2019 NORTHWEST PASSAGE Episode VIII

JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VIII
Giant Trees:

We hiked around the mountains through these beautiful trees.
Their root systems aren’t very deep, only 4 or 5 feet of
nurturing soil. A bed rock of granite lies under that.




















Arlene at the top of the mountain shows there is little more
than barren rock, and occasionally a wild animal.














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Giant Trees:

We saw how many trees had been burnt. Often even if their
core is burnt out they continue to survive. Arlene is standing
in a ‘Goose Pen’ ; a burnt out tree which was large enough for
farmers to keep live stock inside the trunk.























Maybe their longevity comes from the thickness of their bark
which makes a good fire protector. This one looked like about
10 inches, and was fuzzy like mohair. We’ve been told it could
grow to 2 feet thick.






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Giant Trees:

As we walked around and listened to the Rangers we marveled
at the stories about how the trees aged and fed themselves.
No one wanted to define their specific age, they usually guess
at it. Mostly, because they could only generalize.
We’d believed for ever that a trees age can be told by the
number of rings it has. Sometimes the rings were very tight,
closer together during dry years, and wider apart in wetter
years. That doesn’t seem to be true, evidently some years
there are no rings. We suspect carbon dating isn’t all that
accurate either.

















Arlene started counting the rings on this fallen tree, but gave
up after 10 minutes. Wouldn’t it be terrible if the tree had to
be fallen before you could tell how old they might have been?






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Giant Trees:

These trees use a lot of water. It’s astonishing to think that it
could be hundreds of gallons a day, and hold over 37,000
gallons inside their trunks.
They grow from the top down as well as bottom up. Because
they grow in groves, many together, they create a foggy, wet
environment providing lots of moisture. Some think as much
as 30% of the hundreds of gallons of water they need each day
comes from the fog. Their foggy environment, like very tall
mountains create their own environment, and makes it rainy,
where small capillaries carry the water from the ground up into
the highest parts of the tree. If they can’t pull the water higher
they have reached their ‘Monarch Stage’ and may continue to
live and grow by increasing in volume, but not by growing
taller.

Before we left the Park we couldn’t resist playing and climbing
around. Richard got caught between two trunks.



















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Giant Trees:

Arlene, poses holding up two of these mighty specimens of
our planet.





































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Tokopah Valley Falls:

The Lodgepole Campground is at the base of the Tokopah
Valley. We had been eyeing the rough and rugged creek that
roared down the mountain past us each day. We had awaken
early and chilly from the night. Huddling together we fell back
to sleep and awoke again around 8 am.
Today we had several things on our agenda. After breakfast,
we would hike up the valley along the river. Then later we’d
go back around the giants where we had seen a smaller group
of 12 foot trees and I’d take some pictures or even try drawing
them.

















Arlene’s ready to go dressed for the early morning cold. But,
we hadn’t gone more than a ¼ mile before realizing it was
going to be a warmer day.
We returned to camp and changed into shorts and our sun
protecting kayak hats and shirts and off we went again. This
time when we reached the trailhead a camper warned us that



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Tokopah Valley Falls:

the trail sign had lost a digit and was really 11.7 miles to the
falls, not 1.7 miles.
Several observations we made from the start were the water
was ice cold. Although not from a glacier it was still snow
melt and cold. The mountain side was really steep and the
water was white and rough as it barreled down the valley. We
judge water flow by how a kayak could tranverse it. Even the
smallest kayak and the most talented paddler couldn’t go down
this creek. The drop off the mountain is so severe there is
only rapids. And there’s lots and lots of water.















We’ve realized there is only a thin layer of dirt, although rich
soil, before the granite takes over. Therefore there is no sand,
no shore line, only boulders.

I had originally packed our bear spray, but decided there were
so many hikers that we didn’t need it. That’s stupid, even if
we’ve never used it or were more likely to spray ourselves if
the need arose. As it turned out we didn’t need it! Really!



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Tokopah Valley Falls:

Although we’d encounter a couple of bears. One was large
and dark brown. They say there are only Black Bears on this
side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. That’s comforting
especially when you know they are the tree climbing type.
We hadn’t gone very far, maybe a mile up the trail before we
encountered the first one.















It was foraging in one of the small meadows we’d passed. The
trail kept close to the edge of these grass areas and therefore
we did have a choice between turning around and returning or
following the trail off to the side and further up the mountain.
If we chose to move along we’d be beyond the bear and
between the bear and our camp. That surely occurred to
Arlene as she suggested we return to camp. It couldn’t have
registered that the bear was only 30 feet away, and we were in
deep jeopardy.

