Eagle Peak Saddle - 6.15.2013

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Directions to the Eagle Peak Trailhead from the fee station at the Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park.
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A google earth look at the terrain around Eagle Peak... our hike was 7.5 miles roundtrip, gaining ~3000 feet of elevation.
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Mount Rainier from our parking spot across the Nisqually River from Longmire.
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The trailhead (2800') sign is easy to miss after driving across the Nisqually River... just know that if you reach the community center, you have driven too far.
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Patchy snow at the first bridge crossing (4200').
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Pretty stream.
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Coming out of the trees at ~5000 feet.
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Denali Girl and tomman coming up the switchbacks.
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Snowdog and BarbE on the switchbacks.
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Snowdog checking out Eagle Peak (left-center).
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Heading up to the Eagle Peak saddle.
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The trail had melted out a couple hundred feet below the Eagle Peak saddle.
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Looking down on the switchbacks leading up to the Eagle Peak saddle.
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Chutla Peak in the left foreground... Wahpenayo Peak to the right of Eagle... with Mt. Adams in the distance on the right.
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At the Eagle/Chutla saddle (~5750') now... Chutla Peak on the right... with Lane Peak, Pinnacle Peak and Plummer Peak in the distance on the left.
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Above the Eagle/Chutla saddle now... looking for the Class 3 gully that will lead to the Eagle Peak summit.
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From our high point (~5800')... Unicorn Peak is in view now... the distant peak in the center of the photo.
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Snowdog and BarbE wait while I try to find the Class 3 gully that will take us to the summit.
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The snow below blocked our access to the Class 3 gully... so we will not summit today.
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Mount Rainier from the Eagle/Chutla saddle... Eagle Peak in the left foreground.