Bears of Summerland on the Wonderland Trail

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020by LisaLeave a Comment

CHAPTER 6~ BEARS AND SUMMERLAND ON THE WONDERLAND

Episode 2 Video The following is a prelude to 14 Days of Wonderland video is on the very popular Summerland Trail on the Wonderland system. You can skip to the video by clicking Episode 2 here or read and click at the bottom of this page.

Video Synopsis: Still boasting the ziplock plastic bags in her shoes, Lisa contemplates returning them to Carrie. Upon summiting at Summerland camp it is found the camp had recently been ransacked by a bear. Runtime 6:40

Day 3

We wake up to gorgeous weather at Tamanos Camp and decide on taking a popular trail on the Wonderland for a day hike. Earlier during our planning Summerland Camp and Indian Bar Camps were both full and we could not make arrangements to backpack through both of these beautiful areas. A recent sign, posted, boot prints and a single track of something being dragged across the ground is all that remains of evidence to a scary day to campers who had camped there a few days prior.

The story from the other campers was, campsite #2 was occupied at Summerland. During lunch a bear walked into campsite two, snatched a backpack out of the possession of a camper and dragged it and commandeering the bag and contents.

After crossing Frying Pan Creek, having lunch on the rocks and taking a brief moment to catch a few golden rays of sunshine, we were met with a spectacle of wildflowers. Everything from Lupine, Columbia Tiger Lily, Columbine, Magenta and Orange Indian Paint Brush, Pearly Everlasting blooming all at once. In the background the lovely scents were married with the mountain as if standing so proud of her work.

The trail up to Summerland is a sought after day hiking spot, especially on a weekend in summer. It starts from lush, green forests, on a wide forgiving pine needle filled path that is easy on the knees. Later it switches back and forth as Frying Pan Creek cascades and falls over the rocky face of the hill. From it’s crossing you catch a glimpse of Rainier, here and there along with wildflowers that forever fill the hillside all summer.

When we a arrived to take a walk through camp, we found a posh pit toilet, and high end, solidly constructed rock walled group site. I’ve been here many times with the chipmunks and marmots looking for a handout. I spotted one lazy marmot hiding from the heat under a tree.

Which is probably how the bear came to be.

In essence I feel sorry for the bear. People feed the chipmunks, they are aggressive when you sit for a split nano second. They jump all over your bag, and hop inside if you walk away to peak over the hill. The marmots take their share too.

So why not the bear?

Just there for his share of take-out.

Most, if not all of Rainier’s backcountry camps, have bear poles. We never leave any of our food unattended. Ever.

It goes without saying Rainier’s bears are generally mild and do not aggressively take food away from humans but this bear decided it would go about his business differently. That’s when the rangers started putting up signs, checking in with hikers, and doing what they call mitigation to scare it away.

We didn’t ask for details what mitigation was, air horn, rocks, yelling, we were just more concerned there was still that particular bear there.

Sheli chats with a backcountry ranger on “Bear Mitigation Duty”

After filtering some water for the trip down, we take in a snack on a nice warm rock.

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Where the Sam Hill is Deer Creek?

December 16, 2020by LisaLeave a Comment

The following is a prelude to 14 Days of Wonderland video on finding camp on the Eastside of Rainier. You can skip to the video by clicking Episode 1 here or read and click at the bottom of this page.

Episode 1 Video synopsis: A search for a lost camp known as Deer Creek as well as a rainy first day through gorgeous wildflower meadows. Lisa ends up wet from head to toe but with the help of her friends, ends up wearing gallon zip lock bags in her shoes and Carrie’s clothes for a climb up Tamanos Mountain. Runtime 9:31

Day 1

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Out in the middle of no where, our first day didn’t go quite as planned. To begin, Shannon’s car experiences a low tire alarm which keeps her driving at a snails pace in order to not cause any damage to her vehicle.

From past experience, Mowich Lake road is pot-holed, chuck-holed, dusty and busy. Hiker’s and their vehicles hoping to get a parking spot at least a mile within a trailhead on a weekend in summer, get antsy and sometimes plain old crazy. They pass each other, drive erratically, and in more than one case, as the scattered evidence proves, loose pieces of their vehicles to the belly of the washboard gravel road.

Shannon arrives safe and unharmed but her sweet car may never be the same.

From here on out is easy enough!

Our first day out was mostly trips to cache and plant vehicles at various locations and luckily we have all day.

If all goes according to plan, we will make it to camp at Deer Creek for a relaxing JetBoil dinner, filter water for the morning, get plenty of rest and settle in to the sights of the evening forest and sounds of babbling Deer Creek.

Shannon and I plan to meet at Mowich Lake on the north side of Rainier around 10 am. We plan to leave Shannon’s parked car, then proceed to drive together, masked up, in my car to Sunrise, pick-up Sheli where she will be leaving her vehicle. Then we all three will head to White River Campground to drop our cache location behind the ranger station. Finally, we will arrive at the Deer Creek Trailhead on the Southside to Owyhigh Lakes.