We waited for a while, watching, and then slipped by to the
high side. I’d say the bear had good manners. It didn’t pay



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Tokopah Valley Falls:

any attention to us, even when we were acting like the giant
trees, raising our hands above our heads and talking loudly. It
didn’t pick up it’s head once. Possibly it thought we were just
another group of noisy tourists.
Once back in the woods we moved along briskly trying to put
a lot of distance between us and it. It took a while for us to
calm down. What if the bear stopped eating and started up the
trail? After all there weren’t a lot of choices. It was either up
the mountain side, follow the path into camp or follow us.
Or, what had all the other hikers done? We hadn’t seen a lot
coming down our way as we went up. It took a while for our
situation to sink in. We were in big trouble, even though
nothing had happened, yet.

To take our mind off the dilemma we concentrated on the
wonderful work the National Park and a lot of philanthropic
folks had done to build this trail. They had raised over
$300,000 to build and rebuild it. It’s a fine trail and they
reached up into the granite area before they ran out of money.

















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Tokopah Valley Falls:
That’s near the top, but you have to see what they were up
against when the path turns to solid granite.

That’s not just a trickle near the top, and it’s not easy to cut
out a path, or find your way between these boulders.

Another diversion was to talk about our favorite hikers along
the trail. One family with two young girls, walked along
stopping occasionally to chase down a worm, or to ask about
what the
kids thought about a flower. They were pretty neat, but they
probably would never make it to the final waterfall. A newly
wed couple were on their honeymoon. They were from
Ensenada, Mexico, and were great fun to talk with. They were
both 68 years old and having a great time. One other a 40’ish
couple, he bare chested and her in a 1960’s skirt that came
down to her ankles. They passed us, and then would pull off
to the side, or go down to the creek. So we passed each other
several times before they disappeared above us.
















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Tokopah Valley Falls:

We were doing pretty well, making our way and finding our
way between these boulders. Arlene stops for a moment to
watch a Marmot dash in and out of a few rocks and then stop
to sun itself.
We could see the final water fall above us and only had to go
through this last maze of monster granite rocks. Who would
have thought that just because you couldn’t see 10 feet in front
of you that there would be some horrifying surprise around
the bend.

















Here we finally reached the top and under the water fall sat to
have a small snack and rest before turning back down the
mountain. Climbing these mountains isn’t all that easy, we’re
above 7,500 feet, and near us is Mount Whitney at 14,000 feet;
the tallest Mountain in the centennial United States.





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Tokopah Valley Falls:

















We’re headed back down and have changed our hiking
technique. Because, we get winded easily and have to stop to
rest more often than usual. That’s our new way. Here Arlene
stops for a break, while I draw some rocks and a strange little
red flower.

















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Tokopah Valley Falls:

We didn’t have much further to go before our adventurous
day was complete. There was always smaller creeks coming
off the mountain flowing into the main valley creek. At one we
couldn’t just jump across. It was 15 feet wide, but had a log
across it. My balance is often pretty good and I tried tight-
roping my way across. I thought that when I slipped I’d leap
toward the far side.
It worked, I made it across. Arlene wasn’t going to wade
across, so I found a long branch for her to hold on to while
crossing. It acted like a hand rail and she crossed easily.

That would have been the end of our adventure, but, no here
on the other side was another bear.
























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Tokopah Valley Falls:

This time there was no choice, we were caught between the
bear, the trail, and the creek we’d just crossed. There was only
25 feet along the path before we might be clear of it. Hoping
it had as good manners as the one we encountered on the way
up the valley.
This bear wasn’t munching on the grasses in a meadow. It was
busy digging apart one of the many dead logs in the forest.
We forgot our bear procedures, and quietly made our way
further down the hill. It kept digging, we kept sliding past,
until we were hopefully out of range.

Again, for the second time in one day we had come closer to a
dangerous wild animal than we ever had. And hope we never
have it happen again.


Lady Bird Grove:

Having survived we were ready to move along leaving Sequoia
we moved north to the Redwood National Park and the Lady
Bird Redwood Grove in northern California along the coast.

On our way we were distracted for a while by a large
population of ‘Roosevelt’ Elk. We’d seen two clashing their
huge antlers; sparing for certain rights or because it wasn’t in
season, maybe just practicing.

