Around Mt. Rainier

On a typical summer weekend is it very crowded at Mt. Rainier National Park.  So instead of joining the crowd or getting up early to beat the crowd I decided to ride around The Mountain after work.  I arrived at work at 5:00am and was on the road by 1:45.    It is about a 200 mile ride so it is easy to do.


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A friend and his son met me at the gas dump in Covington and we road to Enumclaw along Hwy 410 to Chinook Pass for the classic photo op.  The prior weekend there was snow on Tipsoo Lake

This was shot with my Canon XSi 28-135 lens with a graduated neutral density filter, thus preventing blowout.  The forground is a bit over exposed and the wind was blowing so there is no chance to get a reflection in Tipsoo Lake.  Nice shot and I took it on this trip!

For a different perspective here is a photo from a previous trip.  This photo is zoom in and taken earlier in the day as there are no shadows on the jagged cliffs in the foreground.

During each season you can always see something different at Mt. Rainier.

We go back down to Cayuse Pass on on to the park entrance at Ohanapecosh where you pay your fee to get in for the ride.  Just inside the entrance is a parking lot and trail head for an easy hike to visit the Grove of the Patriarchs - aka big old trees.  Some of the trees are a thousand years old.

With limited time we skip the hike to the grove and ride on to to Stevens Canyon overlook.  Aong the way is this waterfall.

The road is quiet twisty for a while and there are no views of Mt Rainier as you climb to Stevens Canyon.  Then as you round a turn is this stunning view. 

We stop here for break and enjoy the view. From here the road head toward The Mountain and winds it way to the south side on the left of the photo above.

Along the way you can stop at the Box Canyon a 100 foot deep canyon only 10 to 15 feet wide.  Photos can't capture the depth of this geological oddity.

A photo from a few years ago when I had a Vstrom.

We head to Reflection Lake and along the way I snap a photo but this one from an earlier trip at the same spot is nicer.  If you look carefully the road snakes towards you in the foreground.

We arrive at Reflection Lakes where The Mountain is obscured by clouds as it was at Inspiration Point.

With running out we ride on home passing through the towns of Elbe, Eatonville and Orting.

The End.