8.7 miles, 2900' gain, 2130' descent

I'd thought that yesterday involved getting up close and personal with a glacier, as I climbed up alongside the Carbon Glacier, but today exceeded it. Descending from Mystic Camp, I entered an otherworldly realm of moraines and meltwater rivers and the hulking, monstrous Winthrop Glacier itself. With each tap of my hiking poles the wind blew away a flurry of fine dust from the glacial till I was hiking over. Ah, so THIS is where all that mess in my tent last night came from!

Rainier trails are usually extremely solid and well maintained, but there was one sketchy section traversing down a slope to the upper West Fork White River. Footing was extremely loose, more just dust with a few rocks in it than an actual trail. The ground gave way beneath me with every footstep, and when I stopped to gather myself back together, pebbles continued to fall from the slope above me where my motion had shaken things loose. I made it down safely but did not enjoy this bit at all.

Next came a beautifully designed section of trail where the path follows down the ridgeline of a series of old lateral moraines. And then the Winthrop Creek crossing, which I had been worried about but was totally fine at 9 AM thanks to a solid bridge and low river level. I could see a still-wet section in the middle of the bridge, though, where water had presumably been lapping over it during the heat of yesterday afternoon.

Past the creek, the trail climbs while going through a series of ch-ch-changes. First, views onto the Winthrop Glacier. Second, up through forest. Third, the forest thins. Meadows! Summit views! Other views! It's Skyscraper Pass!

This is the highest point of my hike. Gorgeous in all directions (hey, that's Grand Park I can see over to the right) not to mention how incredible my last cheese stick tasted.

Now down, leaving behind the lush vegetation of the western slopes for the barren dry eastern tundra. Past the Northern Loop / Wonderland junction where I turned off three days ago. One final climb up to Frozen Lake, along Sourdough Ridge enjoying some final views behind me to my favorite mountain, and then back to Sunrise, my car, and a clean change of clothes.