Mount Rainier National Park

Monday, June 26^th 2017

We finally had an uneventful drive to Mount Haven RV Resort just outside the park entrance to Mount Rainier National Park where we were pretty much “off the grid”.  No internet to speak of, no television service and the cell service was intermittent at best.  This was no surprise considering where we were. 



Our campsite at Mount Haven RV Resort just outside the park entrance.

When we tried to find an RV campground that could accommodate our size, it was tough.  Mt. Haven Resort seemed to be our best choice, but read the sites were pretty small and tough to navigate with an RV.  So, I was totally prepared to have to pull out all our experience in maneuvering this thing, and try not to get any dents.  In fact, after passing the small entrance on the way by, we un-hooked up the street and drove the car back to check and see just how tough this was going to be.

I don’t know what these people were talking about!  Our site, and the ones around us, were under huge, old growth trees, but the site was HUGE!  In fact, it was one of the most level sites we had been on!  We only had 30 amp service which took a little planning when cooking ( we didn’t need the air conditioning that needs 50 amp for all 3 of them to work ) and no sewer, but the campground was lovely. 

The owners are a young couple that were so friendly and informative.  I had several conversations when booking, so we felt like old friends.  After setting up, Norm and I took off to take some pictures of Mt. Rainier since the weather was so clear.

 

After conferring with the park ranger to get ideas of appropriate hikes over the next couple of days, we headed further up the mountain to get a better view of the magnificent Mount Rainier.  Clouds like to congregate around tall mountains, so God forbid we miss this chance to see her in full glory, so we embarked on the winding, steep drive up the mountain.

One of our first exciting glimpses of the mountain!  It is so gorgeous, it took my breath away!



We first stopped at the Longmire Visitor’s Center and spoke with the ranger. While there, I saw an older woman getting sworn in as a Junior Ranger!  I have been dying to do that even if Norm thinks I am crazy! I guess it’s a throw-back from my Girl Scout days, and all the badges I achieved.   Last year I asked at many National Parks if I could do the Junior Ranger Program, but they usually weren’t doing the required talks or walks at that time of year. But finally, a chance!  I took the booklet that promised a few hours of “homework” along with quite a few items I would have to seek out in the park, similar to a scavenger hunt.   This was not going to be as easy as I thought! 
 



It was determined that this Douglas fir tree started to grow in 1293, lived through the "Little Ice Age" in 1350 that caused Mt. Rainiers glaciers to advance, grew through the Civil War 1861, and finally was cut by the Saint Regis Paper Co in 1963.  It was so interesting to read the little plaques describing the events that happened during a particular age of the tree.

With the booklet in hand, we drove about ½ hour more uphill, and arrived at the Paradise Visitor’s Center, and it was a zoo!  Hordes of people playing in the snow, and a parade of folks marching up the trail like ants.  We watched the movie, went to the Inn and had dinner, then headed back down the mountain, taking pictures of the magnificent views in the early evening light.  

 



A particularly nice view from the road of Mt. Rainier

Mount Rainer, to me, is the most beautiful place on earth!  I must say, I feel as if I am meant to be in the mountains, NOT in Florida.  Give me tall conifer trees with rough bark and jagged peaks.  Not palm trees and scrubby undergrowth set in sand. Cool breezes and snow caps not heat, bugs and humidity.

I stayed up late completing the Junior Ranger Workbook reading information then answering questions, doing word searches, etc. ( They have different requirements for the various age groups ). 

Tuesday, June 27^th 2017

Right behind me is the Skyline Trail.  Obviously the remainder of the heavy snowfall last winter is limiting the number of hiking trails that can safely be traveled on right now. 

For months now, I have been dying to do Mt. Rainier’s Skyline Trail.  This trail is supposed to have the most views for the effort. Bang for the Buck, we call it.  Unfortunately, the snowfall here this past winter was huge, and a lot of the trails, this one included, are still snowed in! 



Norm was able to not only find the bird making the weirdest noise, but take a picture of this Snooty Grouse while it was making it's "hooting" call. ( This bird is also known as "Hooter".  The rangers were very impressed with this photo. 

This Hoary Marmot ran over an sniffed my shoe after munching on a dandelion !

When the ranger we spoke with said she just hiked that trail and it was so slippery she would not do it again until the snow was gone, that was all we had to hear.  It would be awful if we got hurt and ruined the next 3 ½ months of vacation!

We decided to take another, shorter trail that would give us the pleasure of hiking in the snow without the possibility of a couple of old fools getting hurt! 





We had a lovely hike in the snow.....

If you want to see my first attempt at a video project, (please ignore some technical glitches)click here to see our hike in Mt. Rainier National Park

When we arrived up at the trailhead we were pleasantly surprised to see that we were above the gloomy clouds that completely hid the mountain down at the campsite!  We hiked several miles in deep snow with the temperature in the high 50’s but the warm sun made it very comfortable, not to mention beautiful! Boy, I miss the snow- even the smell of it.

