Hiking Post #3: Mount Rainier

Last week, two hiking companions and I left Seattle, not quite sure where we were going. We ended up climbing to Camp Muir, more than any of us really anticipated for the day. We had the chance to see Mount Rainier--a mountain I see very often during my normal routine in the city--from a completely different point of view, as you can see above.

Christy and I pose with the Mail Bear (also functioning as a mail box) in the lobby of the lodge before we began the hike.

We begin our hike, surrounded by wildflowers.

We met up with a couple of hikers who were getting up at midnight to summit the mountain at midnight. Together, we hiked up the snow field leading to Camp Muir.

Finally, at the top. You can see Mount Adams to the left of us and Mount St. Helens to the right. Typically, I am doing something ridiculous in the photo.

Some of the shelters at Camp Muir, surrounded by those waiting to climb to the top. It kind of felt like being in Nepal--or what I think being in Nepal must be like.

We slid down most of the snow field, much of the way through tracks that had already been cut through the snow.

Coming down through the afternoon sunlight.

Hiking Post #2: Crater Lake

After dropping off the youngest McClain sister in Eugene in late June, me and my wonderful hiking companion headed for a brief tour of the Oregon Cascades. We drove first to Crater Lake (see photos below). Crater Lake was formed under some pretty extraordinary geological circumstances, and now is the deepest lake in North America. The pictures do not do it justice.

After hiking down to the lake, I ponder its existence.

Since there is no inlet or outlet to the lake, the water is very clear. And cold. We dipped our toes in!

We pose with the lake.

After leaving the National Park, we traveled north on Highway 97, driving through Bend and up the Eastern side of the Three Sisters, and headed straight at Mt. Hood. After rounding Mt. Hood, we had a lovely view of Mt. Adams in our sights before turning to the west and camping along the Columbia River. Unfortunately, I am not a great picture taker, and don't have any photos of this part of the trip. You'll just have to take my word for it...

Hiking Post #1

For one of my first hikes of the season, two of my favorite Seattle-ites and I headed out to the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. The hike was, in the strangely clinical way of the forest service, named Lake 22, and the lake was pretty phenomenal. However, there was a good deal more snow than any of us anticipated. It was just early June...

One of the many waterfalls we encountered along the way.

These two wonderful people pose in the snow near the lake.

I lean jauntily against the railing, posing with the snowy lake. You can see only a part of how the surrounding mountains reflected in the lake. Pretty phenomenal.