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Alpine Scramble - Mineral Mountain

A long, but not technically challenging, scramble at Mt Rainier NP.

Barbara Motteler Barbara Motteler
September 04, 2017
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • Road to Ipsut Creek in mostly good condition.  We had to walk bikes in a few spots.

    Trail in good condition.  Water was readily available (i.e. no more than a hour, usually less, between water sources) on the entire route.  Above 5000' feet in elevation, we encountered large quantities of ripe and delicious blueberries.

Hot day with a layer of smoke moving in during the afternoon.

12 hours car to car. 10 miles biking (600' elevation gain). 17 miles hiking or scrambling (4500' elevation gain).

We left the Wonderland trail just before it started descending towards Mystic Lake, following the obvious boot path.  It soon degenerated into a variety of elk paths which we followed through open terrain. SW for a little while, then S over pt 6342, then SE to the saddle south of Mineral Mountain.

The last 100' (or less) is an easy rock scramble.

On our descent, we followed different elk trails to rejoin the trail about a half mile from Mystic Lake.  This was slightly shorter but involved more elevation gain.