Part 1, Sunrise to Emmons Glacier Overlook
1.7 miles, 200' elevation gain, 300' elevation loss

Part 2, Emmons Glacier Overlook to Second Burroughs Mountain
1.7 miles, 1200' elevation gain, 100' elevation loss

Part 3, Second Burroughs to Third Burroughs, Third Burroughs to Frozen Lake
4.5 miles, 1400' elevation gain, 2000' elevation loss

Part 4, Frozen Lake to Mount Fremont Lookout, return to Sunrise
4.3 miles, 900' elevation gain, 1300' elevation loss


"If there is a trail between earth and heaven, this is it."
    Ira Spring and Harvey Manning, authors of the popular '50 Hikes' books.

They're referring to the Burroughs Mountain trail, and I could not agree more. This has now become my favorite trail in the Sunrise area, perhaps anywhere! I am amazed that I've never been on it before this year, WHAT was I thinking?! This is a definite must do hike, even if you only go to First Burroughs, but definitely do the loop trail rather than just going to and from Burroughs via Frozen Lake. The section between First Burroughs and the Emmons Glacier overlook is truly spectacular!

With only two more weeks left to access Sunrise via road, I knew I had to get up there and get on the rest of the trails! Especially nice was the fact that the weather forecast called for sunny skies and warm temperatures. In addition to knowing that this would be a very long hike, I wanted to get up to Sunrise before sunrise, at least once this year. It's always a magical place to go, but even more so at dawn. This means leaving Puyallup very early, given that the sun jumps over the horizon about 7:00 this time of year. Also, I wanted to get a mile or two away from the car at least 15 minutes before the sun actually came up, which meant hitting the trail an hour or so before. I left my place at 4:20 in the morning. Who knew you could get to Sunrise in only an hour and ten minutes? I was expecting it to be quite cold up there, given that it was 49 degrees on the Saabmometer in Puyallup, and only 39 in Greenwater. To my surprise, it was just as warm at Sunrise as it was at sea level! Warm enough for shorts and T-shirt hiking, I say! It was about 5:45 when I hit the trail. The eastern sky was already showing a tiny bit of light, and there was a full moon, so I never broke out the flashlight. The air was clearer than I have ever seen it at Mount Rainier, and by the time midday came around, the temperature was hitting 75 degrees on the REImometer. Obviously I beat the crowds onto the trail, but I was out so long, that they beat me back! I was on the trail a total of just over 11 hours, though I certainly had enough stops for photos, as you can see, and had plenty of other stops for munching on a powerbar (five total) or enjoying the view.