It was another couple of glorious fall days this week. I don’t know how long it is going to last. The forecast is for a significant storm approaching and due to arrive on Sunday. Freezing down to 5,000ft; Torrential rains; Snow in the mountains. We had to get out. Hopefully not the last time.

We decided to go to Mt Rainier. We have done the Reflection Lakes Loop several times in the past. We typically go clockwise starting from Paradise, we head up the Skyline Trail across Edith Creek basin and then across Mazama Ridge to Faraway Rock before descending down and back up to Paradise. G suggested that we reverse the loop. What an excellent idea.

The trail traveled south. Tatoosh Ridge was in the horizon and the fields blazed in the morning sun – red, gold, evergreen. The loop is about 5 miles and Faraway Rock is halfway. You have wide vistas down Stevens and Box Canyon east while looking down on Reflection Lakes. We hiked into the vista of fire and ice on Mt Rainier on the trail back to Paradise. Everything glowed ablaze in the fall sun.