WA>Mount Rainier NP, Northern Loop, East Section>July 29-August 5 - Hammock Friendly?

**Brian Miller** · 07-07-2018, 18:02

Counterclockwise 40 Mile loop with stays at Sunrise Camp (to get an early start the next day for), Mystic Lake, Carbon Camp (Cataract Creek), Lake James, Berkeley Park camps. All appear to be hammock friendly on Google but can anyone verify? Nobody at the WICs knows.

Most appreciated!

**22hornet** · 07-10-2018, 11:36

Brian
I did this loop last year and all the campsites were hang friendly but that depends on availability I did it in mid September and had no competition, pm me with your phone number if you want to talk. Jim

**Brian Miller** · 08-18-2018, 12:52

We heard reports of a death and at least two injuries/lost packs at the ford of the West Fork White River two days before we would encounter the crossing so our plan changed to a one way trip from Sunrise to Carbon. I was able to hang at assigned campsites in Sunrise, Mystic, and Carbon camps using a pair of 7' straps with whoopies.

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**22hornet** · 08-19-2018, 21:56

Hey Brian I was wondering how your trip was going, I heard about the lady that died crossing the White River, when I crossed it last September it was sketchy and I would not have liked to fjord it during the summer. Just got back from the Goat Rocks and got lucky and had a smoke free day to enjoy the views. I hope you had a great time up on Rainier. Jim

**Brian Miller** · 08-20-2018, 18:23

It was a great time. It was before W Washington got hammered with smoke so there was some spectacular scenery.

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But man it was HOT; 85° F, 70% humidity starting at Sunrise/Skyscraper Pass at 6700 ft with a general descent to 4600, then back to 5700 ft. Then up to 6000 again and then descending to 3200 ft over 12 miles. Above the tree line, especially in talus it was like being in a convection oven. In the forest it was like being in a rice steamer.

The Winthrop Creek Crossing was "interesting" with up to a foot of water sloshing over the 12" wide single log bridge with no handrail, and a fall being certain death. It was after that we heard about WF White River death and decided rather than retracing our route to get back to Sunrise in that heat we'd bail at Carbon.

You know, ever since I began backpacking and climbing in the early 70s, it was always hike 4 to 8 miles to a lake or a basin, setup a base camp to fish one or several lakes or climb everything around the ridge for up to 5 days, then back to the car. My old alpine-glacier climbing buddy-now high country fishing buddy and I kind of came to the conclusion that we love hiking several miles to high streams and lakes to camp and fish, but loop trips for "hiking to hike" every day

... not so much.