Directions: From Tacoma drive 40 miles south on Highway 7 to Elbe and go east 10 miles on Highway 706 to the Mount Rainier National Park Nisqually Entrance Station. Proceed ~6 miles looking for the Comet Falls trail head after a series of switch backs.
Trail Notes: I started off today extra early in an attempt to beat the heat. It was supposed to get up into the lower 90's in the lowlands. Naturally, I figured it would be cooler in the Mountains, but it turned out it was just as warm up there.
The trail itself is probably best described as being moderately steep, but isn't a killer. For most the way you are accompanied by Van Trump creek which as of this writing is pushing down some serious volume of water. Having check the nps before leaving I knew there was a bridge out, so I also opted to take a change of footwear. This turned out to be a very handy thing to have done.
So back to it, I left the trailhead and followed the trail, for about 1/2 hour or so. The scenery is nice, and there is some old growth to keep you company, and proximity to the creek to keep the air somewhat cool. The trail moves itself up a steeply sidewalled valley, and there is only one shot of a view of Rainier.
So not too much later I came to the stream crossing (the one where the bridge was washed out) and looked for a place to cross the stream. The crossing isn't nearly as difficult as it looks, especially if you keep your shoes on. Even so a couple people crossed without shoes which you can see in the pictures. Others, I found on my return used this as the terminus of the hike. A waste really, since views of Comet Falls are only a couple more minutes past this crossing.
So across I went up towards Comet Falls which really is a very beutiful water fall. My original plan was to make my way up to Van Trump Park and Mildred point, but as I ascended the switch backs beyond Coment Falls the aspect of the slope changed from Western facing to Eastern facing. It was almost like day and night, from no snow to mention, to so much snow that the trail was lost in about 200 feet. So not having either a clear trail, nor clear sight of where the trail was heading I decided to turn around.
By this time the weather was turning toasty and all semblence of cool air was gone. Nothing special to note on the return, save for the congregation of people in the parking lot at the trail head. Kind of shocking to have several people waiting for your spot when you get back to your car. Having been turned back from my objective early I decided to go up to Paradise and see what was happening.
So the short story is that the Paradise lodge is under repair this year and next, and there is less than normal parking since most the parking lot off limits. Well to meet the demand for extra visitors the one way drive down from Paradise has been widened and parallel parking slots go the whole way down the valley. Amazingle they were all full past the bend in the valley.
This experience for some reason really rubbed me the wrong way and I decided to leave the way I came rather than going for a round the mountain return. And perhaps the most shocking part of the trip was the line at the entry by Longmire. There were cars lined up for about 1/3 1/2 mile from the entrance waiting to come in
Word to the wise - leave early.
Photos 26
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