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Raspberries make everything better from Shannon’s garden as we ditch Shannon’s car in a somewhat safe and cozy spot we were lucky to get. After jockeying our backpacks, we head down the mountain once again to the other side, a 1 1/2 hr drive away.

Chewing dust couldn’t taste more sweet as we head toward our rendezvous with Sheli.

We arrive at Sunrise around 2 pm. Sheli has encountered a bit of traffic leaving her home in Seattle as Shannon and I enjoy the sights and scenes of Sunrise. The wildflowers are blooming, the summer breezes felt lovely even in a COVID mask and bandana. Luckily we have pad our day with time and aren’t rushed because we know the backcountry camp at Deer Creek is right off the highway with best part being downhill. We could just roll down it if we had to.

We find a good spot for Sheli at the overnight parking area just as she pulls up, stretch our legs, jockey our gear once again in the back of the Jeep and are on our way!

The journey from Sunrise is a short 20 minutes as we pass the image of the mountain in our mirror and through our window as we weave in and out the hills and forest of the dryer side of the mountain. Finally, descending deep into Steven’s Canyon, I remember my comment how the hike tomorrow will be somewhat the same going back up with full backpacks. I am confident mentally we will be ready and prepared for whatever this mountain gives us over the next two weeks, the good the bad and the ugly if there will ever be one given the beauty of what our first evening will hold in our memories.

When I spoke with the ranger the week prior, she gave me specifics on where Deer Creek camp was located. Since I had never been to that particular trailhead, I needed a bit more information on where to park or some interesting landmark that might help me if we had a later start and it got dark in the canyon. The ranger assured me it was right off the highway within 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile on the Owyhigh trail, just past the bridge over Deer Creek.

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Shannon as well looked Deer Creek up on several websites, Washington Trails Association and AllTrails. She comes prepared with a printed copy of a recent trip report that gave directions supporting our start location.

With the beep of the Jeep, we set off for our first night at lovely Deer Creek.

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Passing by Deer Falls, a popular tourist stop, we come upon just a few families who are making their way back up the steep hill. The smell of the forest and the falling waters create a peaceful Zen and worthwhile stopping point for travelers heading west to east in the summer. As soon as we find camp, our first night will be a celebration complete with a bottle of Summit wine and an evening of relaxation.

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As soon as we find camp.

We come to the Eastside junction, of four corners. To the west Owyhigh Lakes, to the North Eastside Trail, to the South Eastside Trail, to the East, where we came from the highway. No sign said Deer Creek.

We continue west on the Owyhigh Lakes Trail as Shannon pulls out her trail report. We read, it can be hard to find and “Good Luck”.

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We walk, and walk some more, then start heading uphill. Things are going to get sweaty now.

We walk, and walk some more. Lisa in a cautious yet hopeful tone says, “Shannon, in your mind did you envision this being this far off the highway?”

We walk, and walk some more. Shannon, in her cool as a cucumber voice speaks positively, “Hmm, maybe not.”

Lisa then says, “Let’s turn around. It is getting late.” realizing I know where my car is but not the camp.

We return to the four corners and talk.

We talk and talk and decide which direction to take, between North Eastside and South Eastside.

Sheli with confidence pointing a trekking pole and says, “That way!” and then points to the tiny etched arrow and scratched in words of Deer Creek.

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We are home after a short what was known as our pre-tour of tomorrow.

Sheli earns her badge as trailblazer, wild animal spotter and she also gets an A+ in pitching a tent.

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Shelis-Sign-1024x768.jpg — From Left: Sheli, Lisa and Shannon

According to Wikipedia, Sam Hill is a euphemism for the devil.

Episode 1 contains a search for a lost camp known as Deer Creek as well as a rainy first day through gorgeous wildflower meadows. Lisa ends up wet from head to toe but with the help of her friends, ends up wearing gallon zip lock bags in her shoes and Carrie’s clothes for a climb up Tamanos Mountain. Runtime 9:31

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14 Days of Wonderland

December 10, 2020by LisaLeave a Comment

Three Months Prior

This year I hiked around a volcano.

At this time Mt. Rainier is dormant but lies waiting for its turn in the explosive shadows of another more popular one of recent times, Mt. St. Helens.

I always have been both eerily scared and intrigued by the beauty and stature of mountains. It began when I was a young girl and my grandmother lived at Mt. Rainier with her family. It continued as my cousin, David Crockett filmed the historic footage of the explosion of Mt. St. Helens when he worked for local news station KOMO 4 here in Seattle.

