Playing in the snow in august.

by BrentR 17 Replies latest social physical

  • BrentR
    BrentR

    Me, the wife and daughter took off this morning to climb up one of the volcanic spurs of Mt Rainier. We started out at Sunrise elev 6400 feet. The weather was not perfect but there was no rain. We made it up to the second spurr at an elevation of 7600 feet.

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    You can almost see the trail. Little Tahoma, a cinder cone next to Mt Rainier (big Tahoma).

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    Emmons glacier, the largest one on Mt Rainier.
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    Triple waterfall comming off the glacier. It drops at least 500 feet.
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    We were very lucky to see some mountain goats. There were about twenty of them spread out.
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    Whistling marmot chowing down some grub.
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    Jessica with a snowball.
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    Jessica wanted to touch a cloud. On our decent we came down on a sharp ridge that had a cloud blowing up and over it. I told her to run down and hold her hands up and touch the cloud.

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    Yours truly looking like he was rode hard and put away wet.

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    We wanted to get up to the third spurr at over 8000 feet but the clouds were moving in fast. The wind was also blowing around 20 MPH and was pretty cold. Whiteouts are very dangerous because you can't even see the trail or your feet. They can drop the temp by twenty degrees in just a couple minutes. We had a great time and saw spectacular scenery. It has been several years since I have seeen mountain goats so this was a rare pleasure for us.

    I shot some video of the cloud mist rolling in and some panoramics.

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=BhFzDyk9JVE

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=rpyrAhsZQ-k

  • greendawn
    greendawn

    Great nature trek, it must be refreshing being around snow in the summer. I thought you had gone to the southern hemisphere where they have wintertime in August.

  • sass_my_frass
    sass_my_frass

    Wow, what a beautiful place! Your little girl is a cutie!!

    We're going skiing tomorrow ourselves.

  • BrentR
    BrentR

    Have fun skiing!

    Last night the snow level dropped down to 7500 feet so we got up there just in time. Although it would be cool to go back up and see some fresh snow today. When I got up this AM I felt like I had an eighty year old body.

    It is always fun to drag the kids away from the TV and computer and have them experience some of the unique outdoors. Seeing the mountain goats was certainly the high point of the hike. Next year we are going up to Carbon Glacier so my daughter can see a glacier up close.

    Jess also had a great time feeding these little buggers (ground squirel) that had no fear of people at all. This one was clear up at the top of the second spurr. It blows me away how they can live in alpine tundra. He was on my shoulder a couple times trying to snag my apple pie.

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  • codeblue
    codeblue

    Awesome photos!!!

    I have a couple good shots from flying over Mt. Rainier.....

  • samiam2b
    samiam2b

    Nice! I always find the "real" outdoors to be very refreshing and mentally cleansing. I'm only a couple thousand miles away now so please enjoy it for me. Cheers samiam2b

  • BrentR
    BrentR

    I am always intriqued by the alpine wild flowers. They are under snow for nine or more months out of the year but still bloom and polinate.

    Mountain Arnica

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    Indian Paintbrush

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    Lupine

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    Kinnikinnick (bear berry) The indians used this as a tobacco.

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    Unknown flower. Could not find it in our alpine flower guide book. It doesn't appear to need soil to grow. I have seen those flowers in gift shops that get thier moisture and nitrogen out of the air. I am wondering if this one is related? We saw many of them just growing in cracks and doing fine.

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    Another unknown not in the book. Anyone else know?

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  • hubert
    hubert

    Awesome photos!!!

    My daughter is in Seatle right now, coming back east tomorrow. I hope she got some photos of Mt. Rainer, although they will be distant.

    Thanks for these. Looks like fun. Got to try it some day. I love the mountains. Your daughter will never forget this experience.

    Hubert

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    Brent,

    your flower looks like it could be a variation of this flower we have here in Arkanas.alt

    coreopsis

    You have a great place to live, I have a Jessica too!!! Cant wait to show her this thread!!

    purps

  • LearningToFly
    LearningToFly

    What beautiful photos Brent, and what a lovely day you all had together. Your day in the mountains is my kind of fun!

    I haven't been to Mt Ranier, but I had the beautiful experience of travelling through the glacier fields in Alaska.. the beauty of it all was absolutely breathtaking..

    Thank you so much for sharing your lovely day...

    LTF

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