Sunday, August 16, 2009

MatterPics

We took a day trip down to Mt. Rainier National Park today, a little over an hour away. Unfortunately it was cloudy down by the mountain, but it was still nice to get out of the city for a few hours.


Heading toward downtown:



Leaving the city:



Seattle finally has some semblance of modern mass transportation:


Passing near the adoption agency where I got Joe Jetta:


Farther south, somewhere near Puyallup:


Really in the middle of nowhere ... getting close to the park:


Yes, that blue sign says "Volcano Evacuation Route":



Entering Wilkeson, the last town before entering the park:


The long and winding road:



Too cloudy to see the mountain:


The Carbon River flowing from the Carbon Glacier - the water is kinda milky-white from the mineral content:


On this side of the sign, you're in Mt. Rainier National Park ...



... and on this side, Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest.


The road was closed and we couldn't go up as far as we wanted, but we took a short hike through the rain forest:


There's Scott - he really is standing on a path:


Hiking up the mountain:


Hiking down the mountain:



Crossing that bridge when we come to it:


On our way out:



There's a steep drop-off to the right - and one lane of the road had, well - dropped off:


Looking down at the valley:

NOW the sun comes out:

Back in Seattle - for those of you who really believe it always rains here:

Downtown:

We won't talk about the other road we took in the mountains to see a pretty lake. Let's just say that I think it is completely idiotic to have a gravel road hugging the side of a mountain with no guard rail. Since my hands were sweaty and I'm pretty sure my heart stopped a few times, I wimped out with no shame. I'm like that.

Hope you enjoyed our little trip!

6 comments:

Sizzle said...

You totally had me convinced I needed to go there until the no guard rail comment. EEEK!

Scott in Iowa said...

I totally understand your fear of the mountain roads with no guard rail! When we were in North Carolina earlier this summer we took a trip up into the Smokey Mountains. I happened to be sitting on the "cliff" side of the car. I was freaking out the entire way up the mountain!

A Lewis said...

I have to admit that the very same thing has happened to me....For years I told my Lover of the beauty of seeing Mt. Rainier up close and in person...so we made the trip through the park one day -- in the total 100% fog.....we couldn't see 50 feet in front of our car. And that, my friends, was our tour of Mt. Rainier. Very nice pics, by the way....I love your adventures!

john said...

Loving the pictures of the hiking trails and the bridge!!

LSL said...

Such a bummer that Mr. Rainier hid from you! But it sounds like a nice day away, and it got you posting something :)

Rick said...

You're so lucky to live so close to such a place. Great pictures.