At one point we came around a corner and a large male stood
by the road. There were too many of them for us to be
driving so fast. We slowed down and hoped that wouldn’t
encounter any more.





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Lady Bird Grove:

















As we neared the Park we passed a lumber yard with lots of
redwoods stacked ready for milling into boards. These logs
are a fraction of the size of yester-years trees, and where they
were once in great demand for homes and commercial
buildings.

















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Lady Bird Grove:

Times have changed and they aren’t used so much anymore.
In 1969 a grove of Redwoods were dedicated to Lady Bird
Johnson . To visit we climbed up a back road toward the
Pacific Ocean. It was several miles, and the fog that these
trees are known for creating became so dense that it was
difficult to see where we were going.














The trees were splendid. Richard tried modifying this photo
to see through the fog. Here he is in the fog.
















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Lady Bird Grove:

And, here he is after modifying the photo, brightening it up a
bit. It’s easier to see the tape measure he’s using to circle the
tree. At 25 feet the tape wasn’t nearly long enough.















In the mean time Arlene wants to show how the tree is about
half the size of the car at 16 feet.


















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Lady Bird Grove:

She gets out of the car and celebrates the tree as we prepare to
move inland to visit Crater Lake for a second time.















Crater Lake:
It’s June in the Northwest and as soon as we get to higher
elevations we are treated with regular sized trees and a deep
snow pack.

















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Crater Lake:

















The roads are now open, with the lingering snow piled 4 or 5
feet high along the sides. Although snow may fall any time of
the year, but infrequently by May.



















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Crater Lake:

We made new path ways around the deep piles of snow in
camp, but until the sun went down it was pretty warm and we
didn’t need to wear coats.



























In fact we were in our shorts and light shirts.

The rim is around 8,000 feet, so warm weather makes it a little
easier to breath. From the wall we could see a mountain 1,000
feet higher.



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Crater Lake:

I climbed up the wall to get a better view and take a picture.













This is Mount Thielsen. It’s striking because of it’s sharp,
regular cone shape.














Opps! I thought the wall was about a foot high. So when I
stepped backwards off of it; it grew to 3 feet. I tumbled down
on my back and hit my head. That turns out to be one of my
stronger





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Crater Lake:

Points and I wasn’t knocked out. It did however curtail our
hiking and visiting.
















Oregon’s Coast:



We headed back toward the coast hopeing to camp along the
shoreline. Like all our coast lines around the country there’s
plenty of campgrounds. However there are more campers
than there are spaces and they always want to camp when their
children are free to go with them. As the years go by, we’ve
seen more and more campers choosing to go out during the
fall. They are usually without children, mostly seniors.

This maybe true, but it’s June and the camps are packed.







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Oregon’s Coast:















Here’s a packed camp that we didn’t stay at, but it was really
something. It’s large, and mostly hardtop, like a beach
parking lot. There were lots of tents around the perimeter;
small ones, for a couple of people or kids. The parking lot was
filled with trailers, not RV’s. Each trailer was filled with dune
buggies. Everyone in the family seemed to have one.

The buggies were covered with decals of Nascar’s racing
sponsors. The kids were dressed to match their buggy with
Jeff Gordon orange jump suits, or Dale Ernhart red.
Everyone was having a ball. But for us it was like Coney
Island, a zoo, and despite the good time we’re glad we weren’t
on the sand to be run over.
Even so we did take a walk over the sand dunes to the shore.
The dunes could have been 60 feet high and tough to climb.
We made it to the far side. Arlene was worn out. We are not
much for the beach and walking in the sand is hard on us.
Both of us would be sore tomorrow. Yet we could confirm
that the Pacific Ocean was passive, and beautiful.


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Oregon’s Coast:































We moved along checking each campground until we found
one. It was our idea of the most beautiful. We were a long
way from the ocean, and the park wasn’t filled. Look at how
we were tucked into the shoreline forest.




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Oregon’s Coast:















We were a mile or more away from the ocean. Taking
advantage of the distance and the hiking trails we worked our
way along the edge of a creek.















It wasn’t the easiest going but, we did reach the ocean, and we
were the only ones there.




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Oregon’s Coast:








































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Oregon’s Coast:

We’ll have to try again to visit the coast line, maybe in
Washington in the Olympic National Park. We may be better
suited to the Rain Forest.
Driving along the coast line has never been one of our favorite
experiences. However, the Giant Trees, were such an amazing
experience for us. It will be a long time before we forget
them.

