Summerland, Mount Rainier

So, this hike is stunning and relatively easy. It's the Fryingpan Creek portion of the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. I measured over 4.5 miles to the lower meadows of Summerland and five if you explore a little further to the creek below Panhandle Gap. The first two miles are gentle and shaded by lush forest, with glimpses of the towering Cowlitz Chimneys. I was slightly bored expecting the views of, say nearby Sourdough Ridge, but at about three miles we were in a unusual and pretty narrow meadow of vibrant wildflowers with Goat Island Mountain above and Little Tahoma and Rainier dead ahead. Just past that meadow some short switchbacks lead about another mile to the hilltop meadow that is Summerland. It's almost as dreamy there as some of the North Cascade alpine meadows I've seen, and even has some campsites and a shelter. There's ample running water in the insanely picturesque creek below, and some fat marmots. An option for a less hot dayhike would be to climb the snowfield to Panhandle Gap, for views of countless mountains to the north and good old Adams to the south. 10 miles RT, 4-5 hours.