This wet, soggy image sums up the trip.  Outlet stream from lower Robin Lake.

Even the most optimistic would have to think twice about a trip to Mt Rainier when the weather man says 100% chance of rain... in Bellevue.  Erik and his father-in-law were afflicted with a modern day inconvenience otherwise referred to as a job.  Thus, despite the miserable forecast we decided to salvage the trip and head east of the crest to a place known for a couple of pretty lakes.

During the soggy hike in to the lakes we became separated and somehow I ended up 800 feet uphill from Erik and Dave M at Robin Lakes.  Not a big deal except Erik had the food and I had the cooking supplies.  We spent the first night hungry and chilled to the bone huddled in our tents on two different lakes.  The next day I moved down to the lower lake - Tuck Lake - and approvingly watched the storm blow itself out.  Not too much else to say except I enjoyed meeting Dave M.  Over the course of two days he almost had me convinced to become a community college teacher.  But, upon further review, that would require committing my time to someone else (a job).  No thanks, at least for now.

Erik hikes along the wet valley floor.

Beautiful polished granite of Robin Lake.  Storms can be wet and miserable but provide the best photo opportunities as they clear.

Moist, cool air flows like a river over the pass below Mt Daniel.

Dave M finally gets a nibble.  That slimy object the size of a thumb is a mountain-caught rainbow trout.  Sorry ladies, that hairdo was not accomplished by any marketable hair products - just good old fashioned sweat and grease.

- compiled October 2008

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