Spray Park- MRNP Backpacking overnighter

[BC]

My friend Sean and I were looking to beat the heat by heading up high.  Spray Park is another place in Mount Rainier National Park I had had a long time interest in getting up to.  Its on the west side of the Park, towards the NW corner.  Its an alpine area that in the past had experienced considerable traffic and subsequent meadow damage.  But it seems to have recovered well.

We planned to hike in on Saturday morning.  We got lucky and secured one of the latest dispersed cross-country camping permits for the area.  We headed up the hill from the Carbon River Ranger Station to the trailhead at Mowich Lake(even though there is a Ranger Station at Mowich- they issue permits down the hill at the Carbon River one).

Mowich Lake, Spray Park is the big flat area, Observation Rock

The trail actually looses elevation from the trailhead for the first half mile or so.  Then its pretty moderate with one fairly steep but thankfully short sections.  We past the Eagle Cliffs camping area, and headed up the last steep section about a mile long to gain elevation to come into Spray Park.  The trail was fairly busy, which is to be expected, but not too awfully bad.  We made good time up into Spray Park, then headed cross country to scope out a campspot for the night.  We got antsy and decided to head higher up on the mountain in the later afternoon.  So we hung one pack in the tree, took some supplies in another pack, and headed further up cross country to gain access to a climbers trail that leads towards Echo and Observation Rock.  The trail is typically easy to follow as you head higher.  I got pretty whooped about 7200 feet, so I hid out in the rocks while my pardner headed higher up past Echo Rock.  He took some pix out over the Russell and Carbon Glaciers and headed down.  We headed back, found where we wished to camp, and enjoyed the evening.  Looking back towards civilization it was amazing to see how smoggy everything was, but it really provided for an amazing sunset.

We enjoyed a night under the stars as the bugs werent too bad after it cooled off some.  We sat and brewed up, chatted some, and enjoyed the moon rise over the mountain and the star emerging.  Finally we grew tired and set-up to crash out for the night.  I had a new sleeping bag to try out and it was great for me.  Probably one of the most comfortable nights in the alpine for me.  Its a mummy bag cut for us big kids- worked like a dream.  I slept very well that night.  I awoke up to my internal clock telling me it was time to head to work, but instead I got to watch the sunrise begin to illuminate the pre-dawn sky and make the glaciers glow.  Soon the sun was basking us with warmth and we sat up, got breakfast going, then started packing to head out.  I had gotten some information from another BBS nwhikers.net about an abandoned trail that cuts pretty much straight across a couple ridges back to Mowich Lake.  We decided that to be the way to go.  I am sure glad we chose that, the views were amazing, hardly saw anyone until we got to the Pass.  Made it up over the Pass, and down steeply on a very loose, often rooty and rough trail.  I ran out of water about 1/2 down, but pushed thru to manage to stumble back to the truck with the anticipation of downing the gatorade I had left behind.  

It was an amazing trip, I had so much fun.  As Goldilocks would say - it was jusssstttt right.  The right amount of it all really.  Just the right amount of hiking to get in, the right amount of gear to be comfy but not lug too much up the hill, food, rest, it was all just right.  Cant wait for my next trip.

Here's some pix to enjoy:
Hiking cross-country to gain the high country and glaciers


Momma Marmot doing her thang


After dropping the pack and heading up high.  This is around 6800-6900 elevation


There is a ridge running up the mountain called Ptarmigan Ridge.  Wonder why?


Pix of the glaciers and the massive Willis Wall.  


Flowers in the alpenglow


Glacier tarn reflecting the Mountain near our camp


Getting some water to make dinner


The AMAZING sunset that night


The next morning- hiking up the east side of Knapsack Pass.


Almost to the top

[Ben]

thats a hell of a sunset shot, they all are really cool
1. you guys use tents, or just the sleeping bags?
2. you were getting water from up there? you just boil it and then good to go? just use it for cooking or refill everything for the way down?
3. you guys use those dehydrated meals?
4. you can see the city from there?

[Pete]

Great shots Mr. Wade    Looks friggin awesome up there.

[BC]

Tent usage is dependent on conditions and the trip.  If you are going to bag a peak/summit and you want to move fast- no tent, either a bag on a mat or use what they call a bivy bag.  If the conditions are nice, no inclement weather forecast AND the bugs arent too bad- againt keep the weight down and go without a tent.  My old assed North Face tent weighs 6 pounds with tent, fly, poles, and stakes.  Its not bad- but 6 pounds is alot of weight in a pack.  On this trip we brought the tent in case the bugs were bad, as they werent we just had a nice sandy/gravelly area to throw out thermarest and bag out on and enjoy the night.

Water.  Couple options- they make lightweight water filters(bacteria only) or water purifiers(bacteria and most viruses) They are compact hand held pumps.  Typically our biggest worry is bacteria- specifically Giardia.  You can likely drink directly from snow melt or a stream and be OK, but if you do get Giardia you are going to be a hurting unit.  So you can filter or purify.  The other option is to boil water.  For drinking water typically I will pump water, the other nice thing is dont have to haul a whole bunch of water with you when water is available to pump. Again makes the pack lighter.  For making dinner or making tea, its faster and easier to boil water.

You can go with store bought dehydrated meals- my brand of choice is Mountain House.  But you can also throw together your own stuff.  There are quite a few dehydrated beans, rice, meal type things in the regular grocery that are cheaper and you can throw together something however you want.

From that particular spot- our view of the metropolitan area was blocked by a near ridge line.  But very often up on Rainier like that you can see the lights from Seattle.

Bivy sack


Water pump 2.5 x 7.0 inches

[Ben]

That pump has the filters in it? Arent they expensive?

[Pete]

probably stuffed full of activated charcoal.

[BC]

Depends on the filter or purifier deal...its a labyrinth type filter typically with some carbon to it to improve taste.