For now we will pack up and head up to Portland and east
along the Columbia River to Deschutes Recreation Area.

























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CHAPTER 3
Deschutes Recreation Area:

The Deschutes River flows off the Oregon Plateau into the
Columbia. The Campground is beside the two rivers where
they merge.
















The wind is blowing hard creating white caps on the Columbia
River.

On the Deschutes River the wind is funneled down the valley
passing us at a great speed. The flags are flying straight out
meaning over 25 mph. That’s pretty dangerous, and usually
signals a storm, but the skies are clear, not even a few clouds.
We’ll tuck our tails, secure the rig and walk around the
campground.
By the afternoon we’ve learned a bit about the area and high
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Deschutes Recreation Area:

that sail boarders come from all over the world to the
Colombia River Gorge. We went out to watch them. The
older we get the more amazed we become about the new
equipment being used and the lack of fear these young people
have.
We can’t imagine sailing on a board with a 4 inch keel and a
sail mast 10 feet above you. The speed they cut across the
river is limited only to the wind. They actually fly above the
water like an America’s Cup Catamaran.

The sailors, men and women cut across the river from shore to
shore as the wind blows up the Colombia. There must be 20
of them. We learned that the river’s current and winds are
often contrary to each other. The current of the Colombia is
usually 5 mph westward toward the Pacific. The winds often
4x to 6x times the current at 20 to 30 mph blows toward Idaho
in the opposite direction.



















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Paddling the Columbia:

Our host in the camp ground is a kayaker, and has offered to
share drop-off and pick-up duties with us. He suggests we
put-in at Rufus and paddle past the Deschutes River down to
the Dalles. It’s all down stream and could be a fun trip. I’ll
consider it but I think there are a few problems. It’s probably
too dangerous a trip for me, and certainly for Arlene.
There are a couple of reasons why it may not be such a good
idea for us. Our kayak paddling has always been on flat, lake
water. The little paddling we’ve done on rivers had very small
currents, and usually the rivers are no wider than 40 feet.
Lastly and the biggest issue is the merging of the Deschutes
stream into the Columbia.

We’ve watched the Deschutes River pour into the Columbia.
The force of it pushes a third of the way out into the larger
river. That means we would have to paddle horizontally
across this area. Like cutting sideways across the river. That’s
a skill that I’ve only done in a canoe, with a partner. I’d not
like to do it in a swift flowing stream like the Columbia in a
kayak. I’m not that strong to try it. I think we’ll pass.
We’ve been to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.














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Mt Hoods Summer Fruits and Flowers:























The Center sits on a hill overlooking the Columbia River.
Inside it’s filled with historical memorabilia and stories of the
River and it’s travelers.

One Indian legend about the nearby volcanoes is about a
beautiful Indian Princess Loowit and her two lovers. They
were rivals, very jealous and destructive while battling over her.
They were so aggressive that they were turned into volcanoes.
One became Mt Adams and the other Wy’east because he was
so strong and stood up straight became Mt. Hood. Loowit
who ended up with neither Indian Brave was turned into the
Mt. Saint Helens volcano.




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Mt Hoods Summer Fruits and Flowers:


















We left a while later to drive up Route 35 toward Mount
Hood.




















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Mt Hoods Summer Fruits and Flowers:

The mountain was covered with snow and at the foot of this
11,200 foot volcano was a huge parking lot. It was filled with
cars and School Buses. Everyone had skies and snow boards.
It looked like the end of year school party.




















We didn’t stay long driving further south toward Tillingham
Lake. On the way we passed many fruit stands. It was early in
the season, but there were baskets of apples, and berries. Our
favorite cherries, not the red sours, but the Black Bing and
Orange-ish Queen Ann’s. There were shelves of preserves,
from exotic to local. We could hardly resist the selection and
bought more than enough cherries and berries to eat in a
week.





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Mt Hoods Summer Fruits and Flowers:

Tillingham Lake had a small campground, but few facilities,
no electric. It was quiet and we found a picnic table for lunch.
What a grand day this was.
On the way back to camp we stopped at a hiking area along a
converted road. It was once the main road into Portland, but
had been converted into a recreation area filled with wild
flowers. I’m drawing a few of the flowers, while Arlene is
standing in the midst of them.






























