Tolmie Peak, Howard Peak and Florence Peak - 9.19.2012
Directions from Bonney Lake to Mowich Lake (4929')... watch for the Tolmie Peak trailhead on the left side of the road when you first see the lake.
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rodman's GPS route of our trip to Tolmie Peak, Howard Peak and Florence Peak... a 9.25 mile thru-hike, gaining 2128 feet of elevation and losing 5341 feet of elevation.
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rodman, Denali Girl and Nanda on the trail to Eunice Lake.
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A reflection of Mount Rainier in Mowich Lake.
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After hiking a short distance around Mowich Lake, we decided to take the short walk over to look down Ipsut Pass before continuing to Eunice Lake.
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At Ipsut Pass... looking in the distance at the haze created by fires in eastern Washington.
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Arriving at Eunice Lake (5354') after hiking two miles... the Tolmie Peak summit is in the center of the photo... with the Tolmie Peak Lookout on the far left of the ridge line.
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A closer look at Eunice Lake... the Tolmie Peak summit is on the left.
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Nanda, Denali Girl and rodman at the west end of Eunice Lake... getting ready to start up the switchbacks leading up to the Tolmie Peak Lookout.
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Heading up to the lookout... Eunice Lake below... and looking over to Mount Rainier.
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Just below the Tolmie Peak Lookout we can see our general route over to Howard Peak and Florence Peak... but first we will continue to the lookout and over to the Tolmie Peak summit.
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Nanda, rodman and Denali Girl at the Tolmie Peak Lookout.
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Nanda, Denali Girl and ragman on the deck of the Tolmie Peak Lookout.
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A look through the window of the Tolmie Peak Lookout.
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Eunice Lake and Mount Rainier from the deck of the Tolmie Peak Lookout.
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Looking back at the Tolmie Peak Lookout as rodman and I continue along the ridge toward the Tolmie Peak summit.
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rodman on the ridge leading to the Tolmie Peak summit... with the lookout behind.
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rodman heading for the Tolmie Peak summit.
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rodman is almost on the Tolmie Peak summit (5939').
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Looking NW from the Tolmie Peak summit... Howard Peak in the foreground... with Point 5255 and Florence Peak behind.
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Mount Rainier from the Tolmie Peak summit... Eunice Lake below.
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We have returned to the lookout from the Tolmie Peak summit and rodman is heading toward Howard Peak on a faint path.
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Approaching Howard Peak... the summit (5683') is on the left... 10 feet higher than the point to the right.
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Our general route from the Tolmie Peak Lookout to Howard Peak.
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Looking over to the east end of Howard Peak... we will take the 5 minute walk over to check it out.
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Looking over Tolmie Peak to Mount Rainier from Howard Peak... the Tolmie Peak Lookout is on the far right.
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Mount Rainier from the east end of Howard Peak... Tolmie Peak and the Tolmie Peak Lookout in the foreground.
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Leaving Howard Peak and heading for Point 5255 (foreground) and Florence Peak... there is no longer a path to follow.
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Closer to Point 5255... with Florence Peak in the distance on the right.
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There was some Class 2 climbing on the section from Howard Peak to Florence Peak.
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Looking back at Howard Peak as we near Point 5255... Tolmie Peak in the distance on the far right.
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Point 5255 (foreground) and Florence Peak in the distance.
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rodman nearing the top of Point 5255.
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ragman on top of Point 5255... with Florence Peak on the far right.
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rodman on Point 5255... with Howard Peak directly behind him... and Mount Rainier beyond Tolmie Peak and the lookout.
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We were teased by a small meadow on the east side of Point 5255... however, this was not a good idea and we chose to return to the ridge.
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Working our way back up to the ridge from the small meadow on the east side of Point 5255.
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rodman nearing the false summit of Florence Peak.
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The Florence Peak summit from the false summit.
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A closer look at the Florence Peak summit.
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rodman at the Florence Peak summit block... he will go through the 'V' just to the right of him.
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rodman looking for the best way to the Florence summit... Class 2 terrain here.
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rodman can see the summit now.
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rodman on the Florence Peak summit (5508')... with summit register in hand.
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The mountaineers placed a new summit register here just 3 weeks ago.
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From the Florence Peak summit... looking at our route from Howard Peak.
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Basically the same shot as the previous photo... except it was taken 7 months earlier.
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From the Florence Peak summit... Howard Peak, Tolmie Peak and Mount Rainier.
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Looking from the Florence Peak summit over to the false summit.
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We will finish up the last 3 miles of our thru-hike on the West Boundary Trail (barely visible in this photo)... which we will follow down to the Carbon River entrance of the park.
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