Emily - loaded up for the hike into Summerland

Emily - first evening in Summerland Meadow

Marmot!

Lupin in Summerland

Summerland meadow stream, evening light.

Emily - evening backlight

Sunrise on Mt. Rainier, Summerland

Little waterfall. This was handheld using in-camera IS (also HDR).

In and around Ann's meadow, morning light.

In and around Ann's meadow, morning light.

In and around Ann's meadow, morning light.

In and around Ann's meadow, morning light.

In and around Ann's meadow, morning light.

In and around Ann's meadow, morning light.

Looking toward Summerland, Panhandle Gap and Banshee Peak from the summit of Goat Island Mountain. Our route is drawn in red. Best to use "X3 Large" size to view.

Emily, Dad and cousin Matt, near a glacial lake on the way to Panhandle Gap.

Scrambling up over Panhandle Gap.

Panorama near Panhandle Gap, looking back at Mt. Rainier, with Goat Island Mountain in the distance to the right. Best to use "X3 Large" size to view.

Emily and Matt, Banshee Peak in the background (it is steeper than it looks - from here we will gain almost 1000ft!)

Lupin on the way up Banshee Peak, Panhandle Gap and Mt. Rainier in the distance.

Emily and Matt hiking in the lupin.

Emily near the summit of Banshee Peak, the Gap is far in the distance.

Looking down at Summerland from the summit of Goat Island Mountain, showing our route for the Goat Island Mountain hike on Day 3. Our approach to the mountain is drawn in red - crossing the glacial moraine and river. Our return is drawn in blue - heading towards the source of the river to find a better crossing point at the base of the glacier, and then giving up and turning around to hike along the river to a bridge a couple miles downstream. Dad continued to cross an ice bridge just below the glacier (his route in green). See photos at end of this gallery. Best to use "X3 Large" size to view.

Looking back over the moraine and Summerland, after the river crossing (with wet boots).

Emily scrambling up the apprach to Goat Island Mountain.

Along the spine of Goat Island Mountain, heading to the summit.

A panorama composed of several photos from the spine of Goat Island Mountain. Summerland is visible in the lower left. Emmons Glacier is seen extending from the mountain to the lower edge of the photo. Burroughs Mountains to the far right. Best to use "X3 Large" size to view.

Dad taking a rare rest, at the summit.

Paintbrush and alpine lupin scattered among the rocks near the summit of Goat Island Mountain.

Emily taking a catnap at the summit.

Alpine lupin, scrubbier and more compact from the meadow version.

Looking down at Summerland from the summit of Goat Island Mountain. You can see the swtchbacks on the trail leading up to the camp, and towards the top you can see the trail heading on to Panhande Gap.

We start heading back down from the Summit, with Mt. Rainier looming before us.

Hiking back down from the summit - the spine of the ridge is very apparent here. Glaciers in the distance - we will hike very close to the base of those (Dad will actually hike right up to them).

Heading out into the moraine, and the source of the river at the base of the glacier (in the distance).

Red box is around Dad, hiking to the ice bridge to cross the river.

Close up of the last photo, showing Dad and the ice bridge he will cross. You can't really see the river from this angle, but note the waterfall behind the ice bridge. Very strong runoff on a hot day.

Emily at our bridge, after several hours of struggling along thr river downstream, through rocks and nearly impenetrable underbrush. We still have a couple miles to hike back up switchbacks to Summerland.

Emily and Matt - heading home on the last day.