Mt. Rainier National Park, Mother Nature Wins 9/26/2011

The lodge at Sunrise, typically you can see Mt. Rainier looming right behind it.

Snow level down to 6500'......Just a misting but it is pretty early in the season for the snow level to be so low.

The park service have already put up the snow markers, this one was being tossed around in the wind. This viewpoint looks south, you would normally be able to see the Tatoosh Mountain Range. On really clear days you'd be able to see Mt. Adams.

Weather on my first time down the mountain. I thought it would maybe clear as the sun started to peak through the clouds on my way back home. So, I turned around and went back to the trailhead just in case.

Blue Grouse

Headed out on the Sourdough Ridge Trail. I had planned to go to Skyscraper Mountain but the weather turned out to be too bad. The wind at 50-70mph was almost blowing me off trail and the weather system seemed to be following my intended direction.

View back towards Sunrise parking lot.

Not many hikers out today.

Despite the fact that the rain and wind never stopped, the sun did grace me with its presence a few times. The result being double rainbows!! Definitely made fighting the weather worth the trip.

Sourdough Ridge Trail headed toward Frozen Lake. Normally Mt Rainier would be accompanying you on your journey.

View towards Dege Peak.

View back towards Sunrise parking lot after my unsuccessful hike.

Today I headed back up to Sunrise at Mt. Rainier National Park as I knew it would be one of the last days I could do so before the road closes. Unfortunately for me the weather was terrible. I had checked both the nps and the weather channel predictions prior to leaving but they differed greatly on their views of the weather system. So I decided to head up just in case the weather turned out decent. Needless to say next time I will go with the national park service  (nps) weather prediction as it seemed to be accurate. It was 31 degrees F when I arrived at the sunrise parking lot and the snow level was down to that elevation. It was just a light dusting. There was heavy rain and the wind ranged from 50-70mph. I had intially decided to turn back home but on the descent down the sun started to make brief appearances, even though the rain did not slow. I thought the weather might turn around so I headed back up toward the trailhead. Once at the top I suited up in my rain gear and headed out. I did not make it very far but it was worth the experience. Oh, and the double rainbows from occasional sunburst were incredible and worth braving the storm.