I am posting for a friend who is not subscribed to Tweeters who did this
hike yesterday, 7/29.

Mary Anne Thorbeck
maryannethorbeck at comcast.net


Tweeters,

I went hiking with my friends Anne Jacobs & Keith Mccandless in the Sunrise
side of Mt. Rainier National Park. Our goal was to hike up to the 2nd
Burroughs Mountain and we did that after crossing some tricky snow fields
enroute.

The route we took uphill was by the side of Shadow Lake, which then
ascended steeply to 1st Burroughs Mountain. The majestic Rainier was sadly
cloaked in fog and we cheered ourselves, by enjoying the various wild
flowers which were abundant and at their peak. Some of the most notable wild
flowers, that we saw were Broadleaf Lupine,Beargrass, Cascade
Aster,Pasqueflower Seedhead, both Pink & White Mountain Heather,Low Jacob's
Ladder( some starting just to bloom ), Small -flowered Penstemon, Mountain
Bog Gentian,Broadleaf Arnica,Smooth Mountain Dandelion,Subalpine
Buttercup,both Magenta & Scarlett Indian Paintbrush( my absolute
favourites ), Bracted Lousewort, American Bistort, Pearly Everlasting &
Sitka Valerian. WOW! I AM STILL DAZED!

After crossing the very risky & tricky snow field just before the 1st
Burroughs Mountain on the ridge trail( one can totally avoid this snow field
by using the Saddle Mountain trail ), one is presented with a fabulous feat
of more wild flowers on 1st Burroughs Mountain.

The 2nd Burroughs Mountain is 0.6 miles away and beyond a couple of snow
fields( both less riskier than the previous ones ). The reward on the sunny
day would be a great look at both the Emmons & Winthrop glaciers, but alas
not to be had today. On the way down, glancing at the snow field due south
of the trail from 2nd Burroughs Mountain we saw three FINCH SHAPED BIRDS.
They on closer examination turned out to be Gray-crowned Rosy- Finches; two
adults and one youngster begging for food. It was a life bird for all of us
and worth crossing the snow fields for.

Our return trip was via the Saddleback ridge and Frozen Lake. We ran into a
couple of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, just down the heights from 1st
Burroughs Mountain, on a scree field descending to the north along the
ridge. We looked hard for those elusive White-tailed Ptarmigans, but they
remained elusive.

Get up there and enjoy those wild flowers if you can! They are absolutely
at their finest. Who knows you might run into a Ptarmigan.

Shiva Parameswaran.
shivap at earthlink.net
Seattle