapated and we were able to watch the moon rise. We also were able to watch a lightning storm in the Puget Sound lowlands.
2015: This year I went to Tolmie Peak twice, both times by myself. The first time was on June 30th, the earliest I have gone to Tolmie to watch the show. This was becuase the snowpack during the 2014/15 winter was so low and the road opened to Mowich about a month earlier than normal.
The second trip in 2015 was on September 27th and also the latest I've hiked to Tolmie to watch the show. I had not planned on going a second time, but I had been looking for something on the internet and somehow found out that there was to be a lunar eclipse the same day the moon was full. I figured why not go back to Tolmie Peak to watch the lunar eclipse. I met NWTrak on this hike. This was the most memorable Tolmie Peak moonrise and sunset hike I have done over the years.
2016: Once again I had not planned on going twice in 2016. I went on July 19th the first time since I thought it would be fun to go on my birthday. But, as luck would have it, I was clouded out on this hike. TPayne had planned on going this time, but had to back out due to work commitments. My dad was able to join me at the last moment. This was also one of the few times I began the hike out to my car in the daylight since I have always hiked out in the dark or spent the night on the summit.
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The second trip of the year was on August 18th and this time it was not cloudy and TPayne was able to join me on the adventure to Tolmie Peak. As luck would have it, there were very few clouds in sight.
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2017: I was hesitant in going, since wildfire smoke was so thick I was not sure if I would be able to see anything. On August 6th, I went to Tolmie Peak once again, since I could not break a tradition. The smoke was rather thick, making it difficult to see Rainier. I didn’t see the full moon until an hour after it had risen. I could not see the Puget Sound. There was a hole of blue above the lookout. I didn’t even bother doing a trip report. I didn’t even process any pictures since the smoke made for such awful pictures. On this trip I went alone. 2018: 12th year in a row happened on August 27th. One of the clearest trips to Tolmie. On this trip spent the night on the summit of Tolmie Peak. Once again, I went alone on this trip to Tolmie. A workmate from long ago had hope to join me, but he couldn’t make it.
Tolmie Sunset
Tolmie Sunset
Tolmie Sunset
Tolmie Sunset
Full Moon
Full Moon
Rainier Alpenglow
Rainier Alpenglow
2019: Went on July 16th to be greeted by clouds and rain. Next time.
2020: Went on August 3rd this time. It was cloudy, but the clouds cleared off just in time to see what I came for. A friend came along for his first time to Tolmie Peak and I was informed it was an 11 out of 10 adventure.
2021: 15th year in a row, 17th year cumulative and 20th visit cumulative to Tolmie Peak. Got mostly clouded out and of course by the time I returned to Mowich Lake, it had cleared off.

gymcarrey, reststep
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Matt
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Matt
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PostSat Mar 11, 2017 1:29 am 
Very cool. Looking forward to the rest.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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John Morrow
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PostSat Mar 11, 2017 11:58 am 
Wow, love the moonrise shots!

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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glenn_b
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PostSat Mar 11, 2017 9:03 pm 
Wow, great pics! Thanks for sharing!

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awilsondc
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awilsondc
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PostSat Mar 11, 2017 10:57 pm 
Very cool. Awesome photos! up.gif up.gif

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Bryan K
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PostSun Mar 12, 2017 4:54 pm 
Great shots and what a beautiful place!! I very much enjoyed that trip up there and the wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing your ongoing love affair from this vantage point!!

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rc98092
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PostThu Jul 12, 2018 12:26 pm 
Hi. Considering a midweek hike to Tolmie Peak to avoid crowds and do some astrophotography. I believe camping is not allowed on the peak, so if I decided to stay for both sunset and sunrise, I assume it would get very cold? I've been to sunrise after dark in August and it got down to the high 30s. I would come back down in the dark perhaps after midnight, but I imagine that's fairly unsettling when alone? I'd carry bear spray and a sidearm, but still... Have you ever taken the trail in the dark?

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Ski
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PostWed Aug 29, 2018 10:35 pm 
outstanding. up.gif

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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contour5
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PostWed Aug 29, 2018 10:39 pm 
Really nice images, Hesman!

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Downhill
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PostThu Aug 30, 2018 1:26 pm 
Incredible images! Thanks so much for sharing these with us!

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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostMon Jun 24, 2019 6:17 pm 
Nice collection of shots. I can't believe I've never been there. Both times I've been in the area I did the loop up thru Spray Park.

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nordique
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PostMon Jun 24, 2019 9:21 pm 
Wow, what an amazing collection of fabulous photos! Thanks so much for sharing!

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NorthwestWanderer
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PostWed Jul 17, 2019 6:51 pm 
This is awesome. Shame about the smokey trip...

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