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Mt. Hoods Summer Fruits and Flowers:






































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Toward Washington:

Our stay along the Columbia River has ended and we will
continue to move along stopping in Portland, filling our gas
tanks and crossing over into Tax-a Washington. Here we’ve
just filled up on $1.25 gas while across the street in the other
state our favorite ‘Flying J’ station is charging $1.35. Soon
we’ll get to pay those prices.
We’re ready and headed for Mount Saint Helens and Seaquest
State Park.


























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CHAPTER 4

Volcano Alley:

Mount Saint Helens:
It’s June 2002, over 20 years after the volcano erupted.
Approaching the park we came across this interesting story
about the railroads and Mt. St. Helens.

A hundred years or so ago the railroads were expanding across
our country. The Federal government was encouraging this
expansion and granted lots of land for their development.
However, and despite what we may know about this give away
the government did have one good idea.
They were interested in populating the country, and thereby
devised a land grant procedure called a ‘checker board’ in
which each other square mile would be granted to a railroad
while they kept the other for private development, our settlers.

It’s believed that the Pacific Northern Railroad received a
grant to extend its northern line to Seattle. As part of that
grant somehow the Burlington Northern Railroad got their
hands on a ‘square’. They may have been so happy and proud
of it that a checker board map is still printed on their engines.
That square of all things was the summit of Mt. Saint Helens.
Yes, Burlington Northern Railroad owned the top of Mt Saint
Helens when it exploded in April and May of 1980.

You can see from this USFS photo from Spirit Lake what part
of the 9,200 foot mountain belonged to Burlington Northern.







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Mount Saint Helens:






























Seaquest State Park was pretty busy, as we settled into a tight
spot without electricity. It’s the closest campground to the
Monument, and has a Visitors Center that we hoped would tell
us about the volcano. The information wasn’t very good so
the next day we headed along the country road and North
Fork Toutle River.
It’s sixty miles to the monument, the little road follows along
the Toutle Mountain range. This valley and range became a
funnel for the volcano eruption. After it split open it flowed
down the valley lined by the mountain range. This photo
shows the volcano in the background as we approached it, and
how the valley is still recovering today.





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Mount Saint Helens:














The Monument covers a large area and it’s Visitors Center is
on the opposite side of the valley, and volcano, leaving us with
a great view of Mount Saint Helens. We climbed steadily up to
8,000 feet until we were at the same level as the volcano, and
only 6 miles away.

Here is where we got our first view of its massive destruction.



















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Mount Saint Helens:

From our vantage point all the trees had been ripped apart.
Here are a couple that were torn down in the first explosion.
The branches and leaves were destroyed and the trunks torn
near their roots. What was left laying on the ground were their
trunks. It’s estimated they were gone in less than 4 seconds.
The entire mountain side was denuded.
































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Mount Saint Helens:















For several months geologists and the U.S. Forest Service had
been monitoring the mountain. It was no surprise that it had
been letting off steam, as the Indians had long called it
Louwala-Chough after the princess, and because it smoked.
But, for a while it had been coughing and sputtering shaking
the siematic meters. By April they were sure it would erupt,
but not exactly when. The mountain was elastic as it bulged to
one side and lost over 1,000 feet in elevation. Everyone for
miles had been alerted and required to evacuate.

David Johnson of the US Geologic Survey, 6 miles away made
his last call at 8:32 a.m. reporting a 5.1 earth quake. ‘THIS IS
IT!’. Following his report there were 4 distinct eruptions.


KA! BOOM!
The huge bulge grew 5 feet a day. Johnson believed it would
blow sideways. That morning the mountain collapsed, as he
predicted, latterly, burying him in the largest landslide ever



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Mount Saint Helens:

recorded. More than half the mountain slid down the valley
creating a horseshoe shape.
BOOM!

A huge explosion of gasses ripped trees in half. Toppling
them for 15 miles. Superheated gas and rock sent a shock
wave over 19 miles, leveling all trees and many which weren’t
torn down seared and dying.

KA! POW!
The pyroclastic flow raced down the mountain valley, filling
the rivers, covering the land with logs and debris 150 to 600
feet deep, burying over 200 homes and buildings. It reached
all the way to the Columbia River, Portland and the Pacific
Ocean.

KA! BOOM!
Gasses blew vertically into the sky, as a mushroom cloud 12
miles high, creating static electricity and lightning bolts. It
was snowing in Seattle 6 inches deep, cars had to be covered,
only the ash didn’t melt. It’s dust reached out 540 miles and
drifted across 7 states and 2,200 square miles.

