[boot up]

well, you rolls yer dice and takes yer chance. Ohanapecosh glacier/valley overlook is hard earned with 15.3 miles RT, and 4065 feet elevation gain. Sure would have been nice to have greater than 50feet visibility when I finally showed John this Special Place. At least we got to see lots of marmots.

Indian Bar is below. Really. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot trolling for a date. It just heard a whistle. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

15.3 miles round trip. 4065 feet elevation gain. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

15.3 miles round trip. 4065 feet elevation gain. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

This is the first time I have EVER seen the entire route snow free, which did make it much easier than it usually is. John and I got an early 7:30am start, mist coming down, puddles in the road.

Basecamp. Notice puddles in road. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

"Damp" was word for the day as we bored our way through the trees to the first open area at the creek.

Creek, Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Lower bridge. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Misty morning. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

This is when Mt Rainier and other spectacular views usually start slowing you down.... Not a problem today. We were at Summerland before long.

Foggy Summerland. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland creek. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Nothing to see, this day, keep moving along.... But marmots were popping up everywhere, which was entertaining.

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot, Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

The upper log crossing was wet and maybe a bit slick on the way out, but not bad.

Upper log crossing. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Upper log crossing. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

John on upper log crossing. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

The real oddity was the impossibly green large tarns in the basin were muddy brown. Something I have never seen before. So, we kept the flow going.

Normally bright green tarn. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

John at usual dicey icey spot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Normally there is snow here. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Moonscape. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

The only consistency with "normal" was it was indeed foggier after crossing Panhandle Gap. We pressed on, hoping the fog might burn off or lift enough for at least local views from the Ohanpecosh viewpoint, or by the time we got back to Panhandle. This was not to be. Heck, I had a hard time even finding the overlook. John was not impressed.

Over the edge. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Into the Myst. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Indian Bar is below. Really. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Ohanapecosh view was underwhelming today. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

John underwhelmed by the view. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Ohanapecosh view was underwhelming today. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Just above Ohanapecosh overlook. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

So, after a long lunch at the overlook, hoping for a shift in the clouds, we headed back. Is that a smirk on those Marmots?

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Marmot trolling for a date. It just heard a whistle. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Same views at Panhandle when we got back.

Moondance. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Delta blues. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Fog cresting the gap. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Basin, still foggy. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Basin Panorama. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Small glacier panorama. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

John in the main basin. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

PrimeEvil. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

The other basin. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Basin melting. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Big Glacier. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

And as we approached Summerland, we got a couple patches of blue, before dropping back into the trees.

Finally, some blue sky. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

The Upper Log bridge. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Waterfall and rare blue sky. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland... Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland Marmot. with view. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland Marmot. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland view. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland view. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

We noticed the floor of the shelter has just been replaced, at Summerland. Chipmunks are still as aggressive as ever.

Chipmunk at Summerland shelter. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

One last look before plunging into the trees.....nope, still no Mt Rainier. Oh well. At least John now knows where the secret Ohanapecosh.overlook is located.

Summerland view. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland view. Summerland-Panhandle Gap

Summerland view. Summerland- Panhandle Gap- Ohanapecosh overlook 8/15/15

[boot up]

Just for comparison, here are some photos from the same Ohanapecosh overlook in September 2012. Looking at other photos from that trip, I was shocked by how much more snow was on the route that late in 2012, compared to no snow this year already. I probably have a trip report in here somewhere.

Ohanapecosh Viewpoint, Sept 2012, just for comparison

Ohanapecosh Viewpoint, Sept 2012, just for comparison

Ohanapecosh Viewpoint, Sept 2012, just for comparison

Ohanapecosh Viewpoint, Sept 2012, just for comparison

[tigermn]

Not the best comparison but... September 2012

Empty bowl MRNP-Summerland-Panhandle-Ohanapecosh 9/8/12

August 2015

Big Glacier. Summerland-Panhandle Gap