Sarah and I decided to head up to Plummer Peak, which is right next to Pinnacle Peak in Mt. Rainier National Park.  

Most of the trails that are in higher elevation don’t open until mid-July.  The Plummer Peak trail was probably 85% covered in snow, which made for difficulty in keeping on the trail as well as being rather wet and slippery.  Plummer Peak is about 6,300 feet, which is one of the highest peaks in the park you can hike to without climbing gear.   It has some amazing views of Mt. Rainier, which is the fifth highest mountain (and largest active volcano) in the lower 48 states, at 14,411 feet.  It also provides great views of Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens to the south, along with the Tatoosh Mountain range in the Cascades.

Mt. Rainier, 14,411 feet.

Mt. Adams, 12,281 feet.

Mt. St. Helens, 8,365 feet.

We made it up to the end of the trail, which is the saddle between Plummer Peak and Pinnacle Peak, and came to this sign:

Many people continue on, and there were a few people ahead of us.  We decided to hike up to Plummer Peak, and quickly came to a snow-covered pass.  This is the pass from earlier on the trail.  You can see a line of footprints near the top.

 Here is a picture of Sarah as we tried to cross.

Sarah went ahead and made it across.  I was following, and the melting snow (it was about 75 degrees up there) gave way.  I started sliding down the ice.  I ended up stopping myself about 100 feet down, just above an island of trees (in the middle of the picture of the pass).  I wasn’t sure what to do, and I tried to climb back up to the trail, but quickly realized that it wasn’t going to happen.  Sarah decided to go find some help, while I started to climb down to see if there was any way back to the trail.  I quickly discovered that on either side of the island of trees was snow and ice at about an 80 degree slope.  Nothing but snow and ice for hundreds, maybe even thousands of feet.  As I looked back up at the trail, I realized that if I’d slipped earlier or later than I did, I may have slid thousands of feet down the mountain.  My first few thoughts as I tried to wrap my mind around my predicament:

If I try to cross the ice and get back to dry land, and I don't make it, it could cost me my life.  Don't do anything stupid...

I wondered whether I would have to pay for a helicopter rescue, or whether it was free.

I figured this would make a great sermon illustration if I made it out alive.

I was worried, but still pretty calm.  I spent a few minutes praying, and I was reminded that nothing can happen without God's consent.  I enjoyed the view for a few minutes, then climbed down the island, scraping myself up and finding that it was hundreds of feet to the bottom.  After about an hour, four guys climbed down to the other side of the ice with a rope.  They ended up making their way to the island, and helped me back up to a spot where the ice was only about 10 feet across.  Using the rope and making some footholds in the snow, we eventually made it back up to the trail.  Sarah then informed me that she’d found an easier way to the top.  I was a little nervous, but we ended up making it to the top. It wasn't until I hiked back down to see exactly where I'd been and what was below that I really understood how dangerous a place I was in. 

At the top of Plummer Peak was a HUGE snow glacier.  After having lunch at the top, we decided to slide down (apparently I hadn't had enough of sliding down ice.)   It was a blast.