Copper Creek Hut and beyond hike and snowshoe

With the weather forecast calling for snow and wind at the Longmire area of Mt. Rainier, I decided to try the snowshoe route to Copper Creek Hut instead.

Sunday 8:30 AM, I arrived at the middle SnoPark, with a few other cars there from hut overnighters. The pit toilet was in excellent condition, lots of TP (thanks Mt. Tahoma Trails volunteers!).

Heading up the forest road, the snow was patchy until 1200m, and only after passing the hut did it become “nice” snow, although still not enough to don my snowshoes.

At 4580 ft, I arrived at the sign commemorating the 10^th Mountain Division, “America’s First Ski Troopers” and finally snow worthy of snowshoes.

Continuing along the Ski Trooper Ridge route, my sense of joy increasing as there were no other signs of tracks now. The snow was wonderful even if the Mountain was shrouded in the storm. Where I was there was no precipitation, yet. I could see dark clouds releasing to the southeast.

I arrived at the end of the road, took a couple of photos of the non-view, ate a snack bar and turned back downhill. Right then some snow did begin, but it did not last long and soon the clouds lightened. I made a straight shot down to the hut turn off before removing the snowshoes and carried on the rest of the way to the SnoPark.

Round trip was about 12.59 miles, 1800 feet gross of elevation gain (up, down, up down), with the actual delta being at 1571 ft.