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Published: December 25th 2006
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Upper Christine Falls
Upper Christine Falls 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. I’m a wildscapes photographer living in Olympia, Washington. In addition to my online gallery, I participate in art shows and festivals.
We towed our Quicksilver light-weight-aluminum, fold-out tent trailer behind Paddy’s four cylinders Subaru Forester. The Quicksilver has a GVW of 1,500 lbs. We can stow about 300 lbs in it. The Subi can tow 2,000 lbs including passengers, so that gives us some room to carry gear in the car.
On the road up the mountain, past Longmire, we stopped to grab photos of Narada Falls. I use a Canon 20D with L glass lens to make wildscape images. I make four separate images of the falls and stitched them into a single panorama using Autostitch software. Several of the panos from this trip were created using this technique.
We enjoyed double blanket
Narada Falls
Narada Falls nights and had to wear our fleece in the mornings. The last night was briefly a triple blanket night for me and Shad. He got hot and threw it off of us. We three slept comfortably on a memory foam topper. Shaddy moves around a bit during the night, visiting his favorite mattress spots.
I had quite an experience climbing up Van Trump Creek to Comet Falls, a rare five star rated beauty about 1.9 miles from the trailhead. The first 1.6 miles ascends 1,400 feet, and the rest of the climb up a large rock hewn staircase is no walk in the park. I had to lay down along the trail several times in the shade, hydrating and wheezing, trying to catch my breath and regain my resolve which had become tentative. I quit the ascent at least five times and began the hike that many and one additional time.
Somewhat dazed, an old man on rickety “wheels,” I experienced weariness, cried and teetered. Younger, more hearty souls coming down the trail and finding me bent over sucking air encouraged me onward, upward. “The view is worth the price,” they urged. “He’ll never make it,” I think
Reflection01
Mt Rainier at Reflection Lakes I heard one scofflaw confide to his haltered-topped, sun-kissed, bronze-legged female companion. “Not with that heavy pack,” she agreed.
It has become the height of fashion to use ski poles when hiking, and these two were no strangers to deco hiking. As I watched their pole picking sashay down the trail, I chuckled at my own vanity of trying to drag, in addition to my photographer’s pack, an old man’s sagging belly up a mountain side. “Each to our own,” I thought, realizing that my effort was not possible without my silver lone-star emblazoned, Texas crafted, hard wood staff that is able to support my full weight. The torn pcl surviving wizard’s hiking wand.
So, the prize was attained after ninety minutes. But on this day, on this course, time alone cannot be the measure of any man; at least not this man. Life had become distilled in this breath, this step; this moment. One step, one breath, one moment at a time in a slow, repetitious rhythm. To be, or not to be.
Comet Falls is a 320 foot plunge descending from a hanging valley. The vision is one of rebirth; spiritual refreshment. Shedding my pack
Reflection02
Mt Rainier at Reflection Lakes and sweat weighted shirt, I inhaled the cool rejuvenating air and savored hydration from my water bottle. Sitting on a ledge shaded by a copse of evergreens, I breathed in this visual delight. So delectably gorgeous. An old man’s shake requires use of a tripod and cable shutter release. I “bagged” this one; a five-star life list image.
The guide book explains that if you are a glutton for punishment, you can continue upward for about one mile to the top of the falls. I may be a fool, but I’m not insane. It took sixty minutes to get down the trail; the difference attributable to crying time on the hike up. In addition to photos, a blackened toenail on my right foot arrived at the trail head after the descent. I had not timely remembered to tighten my boot laces for the hike down. Next time?
Since dogs are not allowed on the trails at Paradise, Nan and I took turns playing with Shaddy at camp while the other explored the many paths of Paradise just below the glaciers and snowfield of the mountain.
Because of the elevation of Mt Rainier, during the summer, somewhere in
Comet Falls
Five Star Rated Comet Falls changing elevations, it is spring and flowers are beginning to bloom.
I visited Reflection Lakes several days before it cleared from rising mist and the wind was not whipping silver tipped ripples.
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