Entrance to the first master-planned national park. |
Mt. Rainier National Park, created in 1899, was the
first national park that had a full master plan from the start. It was designed
for tourism with a well-maintained road system engineered and planned to take
advantage of scenic views of the namesake mountain and the meadows, lakes, and
forests within its boundaries. Creating the road system wasn't easy since it meant boring through mountains at several
points.
Wildlife, mountains, forests, and meadows are among the many attractions in Mt. Rainier National Park. |
Beverly and Larry at Narada Falls in Mt. Rainier NP |
Mt. Rainier is considered an active volcano, even
though it hasn’t erupted in 20,000 years. But magma heated water (steam) still
escapes from the summit and lava flows drape the mountain sides making it potentially the
most dangerous mountain in the Cascade volcano range. Shaped by fire (volcanic
ash is a building force) and ice (tears it down with scraping and scouring),
the surface of the mountain is constantly changing. “Erosion always wins,” says
a sign at the Paradise Visitor Center. Thus, Mt. Rainier can be a destructive
force or a sanctuary depending on weather and geologic forces.
Clouds move rapidly across the mountain and provide fleeting views of its peak. |
Beverly poses on a fallen tree during a hike in Mt. Rainier NP. |
On our first day in the park we stopped to take pictures
of Christine Falls, beautiful and strong as it cascades down a cliff. Then we
took a short walk to Narada Falls, one of the most spectacular in the park with
water splashing 168 feet over jagged rock into the Paradise River.
After lunch at the park's main visitor center, Paradise Jackson Visitor Center,we walked to
scenic Myrtle Lake and extended the hike to Nisqually Vista, a pleasant trail
through a sublime alpine flower meadow, among the prettiest anywhere in the world during summer's blooming period. During our September visit, remnants of summer wildflowers dotted
hillsides with bright color. Next we drove on Stevens Canyon Road
and through a valley, then on to Box Canyon for a stunning look into the deep,
narrow canyon cut by a rapidly flowing river.
Sunshine on Reflection Lake one day rewarded us with this amazing but short-lived view. |
Scattered rain and gray clouds had curtailed some of
our walks, but as we returned on Stevens Canyon Road, the clouds began to move
quickly, opening up the top of Mt. Rainier. For about 10-15 minutes we watched
clouds blow across the sky and allow for our first pictures of the mountain. A
rainbow shone in the sky, and reflections sparkled in Louise Lake on the drive
back to our cabin. We were satisfied with all we saw that day, even while
hoping for better views of the mountain on another day (and we were not disappointed!).
Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier
No comments:
Post a Comment