Golden Gate Trail Hike at Mount Rainier

Friday, August 9th, Al and I couldn't resist going right back up to Mt Rainier. This time the route was slightly different - the Golden Gate Trail, which includes part of the Skyline Trail.

The wild flowers were more at their summer peak this day than they were just four days earlier.

See all 31 photos on my Flickr gallery.

The photos this day were taken with a new camera phone and not all came out as well as I would have liked. Perhaps operator error?

Skyline Trail Hike at Mount Rainier

Monday, August 5th, Al, Stan, new friend Steve and I went hiking on the Skyline Trail above Paradise at Mount Rainier. It was a spectacular day, perfect weather, not too hot or cold, and it is the peak of the wildflower season there. The Paradise parking area is 5000 feet elevation and I suppose we walked up another 1500 feet or so.

Some of the rock formations are fascinating and it is obvious that Mount Rainier has had volcanic eruptions in the past.

And, of course there are photos of the wildflowers! Here is Heather in full, bright bloom.

See all 55 photos from this day in my Flickr gallery.

Rainier Mountain Festival and Kautz Creek

Saturday, Al Lind and I went to Mount Rainier again - can't get enough! This time each year the Rainier Mountain Festival is put on in Ashford, Washington, site of the famous Whittaker brothers 'Rainier Base Camp' and mountaineering store. It affords the opportunity, should you be so inclined, to schmooze with Jim and Lou Whittaker and many other famous mountaineering legends.

Once we satisfied our curiosity we continued the few remaining miles to the Mount Rainier Park boundary and into the Park just a few miles to Kautz Creek, site of a number of rather spectacular glacial river rampages with amazing resultant debris fields. We hiked up a rather gentle sloping trail perhaps only a little over a mile. The pictures don't quite do it justice. You wouldn't think water could move that much huge trees and giant boulders. See the photo album.