SHRINER PEAK IN MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
10 NOVEMBER 2001

The trail up Shriner Peak (5,850 feet) on the east part of Mt. Rainier
National Park has always been a favorite of mine. This route wraps up and
around fairly steep south-facing slopes;snow duration is relatively short,
making it both a great late and early season trail. Though there have been
recent snowfalls,we encountered snow only above about 5,000 feet, even then
it was not a major barrier. Ellen and I were blessed with great weather,
too, with temps in the low 50s and nearly calm. I likened the temperature
and humidity to a sultry July morning. En route up this trail, we kept
peeling off layers. We even noted a dragonfly and butterfly flying about.
Too, we made a mistake in underestimating our fluid needs, feeling it to be
a cool-season ascent, so became quite dehydrated by the time we returned as
we brought too few water bottles.

Birds were neither abundant nor diverse. Most exciting was an adult
Northern Goshawk which afforded very close views as it circled over us very
close by; I could clearly make out its striking pied head patterning.
Species absent were of interest, though. The big omissions in the bird list
were finches and ground dwellers. The "cosmic" finches such as Pine
Grosbeak, White-winged Crossbill, and Common (even a Hoary report) Redpoll
being reported in Washington at this time seem confined mostly to the
northern part of the state; at least we noted none on this hike. Ground
dwellers such as towhees, sparrows, and juncos were also absent, possibly
having been driven lower out of the mountains by recent October snowstorms.

Birds seen:

Northern Goshawk - 1 adult soared right over us, then sailed off to the east
Blue Grouse - 2 voraciously munching on Wild Strawberry leaves at ~ 3,500
feet
Gray Jay - 3 near summit lookout
Steller's Jay - 5 - mid-elevation Douglas-fir and Vine Maples
Clark's Nutcracker - 5, though not a Whitebark Pine in sight!
Common Raven - 4
Mountain Chickadee - 10, open forests from 4,000 feet up
Chestnut-backed Chickadee - 10, moist forest both low and high (to 5,000
feet)
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 10
Brown Creeper - 6, seemed to be a higher number than usual
Winter Wren - 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 10
American Robin - 8, flying south overhead at 5,000 feet
Varied Thrush - 2
Pine Siskin - 5, flyovers
Evening Grosbeak - 4, flyovers

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
Steppie at nwinfo.net