I can do this, right?!? I’ll just ignore the 2 screws sticking through a bone in the bottom of my foot causing major irritation (insert sarcasm here).
The hike from Highway 410 near the Sunrise Road to Crystal Lakes is up up up, and then more up ~~ about 2100 feet of elevation gain in 3 miles. The lower 3/4 of the trail is through not-very-exciting forest with only one small chance to see Mt. Rainier, but that small spot affords a beautiful view up the White River valley directly to the Mountain.
The real magic of this hike is at the end, at Upper Crystal Lake, with views of the beautiful lake basin and up to Crystal Peak. It makes the climb worth it, in my humble opinion. Wildflowers near the top were in full bloom, and so were the blood-sucking mosquitoes. They go hand in hand, the wildflowers and insects, it’s impossible to have one without the other in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
Though there were several other people in the upper lake basin, we were spread out with plenty of good picnic lunch spots to choose from for everyone. This is one of those places to just sit back and let the beauty of Mother Nature soak in.
I struggled a lot on the hike back down to the car because of my compromised gait due to foot surgery and the screws, but I’m still glad I had a day of beauty!