A good day with Hayden. We drove up to Mowich Lake and hiked up Tolmie Peak. First time for both of us. Pretty easy hike, there was still some snow around Eunice Lake. Hayden loved hiking in the snow and being up on the mountain top but the rest of the hike he didn't like so much. I keep bringing him along on these short but exciting hikes in the hopes that all this will rub off on him and that he'll apreciate it when he's older. Time will tell.
"Dr. Tolmie was the first European to explore the Puyallup River valley and Mount Rainier." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Fraser_Tolmie
Mowich is a Chinook word for "deer".
The Tolmie Peak hike is only 6.5 miles round trip and 1010 feet of elevation gain. Perfect to hike with kids.
Directions to trailhead (from WTA's website). From Puyallup, drive 13 miles east on State Route 410 to Buckley. Turn right (south) onto SR 165 and proceed through Carbonado. Just beyond the Carbon River Gorge bridge, bear right onto Mowich Lake Road. Follow the road about 17 miles to its end and find the trailhead on the left (north) side of the road, near Mowich Lake.