This year I turned 63 and decided it was time for me to spend more time wandering the backcountry and learn to live day and night in Rainier’s glacial arms and backcountry camps. Knowing I would be met with challenges along the way and knowing I would want to give up more than a few times, in the end mental and physical demands didn’t prepare me enough. I soon learned I must depend on the trust of my friends and people that would help me along the way in order to hike this classic cascade volcano.

Deciding early on I would document my 14 days through film in order to help me recount the experience more fully, my friend Shannon Hughes, who had completed the Wonderland Trail several years ago went with me ten out of the fourteen days. Shannon has a lot of hidden talents. She is a much better cook, dehydrates all her trail food. She is a writer and her cool as a cucumber nature and happy personality offset my drive and stubbornness.

I first met Shannon by a shear stoke of luck earlier 2020 when I had snowshoed with my friend Carrie up to a trail hut to hut ski system Mt. Tahoma Trails Association. Shannon and her partial Wondercrew, Susan and Catherine had a reservation along with our shared evening at High Hut. We ended up all exchanging numbers and I was told later Carrie and I were added to the Wondercrew.

At the onset of COVID-19 that ushered in a new way of life, our state shutdown all wilderness areas. The National Park did not know whether it was going to be open and the backcountry permit system was put on an indefinite hold. What we did know in June was we did not get a permit approved through the lottery and we were unsure there would be any chance of walk-up permits that were typically issued from the wilderness information system at Mt. Rainier National Park. The park generally allows a portion of permits through the lottery and the remainder are walk-up in park permits.

As time went by, the park finally pulled the bear out of the den by offering a real-time backcountry campsite availability online permit system. This was the miracle we needed to get any slim pickings of a permit for this year. The one caveat was you could only apply between 7 and 30 days in advance and are also limited to 14 days total.

Six Weeks Prior Mid-July

Shannon and I got to work creating all sorts of scenarios and managed to build a creative chain of backcountry campsites around Rainier. We also had to consider transportation and shuttling cars since we would not be able to through hike.

The most coveted time on Rainier being August and with both our schedules we soon noticed the lack of availability. All the blue Xs are not available sites. All the red stars were available. All the green stars were side trips we hadn’t taken before and could add them as excursions, optional of course. Some days would be shorter hikes, some days would be gruelingly long. As it became clear during our actual trek, the park was holding at about 50% capacity at all campsites both drive-in and backcountry. We noticed many backcountry sites were almost empty each evening as a result and we probably could have stayed anywhere in theory.

The photo below is the best we could do even with waking up at 12:01 am 30 days in advance after weeks of watching the weekly availability updates the park would post.

Our first day we started at Deer Creek Camp which is neatly tucked away along side Hwy 123 between White Pass and Naches Pass.

Episode 1 video contains a search for a lost camp known as Deer Creek as well as a rainy first day through gorgeous wildflower meadows. Lisa ends up wet from head to toe but with the help of her friends, ends up wearing gallon zip lock bags in her shoes and Carrie’s clothes for a climb up Tamanos Mountain. Runtime 9:31

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Backpacking Around a Volcano

August 30, 2020by Lisa4 Comments

I have no idea what I am doing.

I just entered the Seattle Film Festival with the urging from my hiking friend Shannon. The trailer for it is below.

This is my synopsis.
“I’ve lived my entire life in the Pacific Northwest and spent my career within the four walls of a classroom as an elementary school teacher.
With retirement and my newly found freedom, I became involved as an ambassador with the non-profit, Washington Trails Association.
Washington Trails Association has a strong commitment to diversity and a belief that trails are for everyone to enjoy and use, regardless of race or socio-economic status.

Bringing equity to less advantaged, Washington Trails Association was in the process of finalizing and advancing their outreach of a hiking equipment lending outpost at the Boys and Girls Club in Tacoma. The first goal and target was for at risk youth to become invested in the outdoors and nature by bringing them to the trails and building a relationship to become lifelong stewards.

When COVID shut our state down and with the project on hold, instead of retreating indoors, I decided to bring nature to the screen.
My goal was to walk around Mt. Rainier in 14 days. It started with explaining my role with Washington Trails Association then asking a few friends who were willing to take a chance to explore the beauty of Mt Rainier National Park to come along. Their experiences varied from novice to experienced backpackers.

The hike into the backcountry of Mt. Rainier included over 150 miles of trails of protected wilderness within Mt. Rainier National Park. It also included a grueling 30,000′ vertical feet of elevation gain and over 30,000′ vertical feet of elevation loss which reduces its accessibility.
A portion of my trip also touched on the famous Wonderland Trail. Iconic in scenery and blessed with natural protected beauty, Mt. Rainier National Park was named the fifth national park in the United States of America.

My hope for 2020 is to show how beautiful and fun backcountry hiking can be, build stewardship that lasts a lifetime, encourage protection for the environment, and bring this incredible footage to one of the largest growing audiences, the outdoor hiking enthusiast.”

Here’s the trailer