[sarbar]

I decided I really needed to get out today and it was a glorious day for hiking. We had a view of Rainer the whole way there via Hwy 410. The White River rd. is open to the campground, Sunrise is opening this friday! We headed up to Glacier Basin first, hitting snow at the magical 2 mile marker, we kept slogging through it till finally I said pooey, this sucks We were less than 1/2 mile from the basin, but I was happy with the views, and the snow was getting boring to walk on. So...right as I turn around and am preaching loudly to Ford to watch his footing, my left leg shoots through the icy snow to my knee~OWWWW!!!!! It hurt SO freaking bad. I haven't postholed like that in a long time-I am getting a lovely bruise The trip down was fine~hooboy, that trail has a creepy section of woods-all there is is one bird and a zillion knocke ddown trees. Yuck....... Decided to go up to Emmons Moraine when we hit the junction-which is what I should have done first! The views were gorgeous. We had our lunch overlooking the tarns down there. Palyed a game with Ford to see how many caves he could find across the valley-he has very good eyes. Then I pulled out the map and worked at doing orientering-the BF has been teaching me. Not bad, I identified most of the peaks We had perfect visibility. Headed down and met the classic tourons coming up~this is what they said "are there any good photo opportunities up ahead?" So I told them to go up the Moraine. "What's a moraine?" So I told them. "a glacier? what's that look like?" AGH!!!! So I tell them to look for the tarns, it'll be a great shot. "What's a tarn??" These people had Ohio farmers written all over You know, I love ending hikes in nature walk zones-I love the q's It was a awesome day to hike even if all we did was like 6 or so miles. The views are the payoff, and best of all, as we drove home Rainer clouded over Sweet!!

[Backpacker Joe]

Sar, that is a BEEE-YOU-TEE-PHULE pic you have there. Glad you have a great time! TB

[El Puma]

Brings back memories - about 20 years ago I a friend and I attempted an Emmons-Winthrop ascent of MR. After postholing our way halfway up the Inter Glacier (thigh-deep every step - and that was 10AM in June!) we abandoned the project, camped at St.Elmo's pass instead and returned via the various Burroughs Mountains and a still-closed Sunrise the next day. Coolest part: Being at Sunrise alone! The snow depth on Inter really surprised us - as steep as that thing is on the bottom, we'd thought it would all slide off rather than stick and become crusty mush.