Washington Odyssey: Mount Rainier (part 2)

July 6
Our second and final day exploring Mount Rainier National Park began with a long drive to the White River Campground, the jumping-off spot for the Emmons Moraine Trail. (We would have several longish drives this day.) The trail starts out broad and gentle, with occasional peeks at Mount Rainier.

There was one switchback area, but the trail was still in good condition. Note the young girl passing us!

And here is my obligatory watercourse photograph, a small stream that crosses the trail.

The moisture and soils at this point on the trail supported several species of wildflowers, including this trillium.

As we continued to gradually ascend, the view towards the mountain opened up, and parts of the moraine left behind by Emmons Glacier, on the northeastern side of Mount Rainier, came into view. Some damage from the intense spring flooding was already visible.

One mile from the end of the White River Campground the trail splits, with the Emmons Moraine Trail leaving to the left, and the Glacier Basin Trail continuing on. Just before turning left we began to see snow reappearing on the main trail, in the shady parts. On the moraine trail, we soon had to cross the Inter Fork.

Fortunately, a temporary bridge was provided, with handrails. As you can see, there was so much downed timber that materials for the bridge would have been right at hand.

After crossing the bridge, the trail first winds through the broadest section of the moraine, with Rainier straight ahead.

The trail then begins to hug the edge of the moraine. The next photo also shows the terminal moraine, a mass of rubble and ice at the foot of the mountain, with a melt stream issuing from it. We're walking up along the lateral moraine, on the right, which hosts conifers and hardy bushes. Its composition, of rubble left behind by the retreating glacier, is revealed on the steep, bare slopes.

Zooming in on the foot of the terminal moraine, we can see the melt stream emerging from the debris-blanketed ice. Always take your binoculars.

Looking back the way we had come, there was a small glacial lake cupped in the moraine material, and beyond our valley, another range of mountains.

Here we had lunch. The sun was bright, and the vegetation had become shorter and sparse, so I sat facing away from the sun, which warmed and dried my back after I removed my daypack.  On the way back to the campground and car, we encountered this calypso orchid.

The next drive was to Sunrise Point, where the road to the Sunrise Visitor Center makes a 180° turn along Sunrise Ridge. There is a parking area here from which to admire 360° of mountains, including, of course, Rainier.

This small lake just below the point still had a frozen surface, although pockets of melt water speckled the snow.

A short drive further took us to the visitor center, at 6400' altitude, which would not open for two more days because of the snow.

This picture shows Rainier looming behind the closed center.

We took a short hike from the parking area, but not on the trail we intended, the Emmons Vista trail. The piled snow on the edge of the parking area obscured our trail. Yes, there was a sign, but there was also a three or four foot mound of snow to be surmounted, which deflected our attention. We followed the broad and smooth, if snow-covered, access road west, and then a trail on its left. On the trail the snow was deeper, making the walk slower and giving me an appreciation for snowshoes. Finally we decided we wouldn't get to a significant viewpoint or turnaround point soon, and walked back. First we observed, through binoculars, climbers working their way down Rainier; we thought 3pm was late to be up on the mountain, it being a sunny day, but there they were. This picture shows our closest approach to Rainier.

The drive to Paradise required backtracking almost all the way to the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center, and then driving on the Paradise road. The roads and parking area were clear of snow,

but snow was still everywhere, except a few south-facing slopes, despite Paradise being 1,000 feet lower than Sunrise (5400' vs. 6400'). In photos one usually sees the meadows of Paradise dappled with spring wildflowers but this time, well, here's a picture of one trailhead.

The overall view towards Rainier was this:

Besides hiking and being a jumping-off point for attempts to climb Mount Rainier, Paradise is known for the Paradise Inn. In this next picture, you see the entrance and one wing of the Inn. There is also a symmetry-fulfilling wing on the left, outside the photo.

We had an excellent dinner in the Paradise Inn Dining Room, and explored the lobby and gift shop afterwards.

This gentleman was playing the piano in the lobby when we first arrived, but sadly he didn't stay long after that.

Then it was time for the long drive back to our motel in Packwood, and to pack for tomorrow's drive back to Richland.

July 7
We began by driving east on US Route 12, to pass through to the dry side of the mountains. There was an extra 20-minute wait while road crews worked on damage from, yet again, the heavy snow melt. We drove past Rimrock Lake, where we stopped briefly, and lunched in Ellensburg. I didn't take any pictures this day. After unloading the rental car at Lynn and Elisabeth's house we returned it to the airport, and repacked yet again with airline rather than automotive packing restrictions and strategies in mind.

July 8
Today Joan and I flew home. The leg between Richland/Pasco and Denver was scenic, and I took a few interesting pictures from the airplane.

 

And then, after 3 weeks in the state of Washington, we were home again.