Willis Wall Off-Trail: Old Desolate (7137')

Old Desolate in Mt. Rainier National Park towers above Mystic Lake. Unlike singular peaks, Old Desolate occupies a long ridge. Towards one end the high point tops at 7137'. For this iteration I started at Sunrise and hiked the Wonderland Trail past Mystic Lake, Mystic Pass and entered the area of Moraine Park. After ascending a dry wash to a plateau in Moraine Park, I climbed straight away to a sub peak on the ridge which offered astounding in your face views. However, to reach the summit proper I had to descend a bit and traverse the loose rock that covers the whole western face. The summit area is round and broad, peering down to Mystic Lake and across to the Burroughs Mountains and the entirety of the Winthrop Glacier. Stats for the day: 25 miles with 7700' vertical.