I’ve only been to Mount Rainier once and on that trip we made the mistake of taking the dogs. Scott and I should have checked the rules before leaving – no dogs allowed. As a result, we couldn’t go on any of the trails. We have been wanting to return for a day hike and a few weeks ago, we headed up to Sunrise to hike up to Dege Peak. The visitor’s center entrance is located on the northeast side of Mount Rainier and was about a two hour drive from Seattle.
If you haven’t been before, our best advice is to leave early! We left at 6:30am and arrived at the entrance by 8:40am. However, there was already long line, just to get into the park entrance. From there, we still had a 15 mile drive to the visitor’s center.
We took this photo of the parking lot about an hour into our hike – as you can see the parking lot is full already. Even though it’s outdoors, everyone was wearing masks on the trail. There are restrooms at the visitor’s center that you can use before you head out.
Hiking to Dege Peak along the Sourdough Mountains
As we headed up the main trail, we ran into a park ranger, who gave us some great advice. There are two ways to get to Dege Peak: 1) you can take the trail on your right which is a constant hike up with no great views. 2) you can stay left on the trail and then turn right when you get to the top and walk along the top of the mountains for a spectacular view. We chose to go the latter route. On the way back, we took the first trail down.
Dege Peak is 7008′ and the Sunrise Visitor Center is at 6400′, so our elevation gain was just over 600′. It took us about 2.5 hours to do the trail round trip – which was a bit slower than most. I kept stopping to take photos and rest. The trail was not crowded at all on our way to Dege Peak.
The hike is fairly gradual in regards to the incline. Keep in mind there is less oxygen at that elevation, so you can still be out of breath (at least I was).
Beautiful Flowers
Considering the mountain is under snow for most of the year, it’s amazing how many beautiful flowers come back and adorn the hillside.
I wish our friend Maria was with us, as she was a florist and can identify almost every flower!
Is that poop along the trail?
I couldn’t help notice little tuffs of fur and then piles of large poop droppings. What kind of animal could it be? We knew it was not bear skat, and the droppings were too large for a deer. We were on the look out for critters!
We were about 3/4 of the way and could finally see Dege Peak ahead of us.
The views on either side of us, were absolutely stunning and breathtaking.
After you pass by this view point, you begin your ascend to the summit of Dege Peak.
Getting to the summit
Soon after we got on the trail to the summit, we encountered the critter responsible for all of the poop.
This darling marmot, was busy digging a way, looking for food. He let us pass with no problems and we were suddenly at he top!
Just as we got to the summit, a cloud formation (you can start to see it in the photo above) started to develop and moved towards us.
Within a minute, we were completely engulfed in the cloud, with no visibility.
It moved out as fast as it moved in. Scott and I took ate a quick lunch and admired the 360 degree views. Mount Rainier was absolutely enormous and it was so cool to be so close to it.
Mountain peaks for miles
No matter where we stood, we could see mountain ranges for miles. It was pretty spectacular.
Time to head back down
Scott and I only spent about 15 minutes at the summit. If you do hike later in the season, be prepared for weather changes. We once again, had to pass by our furry friend. I got lots of great video of him, so be sure to check out our YouTube episode (at the end of this blog).
Since we hiked along the ridge on the way up, we decided to take the lower trail where it forks off. That was a bit more crowded, but still allowed for plenty of social distancing.
The best part of the hike back is the view is gorgeous!
Look back at how far we hiked, I felt really accomplished. Remember, we’re not regular hikers, so this was a big deal to me!
Be prepared for the trail to be very dusty and dirty. We were filthy and glad to have brought a change of shoes and sweats.
Stop at Sunrise Point Lookout
On your way out, stop by the Sunrise Point Lookout. This is also the entrance to the Palisades Lake Trail (now on our bucket list). The views are amazing from there as well. Sunrise lake was so crystal clear!
With so many great places to hike here in the Northwest, we plan on getting out more and enjoying our own backyard.
One follower asked us why would they want to read our blog or follow our channel if we are not boating? Well, what do boaters do once they get to their destination? Often – they go for a hike. This is part of our journey! Be sure to check out the full episode on YouTube below.
We have a lot of great stories coming up, including Scott’s parasailing trip on Elliott Bay, lots of yacht tours and we’ve chartered a Carver for the San Juan Islands. So please be sure to follow us on social media @BoatingJourney and come long with our journey. We appreciate all of you that have been a part of this amazing adventure. Be sure to watch for our next blog and video as we give you a tour of a 1996 Viking 46 Sport Cruiser Motor Yacht.
Cheers,
Scott and Ally
