Trying to get caught up on the blog so I'm writing up some older trips this week. This trip is from September.
Desiring somewhere new to go, I decided on Skyscraper Mountain near Mt Rainier. Skyscraper is a very easy to do scramble just off the Wonderland trail near Sunrise with amazing views all around. Not too far away from Skyscraper is the Freemont fire lookout which I also visited. Speaking of fire, you can see how hazy most of the images are. At the time of this hike, there were several wildfires burning in eastern Washington including the massive Wenatchee complex and Table Mountain fires (among others) that had been started by lightning on September 8th. This was a really nasty year for wildfires. As always, click the picture for larger view. Use arrow keys to navigate or click the left or right side of picture.
Great views of the Mountain all along this hike.This is a good representation of how smokey it was that day.Smoke filled valleys.We spied a herd of goats along the wayThey were all just hanging out, soaking up the sun.They started moving out shortly after this shot.The trail descends for a bit at this point before climbing up to Skyscraper Pass.The Freemont Lookout is visible at the top of the ridge, near the center of this image.A closer shot of the lookoutSkyscraper mountain. As you can see, its a fairly gentle climb from the pass which is at the left side of this frame.Skyscraper PassThe Mountain from the pass.My friend Cheryl took this shot of me from the top of Skyscraper.Cheryl's daughter was along with us and she brought some Peeps.Berkeley Park from the top of Skyscraper.A look across to the Freemont Lookout from the top of Skyscraper.I zoomed way in on this one and did a black and white.On the way out we went off trail just a bit and followed the ridge from Skyscraper Pass going towards Burroughs MountainThere were some really interesting rocks sticking vertically out of the ground on the ridge.Cheryl walking out along the ridge. Burroughs Mountain on the left side of the image. Little Tahoma right of center and Rainier on the right.Cheryl on the ridge with Burroughs in the background.Little Tahoma from the ridgeCheryl and her daughter on the Wonderland trail near the junction with the Burroughs trail and the Freemont Lookout trail. The upper trail in the image is the Burroughs trail. The hike out to first, second and third Burroughs is a very worthwhile trip, but today we had our sites set on the Freemont Lookout.See the mountain goats?No?well why don't I...zoom in.....just a little.I really enjoyed hiking out to the lookout.The trail was slightly rougher than I expected for such a heavily used trail but nothing too bad. There were lots of people heading out there this day.When we got to the lookout we heard some rumbling in the distance. We could see some massive icefall happening on the Mountain.Glad I wasn't in the vicinity when this happened.It was really a glorious day. Skyscraper mountain is the little peak on the right. The big bump with snow on it in front of Rainier is third Burroughs.We had already had lunch at Skyscraper but were hungry when we got to the lookout. This little guy popped out as soon as we sat down.He was very persistent and not afraid of us at all.Constantly begging for a handout.Looking down the ridge from the lookout gives an in the face view of Berkeley Park.The view from the lookout.The Mt Freemont record keeping book was visible inside the lookout.Looking through the windows of the lookout, trying to imagine what the view from the inside must be like.Very cool to hang out at the lookout. Too bad the inside wasn't accessible.This picture was on display just inside the lookout.A look at the inside of the lookout.A look at the inside of the lookout.The Freemont LookoutCheryl was snapping photos of me with my camera. She did a good job. I'd post some of her but she dislikes having her picture taken for some reason.A last look at Skyscraper Mountain before heading back to the carThe trail back to Sunrise.A final look at the Mountain Goats on our way out.
