Mt. Rainier is a spectacular mountain

Trip Start Jun 19, 2009
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Trip End Jul 26, 2009


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Where I stayed
Ohanapecosh Campground in Mt. Rainier

Flag of United States  , Washington
Sunday, July 19, 2009

I made an early exit from Seaquest State Park so I could have as much time as possible at Mt. Rainier National Park.  The sky was clear (except for clouds hovering over the mountain peaks) and the day was warm.  The skies over Mt.Rainier were such a beautiful blue!  I headed straight for the Paradise area of the park.  It was already crowded there when I arrived, and finding a parking space was an adventure.  I took a short hike (Alta Vista Trail) to a great viewpoint.  It was fun having to walk through snow on parts of this trail.  I took my time and took lots of pictures.

Due to a road closure, I had to take a detour to Ohanapecosh Campground, in the southeast quadrant of the Park.  Again, it was good that I had made a reservation as this campground was almost full even in mid-afternoon. The campground is in an area with very large trees.  It is quite warm here, in the 80's, but fairly dry.  Nights are quite pleasant for camping...in the high 50's to low 60's
One of the first glimpses of Mt. Rainier
One of the first glimpses of Mt. Rainier
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By about 4pm, I had set up my tent and then drove a short distance to take another short hike.  The Grove of the Patriarchs Trail winds through an area of massive old trees such as cedar and hemlock.  This is a very popular trail, especially with families, since it is fairly level and shady.  This thick stand of giant trees is a pleasant contrast to the more rugged and exposed area closer to Mt. Rainier itself.

Early to bed. I'll need to get up VERY early in order to see another area of Mt. Rainier N P before traveling eastward.

(No WiFi here, so had to catch up at a later date.)
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