7/26 & 7/27 - Chores and Mount Rainier National Park

There was nothing worth writing about yesterday. It was a frustrating and tiring series of trips to find the commissary (14-mile round trip into the huge Joint Base Lewis-McChord), laundry in a nasty laundromat (not on the base) and oil change place where we weren't successful because we didn't want to wait over two hours to get an oil change. We'll try it again on Friday.

Today was much better as we spent the day visiting Mount Rainier National Park.  The park boundary is about 60 miles from Tacoma with the visitor center located about 15 miles further.  Unless you're there to hike, seeing the park is done by driving up to the visitor center at Paradise with a few overlooks along the way. The road to Paradise connects with the east-side visitor centers but that would have added many more miles and more time than we had. 

Mount Rainier is a 14,410 foot active volcano, considered the most dangerous volcano in the lower 48 because of its proximity to highly populated areas. Its last eruption was either 1,000 years ago or 120 years ago depending on the source. The recent one, if it was actually an eruption, was minor. The information came from nearby residents who heard what they insisted were explosions coming from the summit in 1895. Geologists believe the danger from the next eruption is not from lava plumes but from pyroclastic flows and lahars (massive mud and debris flows). They say an eruption is overdue, but constant monitoring has fortunately not shown any evidence of increasing seismic activity. Lahars are expected to follow the paths of rivers which run down from the glaciers so there are places where people could escape the flows if they were prepared and knew where to go.

Rainier is covered with numerous glaciers whose meltwater feeds the rivers and streams that run for many miles away from the mountain. The Nisqually River flows 78 miles to its delta on Puget Sound where we went last Saturday.  

Mount Rainier and Myrtle Falls.....the water in this river is clear which shows that it comes from snowfields.  Water flowing from the glaciers is milky because of the pulverized glacial debris it carries.

Debris flow path from the mountain.  It doesn't take an eruption to set off these flows. They can happen at any time from sudden releases of glacial meltwater or torrential rains.

Close-up of a glacier. We were surprised at the dirty-looking snow and ice on the surface. 

Part of the Tatoosh Range on the southern flank of Rainier (sounds like something out of Star Wars). These peaks have the sharp edges showing they were carved by glaciers.

Paradise River coming down from the snowfields with its clear water.

Jim and Gabe at the Narada Falls overlook.

The top of 168-foot Narada Falls. We couldn't see the falls without going down a very long string of wet steps which we elected not to do. 

One of the many beautiful streams and meadows going up the trail we were on. Looks like "The Sound of Music" terrain.  Julie Andrews could pop out at any moment......

The Paradise Visitor Center.  Note the steepness of the roof which is built to shed heavy snow loads.  With the combination of elevation and Pacific Northwest moisture, Mount Rainier has the heaviest snowfall on earth. It averages 643 inches per year, nearly 54 feet.

No picture I've taken can convey Rainier's unbelievably massive size, so I've borrowed two pictures from the internet which give an idea of how the mountain looms over everything around it for 100 miles. It's something you can't really believe until you see it.

It has an amazing, peaceful energy around it.....such clear, crisp air and so much beauty. And yet so much danger lurking a short distance below the surface.