This was not the first volcano we had seen, nor the destruction
it created. I had visited and climbed Mt Vesuvius in Italy years
ago. It had taken a long time to reach the top of the cone,
following a switch back path over the loose, deep redish
brown pumice. Looking into the cone the ventilators were
steaming like a heated tea pot. Thinking it could be sulfuric
acid I turned and ‘body slid’ down the pumice to the next
pathway, and then again before walking.



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Mount Saint Helens:

Both of us visited Pompei the excavated ruins at the base of
the mountain. The entire city had been buried under ash.
There was no air to breath and everyone perished. It was
awful.
Our visit to the Visitors Center, it’s presentations, movies and
lectures were overwhelming. We were so amazed by the
information and experience that we had to rest and think
about it. We’d return another day to look around.

The next day we returned, rested and more comfortable. Here
we both view Mt St. Helens from the Visitors Center.


























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Mount Saint Helens:


















We couldn’t believe that after 20 years the valley was still stark
with no trees growing or sign of recovery.




















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Mount Saint Helens:

Even so several lumber companies like Georgia Pacific, and
Weyerhauser had repopulated the mountain sides with trees
along the river. They looked strangely manicured as they were
all the same height.


















We packed up the next day still shaken by the experience and
headed toward Mount Rainier National Park.

As we move further north the volcano peaks continue, but are
less active. The Pacific Ring of Fire includes lots of mountains
along the Northwest Passage. From the south in California,
Mt. Shasta, and Lassen Peak, Oregon has many Crater Lake,
The Three Sisters, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and in Washington
Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainer, and Mt Baker. Further north into
British Columbia there are another four. The Pacific plate





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Mount Rainer:

movement continues north along the coast all the way to
Alaska.
There are several active volcanoes in the world today. Japan’s
Sakurajima is one of a ring around their islands. Mt. Etna in
Sicily, Italy, has been active for years. In Hawaii Mauna Loa’s
eruptions have been flowing lava down the mountain side for
over a year. Mauna Loa is believed to be the highest mountain
in the world, measuring from the bottom of the ocean. Higher
than Mt. Everest.

There is a list of volcanoes that possibly could become active
in the next 10 years. Among them an archeologist friend
thought that Mt. Vesuvius in Italy and Mt. Rainer were most
likely. They both come to our mind because we’re going to
visit Mt. Rainer, and have been to Vesuvius and Pompeii. An
eruption of either of these volcanoes would endanger millions
of people. If Rainer blew we’ve thought that the only safe
place in the northern hemisphere would be Mexico.
Mt. Rainer hasn’t erupted since the 1850’s, but has been
monitored with seismic meters for years and in the early 21st
century several earthquakes had been reported. An eruption
could be expected like Mt. Helens where a Lahare, (sludge
from volcanic mud and melted glacier ice), could flow
westward toward Tacoma, and the Strait of Juan De Fuca. An
eruption could effect life and areas as far north as Seattle and
Vancouver, and as far south as San Francisco. Ash could
encircle the Earth, like the Icelandic eruption whose dust and
ash closed airports across Europe and caused the air to be
dangerously unhealthy.




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JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VIII
Mount Rainer:

Our photo doesn’t do justice to the presence of the mountain
as it is awesome. Mt. Rainer once over 16,000 feet, today has
down sized, but still’s over 14,000 feet tall. Remember that the
earth’s crust is elastic, heat and pressure causes it to change.
Rainer defines the State as the tallest mountain and is visible
anywhere along the mega-population to it’s west, over 200
miles from Olympia to Vancouver Canada.






















It has recently been used in the 50 State U.S. Quarter minting
of Washington.
It was an easy drive along Route 12 to the eastern entrance of
the National Park’s and to the campground. The mountains
around Rainer aren’t that high, 6,000 - 8,000 feet.



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JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VIII
Mount Rainer:

Inside the park we went to the Visitor Center and signed up
for a camp site at Ohanapecosh Campground.
Ohanapecosh Campground:

















Our site was along a swollen river, with two other campers.
Each with young lively children. We returned to the Visitors
Center and Marylyn, a Park Ranger asked if we’d be happier in
another site. We said we would and she moved us to site
#A32. It was a beauty separated from others, above the river,
and those camps; in the woods and quiet. The woods were so
lush and beautiful we wanted to get out and walk around
investigating our new location and campground.









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