Our destination today was to visit the Park Butte Lookout... and conduct some additional aimless wandering as energy, weather, enthusiasm and blueberries allowed.
This would be Steve's first time in the Schriebers Meadow area and it would be John's first time here without a snowmobile.
The weather started off as promised. Cloudy and wet. But not too wet. Then it did get too wet. Then it got windy. Then we reached the Lookout where we hung out for about an hour, watching the view change from zero visibility to infinite visibility... over and over again, within minutes of each other.
Eventually, the rain completely stopped (about 1:30pm or so), the cloud ceiling started to lift, the sun came out and we peeled off our damp layers to maximize our Vitamin D absorption.
We visited 3-tree-tarn, peeked over the Railroad grade edge and ate blueberries on the trip back out.
Total distance was about 9.3 miles and 2,500 feet of elevation gain.
There were very few people on the trail - especially for Labor Day Weekend.
Blueberries are everywhere. The berries in the upper meadows are much more sweet than the ones found in the lower meadow, FYI.
Easy creek crossing both coming and going.
Thanks you very much, Steve and John, for coming along today. It was a wonderful day in the mountains and I'm glad you were both able to see something more than fog.
Here are the pics:
Labor Day Hike Gang:
Creek Crossing:
The Views Can Only Get Better:
Pocket Lake:
I was out of ear shot, but I'm pretty sure I knew what they were talking about:
Let's try that shot again. See the Lookout in the upper left corner?
Ready for the final stretch to the Lookout:
Man In The Mountains:
Easton Glacier (full zoom from the Lookout during a break in the clouds):
Clearer photo of the Lookout:
Three - Tree Tarn Pics:
Deming Glacier runoff (full zoom):
Rock & Mud Layers along Rocky Creek:
Grass & Pond at Shrieber's Meadow:
Back to the Meadows:
Route Map:
Thanks for reading along. Next hike could be Mt. St. Helens, in October!
~E
PS: Added a video on Sunday. Click HERE to view it.
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