Mt. Ranier National Park

Before we officially turned the 'corner' to head back east, we spent just a half a day in Mt. Ranier National Park.  The park was established in 1899 by an act of Congress due to extreme amounts of pressure from public groups across the nation.  Interestingly some international groups were also involved.  At lower altitudes, the forests in Washington are lush dense combinations of Douglas fir, western red cedar, western hemlock, ferns and other varities of vegetation.  This is referred to as "old growth."  The mountain is capped by 25 glaciers and is an active volcanoe.

On this day we were blessed with clear blue skies and brilliant sun filtering through the pines as we drove through the Nisqually entrance in the lower southwest corner of the park. Our time in the park was limited due to our shortened time frame.  In addition, camping in the park was not an option for us due to the length of our rig.  So this trip was somewhat of a drive-by.  Road 706 snakes through the lower portion of the park, and as we rose in altitude the vegetation changed.  The pines grow in 'islands' rather than dense coverage due the harsh weather each year.  The amount of snow Ranier gets each year is phenomenal...  87-127 inches depending on different areas of the park.  The Paradise area where there is a lodge and large parking lot for many of the hikers / climbers receives the most at 127 inches.  Areas of the park are closed from early October to May, and other areas require chains on all vehicles.  We've been on twistier roads, but I sure would not want to try to navigate Road 706 through Mt. Ranier with snow and slippery roads.  I've posted the pictures of our brief trip through the park below.  There are some experiences that defy words, and this is one of them.  As has been true of so many places we've visited throughout the United States, we stand silent, breath deep, and enjoy the moment. Mt Ranier was no exception!