[stacymarie]

Every weekend I'm checking off hikes on my "to do" list and Mowich Lake was no exception. The day before I had spend in my old neighborhood so I thought I would continue the trend the next day by heading up to a lake that I had been wanting to see all summer. I have many stories tied to this lake from my childhood, but it had been decades since I had seen it. The weather man said there would be sunny skies but that it was going to be a bit chilly so I dressed accordingly...or so I thought.

yikes

I took the route that would lead me through Orting specifically to take this picture for my friend Casey. It's a strange little town, filled with McCain/Palin signs and bumper stickers that say "Choose Life, Your Mom Did". It's a wonder I turned out the way that I did; while all my family is strictly Right Leaning racist conservatives, I'm as Left as they come.

falls off a road

The drive to the lake is a dirt road that is very bumpy. My car was not very happy about this fact and fought me the entire way up. On all sides you see the clear cutting that has ravaged the area. It reminded me of the oil fields on the La Cienega Pass that I would drive passed every day on my way to work. Large steel pumps sucking the blood out of the earth.

end of summer

found a lone daisy hanging out on the side of the road. I thought they were all about gone.

my first snow of the season

I become a little confused at the trail head. Maps, signs, ranger stations, meadows all around and I have no idea where to begin. There is snow on the peaks and I am delighted to see that there are still some left over remnants from the night before at my elevation. Instantly I become very muddy and wet from the brush around the meadows and the trails. There is a trail that leads around the lake and in the end it is the one I choose. Heading up towards Eunice Lake I am assured that it's only a 500 foot elevation gain by the sign at the trail head.

I saw snow on the peaks, but didn't think it would actually snow on me!

I walk into the land of hairy trees and continue on through the misty hillside. At first the trail reminds me of Kachess Lake as it winds around the lake with little peak-a-boo views of the surrounding mountains. Soon, though, I am engulfed by a wet forest dripping down on me as if it was pouring rain yet there is nothing coming from the clouds.

looking down into the valley from the top of the pass

I come to a fork in the road with a sign telling me which way to go. Ipsut Pass is only 200 feet away so I take a quick detour to see the view, and what a view it was! High cliffs, deep valleys and peaks as far as the eye could see. I made quick friends with the mosquitoes who had called the hillside their home. Either 500 feet was a lot steeper than I thought it was going to be or I was very out of shape because as soon as I started up to the lake I was overwhelmed by the steep climb that was made very slippery by the roots, leaves and rain that was all around me. Finally I broke through the trees and the path leveled out. Coming up over a large boulder I was presented with Eunice Lake.

title says it all, look close for the look out.

look out tolmie peak!

Immediately I thought of a church pipe organ. The rocks looked like pipes all along the ridgeline and I swear I could hear someone tickling the keys in the distance. To top it all off, it started to snow. My first snow of the season and it was breathtakingly beautiful. I made the gasp sound. My pictures don't do it justice, but honestly I kind of like it that way. It's such a journey to explore these places and sometimes I'd rather keep the memory of it's beauty to myself as a reward for having actually made it. The clouds were moving quickly and sometimes you could see the look out, and other times it was completely covered. It was only another mile to the top, but I was very cold. It was snowing hard and I was soaking wet from the hike up through the rain. I was wearing gloves, a scarf, a sweatshirt, two shirts and jeans and I was shaking so bad that I couldn't hold my camera.

narrow field

I highly recommend heading up to the lake before the road gets too snowed over. The views are great, there is snow on the peaks and the lakes are as blue as I've ever seen! These day hikes around the Wonderland trail have been a lot of fun. Hopefully I'll be able to do a few more before the snow hits. I don't know if my little integra can take it!

[ree]

Holy cow! We were just at Tolmie Peak 2 weekends ago! Snow already! Such a beautiful area. Love it.

[kleet]

A coupla weekends ago...

near Knapsack Pass

Tolmie Peak lookout above Eunice Lake

Rising above Eunice Lake

St. Helens on the horizon

Downtown Seattle from Tolmie Peak

Tolmie Peak lookout

Rainier and Eunice Lake from Tolmie Peak

Rainier reflection in Mowich Lake

[stacymarie]

Well, I missed some views didn't I? Geesh... well, I got snow...so there Thank you for the pictures. It's a reminder that next summer I need to make the trek there again!

[Josh Journey]

[Flora]

Stacymarie! Jeans???? A big no no in the cooler months (October through May!!!) in the Pacific NW and certainly not at Mt. Rainier on a drippy day. Invest in some polypro and fleece; you'll feel a lot warmer and toasty doing the heights. We don't want you suffering from hypothermia. Nice trip report. Forgive the lecture. I've been cold, too, in the mountains.

[Henchbot]

Port Townsend was insane S.M. Full report w/pics at N.M. tonight. Anyways: CHEERS!

[stacymarie]

[Flora]

Ah, didn't you know that it hip to show up for a hike in sandals and wool socks, gaiters and a Seattle Sombero???

[stacymarie]