Mount Rainier's Plummer Peak with Roger and Tammi

A pika paused his darting for a few moments to munch on a salad.

Washington Trails Association says that the climb to Plummer Peak is a 1,500 elevation gain and the summit is 6,359 feet. I didn't make it to the summit yesterday, Sept. 2. The trail took me along a very steep drop off and I am always uncomfortable with those, particularly when I have a backpack on that shifts my center of gravity. Roger Matthews and Tammi Termann went ahead. I turned back and waited for their return. Ironically, it was Tammi who took a spill on the trail, banging her face and arm slightly and drawing a little blood, but otherwise weathering the storm well.slightly,  The altitude was affecting us a bit, so maybe that was a factor. Using my phone GPS I believe we were hiking above 4,800 feet, and were closing in toward 6,000 feet before I turned back. Even young people we passed on our descent were sweating and moving slowly. WTA says the trip is 4.5 miles, so I feel comfortable claiming 3.5 miles.

At the Grove of the Patriarchs, Tammi climbed among the roots of a fallen tree.

A patriarch yet to fall

On the Plummer Peak hike, a chipmunk prays for a morsel.

At this elevation, trees struggle to survive.

A view of the mountain during the descent

Mushrooms cower together at a switchback, below a menacing field of skree

Near the trailhead we found other mushrooms like this one at various life stages.

Noteworthy moments: 

Sworls on a burl on an old growth log

• A visit to the Grove of the Monarchs, a must every time you visit Rainier National Park.
• A big fat marmot browsing below the final ascent to Plummer Peak
• Several pikas darting around
• The accidental discovery of what appeared to be blueberries, but were probably blue huckleberries
• Discovery of some impressive mushrooms
• Feeling the effects of elevation

Stats for the day:

Distance: 3.5 miles*
Conditions: Clear Sky
Load: 18 pounds
Elevation gain: 1,000 feet 

Statistics, year to date:
Distance: 234.1 miles 
Elevation Gain: 71,178 feet