Longmire Trip Report
- Carlyn Harlow
- Mar 21, 2016
- 3 min read
CIA dedicated this weekend to who we consider the most gorgeous girl in America, Mt. Rainier! In her honor, CIA decided to split up Saturday and head out to Mt. Rainier National Park in order to reach two scenic viewpoints at once! Ian and Jordan, CIA’s good friend, planned to hike High Rock while Alex and Carlyn intended to reach the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge. Unfortunately, Mother Nature kept CIA from reaching their destinations. This goes to show how important it is to research hikes before you travel to them, especially in the winter when snow and avalanches are prevalent! CIA typically prepares for hikes by reading trip reports on www.wta.org, researching snow levels and weather forecasts, and scrolling through Instagram, which has the most recent pictures from hikes. However, our hikes Saturday proved that research can only go so far in predicting the actual conditions at a location.
Ian and Jordan left Tacoma at 4AM to greet the dawn at High Rock only to realize that the snow levels would not allow Ian’s truck to reach the trailhead. The duo ended up catching the sunrise on a walk along the Nisqually River instead. Although the views were amazing from the riverside, they were nowhere near as beautiful as a sunrise from High Rock, which is easily one of CIA’s favorite hiking destinations.
Alex and Carlyn left Tacoma five hours later with intentions to reach the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge off of the 14.2-mile long Emerald Ridge Loop. The bridge is a photographer’s dream target and is a part of the Wonderland Trail, which is a 93-mile long route encircling Mt. Rainier. After driving about two hours from Tacoma, the park ranger at the gate informed Alex and Carlyn that the trail leading up to the suspension bridge was covered in snow and would be nearly impossible to follow. Seeing as neither Alex nor Carlyn brought a compass, the risk of being lost was not worth reward and they decided to replace the hike with a combined trip along the Trail of Shadows, Rampart Ridge Trail, and Wonderland Trail.
The Trail of Shadows is a mild, 0.7-mile loop around a beautiful marsh. Alex and Carlyn enjoyed bubbling springs, several species of birds, and many informational signs scattered along the path. This trail is highly recommended for families and tourists who would like to learn about the history of and scientific wonders within Mt. Rainier National Park. Alex and Carlyn’s favorite part of this path was “Iron-Mike,” a spring running under the trail which was the color of rust!
Alex and Carlyn continued through the boot-packed snow along the Rampart Ridge Trail, which is a 4.4-mile loop on which hikers gain about 1,300-feet of elevation in the first 1.8-miles. Upon reaching the peak, Alex and Carlyn were saddened to see that the top half of Mt. Rainier was covered by clouds. Committed to not losing hope, the duo forged on through the picturesque forest towards the Wonderland Trailhead junction. Distracted by the nearby sound of running water, Alex and Carlyn lingered off the path a bit to greet the Nisqually River! Little did they know that Ian and Jordan had already visited the same river earlier that day. It was about 4PM at this point, and after enjoying a late lunch along the riverside, Alex and Carlyn decided to head home.
Although snow prevented CIA from reaching their destinations and clouds inhibited their views of Mt. Rainier, the scenic springs, beautiful sunshine and elegant river were well worth the journey to Mt. Rainier National Park. Once it warms up, CIA intends to re-visit the park to travel the hundreds of hikes available for outdoor-lovers like us!
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