Stopping back at the Visitor’s Center I noticed a really nice Ranger swearing in a child as a Junior Ranger; there weren’t many people around ( I was a little embarrassed ) so I figured this was my chance! I learned other “mature” people are also Junior Rangers, some having up to 50 parks they have sworn to protect!  One fellow says he just shows some parks a picture of all his badges he has “earned”, and they just give it to him.  He thought it would be the same here. 



There were many questions and exercises to complete for my very first Junior Ranger badge.  The ranger quizzed me thoroughly before deeming me qualified to wear the badge. Is he this tough on the little kids?

Well, not with this ranger behind the counter!  He was tough!  He checked ALL my answers and quizzed me on many subjects around the park.  Norm was surprised I knew the answers to some of them.  The other fellow, with a barely filled out handbook, was quickly sent away to do the work. You may think me foolish, but I wanted my badge to mean something.  I only intend to earn the one, so I appreciated the ranger’s attitude.



Today I checked something else off my bucket list; become a Junior Ranger of a National Park!



 

My Ranger badge ( Jr. that is )

 

I vowed to Preserve Protect and Respect the Mountain and the forest below as well as promise to go to National Parks as long as I live.  With my badge proudly in hand, we headed off for more exploring.

The drive up to Paradise has switchback after switchback, so the going is pretty slow for the cautious.  We had just driven it the night before, then again this morning.  There was one more area we wanted to make sure we saw that was yet another ½ hour down the road, so we decided to make a long day of it and just do it.

It was humbling to stand under these 1000 year old trees in the Grove of the Patriarchs at Mt. Rainier National Park.

The Grove of the Patriarchs is probably the park’s easiest hike, and an extremely different one.  Here, one is immersed in towering Old Growth Douglas fir trees, and Western red cedars all draped in moss. Many exceed 25 feet in circumference and a few are said to be 50 feet wide and over 1,000 years old!  Norm nor I have ever seen such grandeur, and while walking under these towering trees, you feel the need to whisper …….

I was so shocked to see all these full size trees grow out from this fallen "nurse" log. How do they do that?

Emerging from the trail feeling somewhat humble, we drove deeper into the park to see the Ohanapecosh Visitor’s Center.  Feeling a little weary, we were disappointed to find that this Visitor’s Center was on a much smaller scale. We only looked around for a few minutes and started the long, windy road down the mountain. 

Wednesday, June 28^th, 2017

After the tiring day we had yesterday, and the fact we saw the highlights of Mount Rainier ( a lot of the trails were still closed due to the heavy snow still there) we decided to take it easy.  There are always things to do around the “house”.  Emails, blog, laundry and bill paying among the few.

Late in the afternoon we drove down the road to Elbe get a closer look at the iron sculptures we saw as we drove here. Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park is privately owned by a warm and lovely man named Dan Klennert who wishes to share his love of art ( and incredible talent ) with the world, for no charge.  With only a handwritten sign suggesting that if you would like to see him continue with his life’s passion, to perhaps donate $5.00 to help him make ends meet. 

 

These pictures don't do them justice, but you would swear that little foal was going to run and play with its mother!

We found this other magnificent piece of art found on the property of Dan Klennert's Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park.

These larger-than-life sculptures made of iron scrap were the most amazing metal art we have ever seen!  Made mostly of antique parts, it was fun to just stare and try to figure out what the different parts were originally.  I am sure my dad would have known.  Roaming freely around the property, you could appreciate that each piece was cleverer than the last.  The man has such talent, imagination and a deep seated whimsical humor that had you standing around grinning like a fool.  I am so envious of people with such a “gift”. 
 

Dan Klennert came out of his work shop and told us about his life, how he learned to weld, and tried to explain how he can take a piece of old metal (junk to us mere mortals) and instantly envision where that piece belongs in his next creative masterpiece.  He wants to share his work with the world, at absolutely no cost.

Norm and I went into the shop hoping he might have something for sale that might go in the house or yard, but he obviously spends his time creating pieces that need his boom truck to move.

Dan strolled out of his shop and we started to talk.  An hour later, we learned many details about his life. How he came about this unusual craft as a young man many years ago, and how it has ruled his life.  His ex-wife will account to that.   This is a man who collects junk parts of every type, the older and rustier the better. He became so excited when he found a neighbor had left what I would have considered truly “junk” at his side door. Picking up a part of a wire rake, he instantly knew that would become the hair on an animal.  Or the braiding on an old, dirty and broken basket would be a key part in a horse’s bridal. Dan stores his mountain of “treasures” (perhaps considered merely “junk” to those of us not gifted with the ability to see art beyond the rust) behind a fence called “Field of dreams”.

To learn more about Ken, click the link

That night we invited a lovely young couple next door to join us at our campfire, and we had a great evening, promising to call them when we get to their hometown of Bend, Oregon near the end of August.