A Sunnier Day at Mount Rainier...

In the forest around Mt. Rainier

Look at that lovely green canopy

National Park Inn among the firs

My first Saturday back in Seattle we headed for Mt. Rainier. My landlady kindly drove all the way there and back a round trip of 4 -5 hours if done in one go but we took a day. We got on the way at about 8am We drove down to the South West corner of the park where you drive through ancient tree groves as you first enter the National Park. Our first stop was National Park Inn and Longmire Museum. This used to be a lodge attracting visitors to the natural springs. We took a little walk around the lodge and looked at some of the old photos of the women mountain climbing in long skirt ! Then we had a little walk (around a mile) through the woods and around the area of the mineral springs.  

There be beavers here!

Wetlands

Old hot spring - a natural Jacuzzi! 

View from Longmire Lodge

Up stream of the waterfall

 At about 11:30am we stopped at one of the lovely waterfalls - Christine Falls. We took a short steep walk down to see the waterfall a little better then walked back up the hill to the car.

Christine Falls

RAINBOW!

View across from Paradise lodge towards the Tatoosh Range

Lamp shades at the lodge

Our next stop a little after noon was the lodge at Paradise. It was really busy, people were parking all over the place. I did a little shopping then we headed over to the lodge for food. After lunch we started up the mountain through the alpine meadow. We didn't go really far as it was a surprisingly hot day but on our way up we passed a group coming down who had 'summited' that day which is a little scary in the summer because the glaciers are likely to have hidden crevasses.

Note the lack of nails, all notched together!

Paradise meadow

The lodge at paradise

The bees were busy doing their thing

Our next stop later in the afternoon was reflection Lakes

Then Box Canyon...

To the North West - Mt Rainier

Box canyon

To the South East Mt. Adams?

Finally we stopped and walked to the the Grove of the Patriarchs - some really old trees...

Root system from a fallen giant

Some of the largest trees 

looking up through the branches, green with moss

Younger trees making use of a nurse log to get a kick start on growth

Rope bridge - one at a time please!

Another nurse log now totally covered by the younger generation