Mount Ranier National Park

After spending the night in Olympia, the capital of Washington, we headed south to Mount Rainer. We got a late start (finishing blogs and waiting for the marine layer to burn off), and it took us a little longer to get there than anticipated. However, we lucked out with the weather, as Mt. Rainer was very visible- not always the case. At 14, 411 feet in elevation, it creates its own weather and, even when weather in the valley is good, it may be shrouded in clouds. It dwarfs the surrounding mountains by at least 6000 feet, making it visible for at least 100 miles.

We drove into the park, and up to Sunrise, which is the highest point accessible by car. The two highlights of the park are the mountain and the incredible wildflowers. The mountain dominates the view. The view of the mountain is made more interesting by the fact that it is an active volcano, one of the several on the "ring of fire". It last erupted about 100 years ago. The wildflowers, which are at their best late July and early August, were incredible! We've never seen so many, or so many varieties, of wildflowers! We stopped in at the visitor center but, unfortunately, did not have time for a hike due to our late start.

We drove south through the park, catching several glimpses of the mountain. We were headed in the direction of Mt. St. Helens, which you may remember, last erupted in 1980 with devastating results- loss of life, property, and natural area. The mountain is beginning to come back, and has recently been made a National Monument.

After leaving the park, we picked up a National Forest route to Winston, Oregon. One interesting fact to keep in mind should you ever choose to visit our National Parks- most are located in relatively remote areas, not accessible to major highways. What appeared to be a 1-2 hour trip was in reality a 3-4 hour trip over twisting, winding roads through the forest. We arrived in Winston late, planning to head for the Oregon coast in the morning.