I drove down to Mount Rainier National Park today and hiked to Lower Crystal Lake. I was planning to do Crystal Peak but, even though I started up the trail just after 6am, I was already sweating heavily by the time I got to the junction with the Crystal Peak Trail. (the Lakes and Peak trails are the same trail until the junction, about 1.3 miles). I was in the forest until then but the Peak Trail has long exposed stretches so I thought it might be smart to come back when it is a bit cooler to hit the peak.
Lower Crystal Lake is nice; the upper lake is much nicer, as it is larger and is ringed with mountains but I did not trudge up that far. It was getting steamy.
Just about 5.5 miles, fairly steep so it was a good workout. A long (90 miles one-way) trek but worth it, even with the construction I encountered on the way back.
Track below.
