The hike started at a popular spot - the Narada Falls overlook. The upper falls on the Paradise River thundered over a sheer cliff, dropping 168 feet nearly straight down:
A short but steep hike led to an overlook of the upper falls, but the spray was so intense that I walked quickly past it and took this photo at a less advantageous spot:
From here, there was a shorter (20 foot) lower falls, then I started hiking on the Wonderland Trail, heading for Reflection Lake.
As I gained elevation, I ran into more and more deep snow patches that had to be crossed. I kept going, but after a mile or so, the snow was just continuous, and I could not figure out where the trail to Reflection Lake went. I stumbled around several different directions trying to pick it up. There were deep ravines around with streams running through them, and everywhere I looked, there was snow.
I knew that the road was just a couple hundred feet to my left, so ultimately I decided to give up on the trail and hike to the lake along the road. I headed left, scramble up a steep, snowy slope, and slid into the road. The views were amazing, including this view of The Pinnacle.
When I got the lake, I found it totally frozen over. Mount Rainier, looming behind it, was magnicent.
No one else had walked there, but there were a number of people driving in for the views, and I asked them to take a photo of me with the volcano as backdrop.
I found the trailhead to Pinnacle Saddle, decided it would be folly to try to hike up there in this much snow, and started walking back along the road.
I knew from my maps that there was a trail cutoff from the road that would get me back to the falls parking lot that would keep my walk to maybe 3.5 miles. So I planned on taking that. Along the way, there was more stunning scenery.
I ran into three ladies hiking down a side road. We stopped to chat. They hike here every Monday together, but one of them had hip replacement surgery 8 months ago and so they were taking it easy. The shortest of them, at least mid-70's, is the oldest woman (or person, I forget) to climb to Rainier's summit and down all in the same day - a 19 hour trip. The day before, she hiked up to Camp Muir - a climb of 5 miles each way with an elevation gain of 4,600 feet! "You should rent ski poles and do it!" she said. Not likely, thought I. I found their spirit and friendship inspirational.
I reached the cutoff trail, near this point. It was covered with deep packed snow, and very steep. I decided to keep walking another 1.5 miles or so along the winding road. It seemed safer.
Along the way, I saw other waterfalls:
and a black-tailed mule deer.
I ate a snack at the car, and got out my guidebook and map to plan the next hike of the day. One thing I decided - it would be below snow level.
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