Manatee Peak (a.k.a. Foss Peak) - 5.10.2011
Drive 6.5 miles from the Nisqually entrance of MRNP to Longmire... then drive 8.1 miles from Longmire to the Narada Falls parking area.
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rodman's GPS route of our snowshoe trip to the Manatee Peak (a.k.a. Foss Peak) summit... 7.25 miles roundtrip... gaining 2645 feet of elevation.
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The Narada Falls parking area (4600') in Mount Rainier Nat. Park... BarbE talking with two guys from North Carolina.
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The 200 foot embankment that leads up to the Stevens Canyon Road.
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rodman in the woods... climbing up the 200 foot embankment.
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We've reached the Stevens Canyon Road (4840') at the top of the embankment... and a pretty nice view of Mt. Rainier.
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BarbE and the North Carolina guys rounding a corner of the Stevens Canyon Road.
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Eagle Peak (center)... Chutla Peak in the clouds.
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The Castle (left) and Pinnacle Peak from the Stevens Canyon Road.
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A closeup of The Castle and Pinnacle Peak.
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BarbE leaves the road (4900')... puts on snowshoes... and starts up... Pinnacle Peak in the distance.
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Pete and Jason... visiting from North Carolina.
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BarbE and rodman... Pinnacle Peak above.
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BarbE and rodman continuing up.
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Jason, Pete and ragman heading up.
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rodman and BarbE... barely see the top of Pinnacle Peak.
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BarbE and rodman traversing towards a really nice view spot.
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Jason, Pete, ragman and rodman nearing the view spot.
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Mt. Rainier... Reflection Lakes at the bottom of the photo... Pyramid Peak and Glacier Island on the left.
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A closeup of Pyramid Peak (left) and Glacier Island.
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The Castle (left) and Pinnacle Peak... we are heading for the ridge on the left side of The Castle.
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Pete, Jason, rodman and BarbE heading for the ridge on the east side of The Castle.
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Ever upward.
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The east side of The Castle.
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BarbE leading the way to the ridge.
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We've reached the ridge (6200')... and can now see the south side of The Castle.
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Looking south to Mt. Adams.
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Looking south to Mt. St. Helens.
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Manatee Peak (left), Unicorn Peak and Boundary Peak.
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A closeup of Unicorn Peak (left) and Boundary Peak.
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A closeup of Manatee Peak (a.k.a. Foss Peak).
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Mount Rainier... with Louise Lake in the lower right corner.
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Everyone is getting their camera ready for a photo shoot.
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ragman, rodman and BarbE... on the ridge east of The Castle... with that white thing behind us.
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Looking down on the corniced ridge leading over to Manatee Peak.
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Our general route to the Manatee Peak summit.
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A closeup of the corniced ridge between The Castle and Manatee Peak.
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We will give back 250 feet of elevation on our way to Manatee Peak.
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BarbE and rodman on the corniced ridge.
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BarbE has her way to deal with these bumps...
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and rodman has his way of dealing with the bumps.
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Looking back on the corniced ridge as we near the small pond (5960').
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Manatee Peak from the small pond.
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Our general route from the small pond to the Manatee Peak summit.
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On our way to the summit now... looking back on The Castle... Plummer Peak is left of The Castle.
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rodman and BarbE heading up.
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Still heading up.
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Getting closer.
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Getting really close now... stay away from the cornices on the left.
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The final push to the Manatee Peak summit.
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rodman and BarbE on the Manatee Peak summit (6524')... Unicorn Peak (left) and Boundary Peak with Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood in the distance.
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A closeup of Unicorn Peak, Boundary Peak and Mt. Adams.
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BarbE and rodman on the summit.
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ragman on the summit.
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Heading down now... plunge-stepping instead of using our snowshoes.
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The east side of Manatee Peak is very sheer.
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Descending.
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Looking at our route back to The Castle.
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Getting closer to the small pond.
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Working our way above the small pond.
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From the small pond... looking at our route back to The Castle.
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Corniced ridge and The Castle.
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A closeup of the corniced ridge leading to The Castle.
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BarbE and rodman heading up the corniced ridge.
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Still heading up.
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Looking back on Manatee Peak, Unicorn Peak and Boundary Peak.
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All downhill from here... last look at the south side of The Castle.
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A closeup of Paradise.
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BarbE and rodman looking at me... or maybe looking at The Castle.
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Last good look of The Castle and Pinnacle Peak as we head down.
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rodman and BarbE descending.
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I like the tree in the middle of the photo.
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Back down to the Stevens Canyon Road... wow, there is a ton of snow.
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Walking the road back to Narada Falls... very easy on the eyes.
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A closeup of Pyramid Peak... less than a half-mile to get back to the car.
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