Beginnings

Two hikes today – High Rock and Plummer Peak – maximizing the long drive from Portland to Rainier National Park. The day warm and cloudless. Smoke from southern Oregon, however, had drifted up smudging the long distance views.

The first hike was to a former fire lookout south of the park known as High Rock. It is a well-known hike among Puget Sounders and short – 1.6 miles one-way. The lookout is one of only five remaining in the vast Gifford Pinchot National Forest.  It is steep gaining 1365 feet with much of the height gained in the second two thirds of the way up.

Find the trail from Portland by driving I-5 north to US 12. Head east next to Morton where you turn north on WA SR 7. Farther along to a junction with WA SR 706 on the north side of a bridge over the Nisqually River.  Turn east on WA SR 706 for 10.1 miles – through Ashford – and turn right on Skate Creek Road (FR 52) for 4.7 miles.  You can follow signs saying “High Rock”. A problem, however, is the sign at the next junction with graveled FR 84 was missing from the direction from Ashford (though not from the other direction).

After figuring out the problem of the missing sign, turn right – south – and go 6.8 miles up a forested valley. There are a few potholes on this section of road, but they are fairly minor. Finally, bear right onto FR 8440 for another 2.7 miles to the trailhead at Towhead Gap – 4330 feet. 

High Rock before Plummer

The trail is signed on the right side of the road.  The midweek day we visited there were only two cars parker. However, by the time we returned, the parking lot was much fuller.

From the road you can see the lookout perched high up on its 5685 peak.  NW Forest Pass needed for parking.

The hike is in forest much of the way up with occasional views. Finally, glorious views of Mt Rainier and the rest of the ridge – Sawtooth Ridge – greet you after 1.3 miles of steep forest walking. Not for the acrophobic, as you stand on top of cliffs of over 600 feet.

Off a cliff with over 600 foot drop, the view is to the west-northwest to north. The rest of the Sawtooth Range is off on the left, Mt Rainier dominates the right center and the Tatoosh are just to the right of Rainier. Unicorn Peak is on the right end of the Tatoosh. From High Rock, the next stop, Plummer Peak appears as a little point.

Almost there

The lookout is a short distance beyond set atop the ridge. The views probably stretch to Mt Hood. On this day Mt Adams and St Helens were as far south as you could see through the smoke haze. The small peaks of the Boundary Trail can be made out – the goals of our next hike.

Lookout on the Edge

You can go inside the lookout. The place is slowly being restored – the parking lot this day filled with volunteers coming up to help paint the old site. From High Rock, you can see Plummer Peak, as well – your next destination. Very close searching brings the Boundary Peaks and Mt Margaret into view. Both future areas of interest.

Rainer dominates with the Tatoosh just to the right. Next stop is Plummer in the middle of the Tatoosh. Unicorn Peak is the prowlike peak on the right side of the range. In the air above the rocks, you can see some of the thousands of flying ants hatched atop the peak in the summer warmth.

Hazy view – from forest fire smoke in southern Oregon and the sun – to the south from the lookout on High Rock. Mt Adams is the smudge on the left center horizon and Mt St Helens is even fainter slight to the right of center.

The return is the same as you came up.

Double the Fun – High Rock to Plummer!

Lane Peak on the left to the Unicorn on the right with the Pinnacle and its saddle in the center.

The second hike was a climb of Plummer Peak in the Tatoosh Range, a small range just south of Mt Rainier, also a bit stiffer challenge than High Rock. Inside the park equals a $30 entry fee.  To get there, we retreated to WA SR 706 and headed east into the park.  The trailhead is at Reflection Lakes, just east of the Paradise Park turnoffs 18.1 miles into the park.  There are lots of car spaces on the road here, however, they fill up because of the popularity of the trails going around the lakes.  The trailhead is on the opposite side of the road and is signed “Plummer-Pinnacle Saddle”.

Up once more

The maintained trail cover about 1.3 miles from the road to the saddle gaining 1100 feet, topping out at 5950 feet.  The trail is a well-maintained affair – complete with steps down lower in the National Park style. It culminates after a series of switchbacks up a talus slope of Pinnacle Peak.

On those the last switchbacks, we met a West Point graduate making his inaugural hike on a new knee – post meniscus repair – with his adult son. There may be hope for me in the future.

From the saddle, views to the south and to the eastern Tatoosh add to the drama of Rainier which has followed you up the first part of the trail.

Onwards from the saddle

Turn left at the saddle. You are on a climber’s path to Pinnacle Peak – class 3.  By going right, follow a boot path up the north ridge of Plummer Peak. This route is class 2. Helpfully, a couple handy trees let you gain the summit.

Looking past Mt Rainier and its satellite, Mt Tahoma is the eastern Tatoosh: Pinnacle, the Castle, Foss and Unicorn.

Wahpenayo Peak is in the center; Chutla and Eagle are behind to the right and Lane is the big pyramid closer to the right.

Wideranging views

The views from Plummer are the best in the Tatoosh, because of the offset placement of the peak in the range. The mountain is slightly to the south of the rest of the range.  From Plummer, High Rock is visible looking over the western Tatoosh.

And the Unicorn beckons to the east.

To the right of Mt Rainier are Pinnacle, the Castle, Foss and the Unicorn.

All the time, Rainier serves as the focal point as clouds swirl around the peak.

Another summit

Plummer Peak is another half mile beyond the saddle and you gain another almost 400 feet to top out at 6370 feet.

In the past, I encountered a small herd of mountain goats grazing in the meadows below Denman Peak to the west. There were no goats in sight today. There were plenty of people are on the trail (this is a national park) but the crowds filter quickly after the saddle.  We shared the summit with a young couple from Florida.

The Long Way home

We returned the way we came. After the long drive back to Portland, I watched all of those YouTube videos of people making Tatoosh traverses. My knees probably won’t allow me to do anymore. High Rock and Plummer Peak did me just fine on this day!

August 6.