Yesterday, we did a lovely 11 mile hike in the Mount Rainier National Park. It’d been a long time since I’d been in that part of Washington and my first time hiking in the area and it provided some much needed mountain therapy since I’m missing my hiking adventures in Switzerland.
It was a 2 hour drive from Ballard (4 hours round trip) and a 5 hour hike in total with 3200 ft of elevation – not too strenuous if you’re in decent shape. We hiked the Glacier Basin Loop in the clockwise direction from the White River Campground – though the hike can be done in either direction. Trails were well marked and maintained, though it was helpful to have a map and the GPS to check we were on track. The views were spectacular, particularly as you approached the 2nd Burroughs Mountain where you got the views of the glacier.
For once, we managed to pack way more water and snacks than were needed and only ran through under 2L between the two of us. About half of the hike was fully exposed, but we didn’t get too hot because of clouds and the mist at the peak. Bathroom breaks were hard for most of the trip because of the openness and having other hikers in proximity. There are bathrooms at the start of the hike (the White River campground), an outhouse at the Frozen Lake, and the Sunrise Visitor’s center is only a short detour near the end of the hike (marked with an “i” on the map) and has bathrooms.
As with most hikes in Western Washington area, don’t expect to have reception in the area and download maps in advance, though the entry point to the park will provide a good map. You will need a National Parks Pass to gain entry to the park.
The areas between the summit and Frozen Lake were the most crowded, as well as near Shadow Lake, but otherwise the trails were pleasantly empty with only a few groups that we passed, especially for Labor Day weekend. The lakes weren’t particularly spectacular, so we ended up walking by them quickly and the peak was mostly misty, so we didn’t stop much for views up there.
Unsuccessfully pretending he doesn’t have food in his mouth 
The hike had us briefly on the Wonderland Trail, which loops Mount Rainier, and I would love to do that at some point! It’s 93 miles and usually takes people 10 days, so I’ll have to find a time that would be good to squeeze it in next year.
Overall, a great hike that I would highly recommend! Low on bugs this time of year, lots of different ecosystems (forest, rocky peaks, meadows), a decent amount of wildflowers for the beginning of September, lots of chipmunks, and a few marmots.
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