http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Washington , Mt Rainier en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:26:48 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:26:48 +0000 Today we took the perfect hike suggested by one of the longtime employees at Alta Crystal through a variety of terrains forest meadow tundra barren rock in perfect weather with perfect views of Mt. Rainier and the incredible Emmons glacier on the east side of the mountain. So much gorgeousness itrsquos hard to describe The only downsides were a very narrow section of the trail with http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-440624.html We toured the west side of the Olympic Mountains from LaPush WA Lonesome Creek Campground located right on the ocean. The beach was strewn with great logs gathered there over time and protected by the Quileute Indian Tribe who own the property. It was impressive. We hiked to the beach from several trail heads and took the bike to the Hoh Rain Forrest. There we saw gorgeous vegetation the gro http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-440610.html July 20th Mt. Rainier National ParkWashingtonWe got up from boondocking at Walmart and made our way to Mt. Rainier National Park. We spent about 40 at Walmart before we left so it wasn't really free camping for usIt took us longer than we anticiapted to get to Mt. Rainier than we thought which is becoming commonplace for us. They don't have a lot of road options in the west we've learned. Wha http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-420894.html ltlt...ContinuedThere were few faces along the river. Many were leftover weekendgoers from the 4th of July festivities. Others were people families and wayward souls living off the grid. They were stationed in the forest with their old dusty RVs outdoor picnic benches setup as an allinone kitchen dining room and den and 4H petting zoos. One group tethered two goats where food scraps http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-419037.html I stood out in the Seattle streets. A summer day one shrouded by clouds cold gray ugly clouds spitting a crisp wind. I checked the time. 803 in the morning. Where was he Why didnrsquot I wear more layers Cursed weather With this thought I shivered at possible outcomes ahead if and only if the weather turned its brutality upon me. I was wearing pants socks two top layers and a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-419006.html Sometimes the best scenery is in your own backyard...I'm scheduled to depart for Australia and New Zealand on the 1st of October. My pit stop back in Seattle has been good... I had my annual MRI clear and normal and got to experience one of the most beautiful hikes in the world... The Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier which is only a 2hour drive from my house.My hiking companion was my best http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-322611.html AMERICAN AIRLINES LANDED US ON THE WEST COAST. WE THEN HEADED TO OUR FAVOURITE RENTAL CAR COMPANY DID THE DEEDS AND THEN BEGAN TO MOTOR SOUTH EAST TO BAKERSFIELD TO OUR DEAR REVY AND THE CHEVY. THIS LITTLE TRIP WE GOT QUITE BRAVE AND DID MINUS OUR LITTLE BARB GPS AS WE FELT WE NOW KNOW THIS SIDE FROM LAST YEARS TRIPPING AROUND AND IT WAS TUCKED IN THE RV WAITING FOR US.ARRIVED IN BAKERSFIELD http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-315645.html We crossed over the Idaho border and headed straight for Mt. Rainier. I have heard so much about this mountain and the northwest weather so we prepared for the worst. Well not exactly We were planning on getting in a couple of hikes and then camping but the rain and fog were so thick that it was almost impossible to see on the twisting and winding roads on the mountain. We did get a few hikes http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-314325.html It's been nearly one year to the day since we arrived in the Seattle area and we still hadn't made the time to go visit the mountain. The mountain I look at nearly every day the mountain that symbolizes the northwest the same mountain I used to reminisce about when I was away....yes that mountain. At 14410ft Mount Rainier dominates the Seattle skyscape and when the weather is clear and the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-309960.html Over the last few years I have become increasingly more interested in traveling to places of natural beauty. As much as I love visiting cities and seeing incredible architecture experiencing new cultures and enjoying the wide range of eating options there is something about the beauty of nature that pulls at my heartstrings in ways I cannot describe. Maybe it's the fresh mountain air the vivi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-307704.html Have left Mt. Rainier National Park. Lots of hiking 100 miles in the past 4 days more or less. Camping and backpacking. Lots of great camping meals. Okay some good meals some mediocre meals. Since some of you are interested in the menus the past few have included taco salad made with TVP textured vegetable protein real cheese salsa made from a dehydrated packet I added fresh garlic a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-203216.html Wersquove been contacted by the Department of Gnomeland Security regarding the suspicious activities of one Homey bin Gnomey. We disavowed any knowledge of such a personage but then we discovered that we had unwittingly been transporting Gnomages across state lines. Somebody set us up and wersquore in no little amount of trouble. If the DGS finds out about our aiding and abetting fugitive Gn http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-202151.html We decided to join my parents for a day trip to Mt. Rainier. We went to Paradise which is where we have gone several times before. We packed a picnic lunch and ate as soon as we reached Paradise. We were so hungry we just camped out on the hillside right where we had parkednot even bothering to find a picnic area. After lunch we decided to hike up the trail to see the glacier. It was bea http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-200186.html We took a short hike to an overlook in the campground at Riverside Park over the Spokane River. We got on Route 90 and headed west. We were surprised at how flat eastern WA state was. We saw a beautiful wind farm in the hills. Then we came to a scenic overlook and saw the beautiful and wide Columbia River. The interstate bridge over the river looked like the cape cod canal bridges. Coming ov http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-197733.html I climbed Mt. Rainier in 2005 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-195546.html Today we decided to sleep in a little not remembering that the sun actually rises around 445am and our curtains were not quite drawn tight enough. We got ourselves up and ready and packed our bags. We rented our car with Budget and they came and picked us up at our hotel at 10am. After signing away my life and left arm on the rental agreement we were on our way south on I5. We quickly decided http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-178265.html At 545 a.m. Rachel woke up and rolled over to look out the window and check on the weather. Confronted with a majestic view of Mt. Rainier she couldnrsquot wait to get out on the trails. And neither could I. Yes I said majestic. I donrsquot care if it does sound cheesy because it WAS majestic. Check the pictures and then question my choice of words. We had prepurchased a packed trail lun http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-172958.html We didnrsquot expect to hike in the snow in early June but thatrsquos exactly what we found ourselves doing. The Paradise area of Mt. Rainier is billed in the travel books as an expansive meadow of wildflowers during the summer. But summer on Mt. Rainier starts late and the flowers are really in bloom in July and August. In June at least this June Paradise is still covered in snow. Of cour http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-172901.html At the end of July when the temperature in Thurston County exceeded 100 degrees the Oly Trio Paddy faithful wife Nan and faithful pooch Shaddy escaped for four nights to the Cougar Rock campground on the slopes of Mt. Rainier in the cool view of the nearby glaciers. The images in the blog can be viewed and are available for purchase at NW Exposures. Irsquom a wildscapes photographer livi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-113578.html Today we are off to Mt Rainier. Mt Rainier is a dormant volcano that is truly impressive in its size and height. We were really lucky to see it in a beautiful clear day. It is normally covered with clouds 200 days of the year. It was really breathtaking to look at this giant with its glaciers and crystal clear waters flowing down its flanks. We walked on trails around it and were almost more impre http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Mt-Rainier/blog-89862.html