Thursday, July 13, 2017

Playing in Paradise

After three days of hard work here at home, we spent Wednesday playing. However we ended up playing at least as hard as we worked. 

We spent the day in my favorite place on earth, Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park. 

Jill told us last weekend that she was taking the kids to Paradise, and did we want to go. YES! My birthday is coming up soon, and this is just where I want to spend it, so we began my birthday pageant early. 

Our first stop on the way to The Mountain was at Narada Falls. 


The rushing stream that feeds the falls. 
 Isaac is always looking for frogs. He found two.
 Can you find this little one?
After reaching the Visitor Center at Paradise, we ate our picnic lunch, since it was almost noon, and then we set out to climb up the mountain slopes.

Jill and kids planned to go way up to Panorama Point, and Tom and I knew we would not keep up or make it that far, so they set off and we took a slower pace. 
 We could see right away that with the heavy snow pack this winter, plants were just beginning to emerge. Instead of the riot of color of later blooms, we found the delicate blooms of glacier lilies and pasque flowers. 



 As we climbed higher, we encountered more snow patches across the trail. It was slippery going. 



 With The Mountain ahead of us and the Tatoosh Range behind us - such beauty all around. 




 By now the mountain was almost free of clouds. 

 We reached our goal, the view from Alta Vista, where we could see Mount Adams peeking over the Tatoosh. 


 And we rested - not for the first time. 


Then we took a different trail back down, hoping to avoid snow. We ended up with more snow, but also great views. 




 Here in the high rocks the phlox and heaths were blooming. 


 We took the Waterfall Trail down to the lodge, were we rested and enjoyed our afternoon lattes and chocolate. 

Then we set off on a shorter hike to Myrtle Falls. 

The marmots were out, enjoying the sun. 







 Still there. 



 False Hellebore was popping up out of the ground in a great rush of greenness. 
 Bear grass was blooming. 

 Purple mountain daisies, for purple mountain majesty. 
 Indian paintbrush. 
We all rendezvoused at the Visitor Center about 4:45, and slowly pulled ourselves out of Paradise.  

It was about 5:30 when we arrived at the Copper Creek Inn, just outside the National Park boundary, where we stopped to have dinner.
 And then, closer to home, we stopped at a Dairy Queen for dessert. That's my Peanut Buster Parfait there unguarded on the table. Jill had to help me finish it. 
What a sweet day it was!

17 comments:

  1. perfect early birthday. we are heading north to Montana and Idaho to enjoy some coolness for a much needed vacation. Thanks for sharing such cool in everyway photos.

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  2. We went to Paradise once several years ago, but have been to Sunrise several times (it's closer and a shorter drive). But Paradise has nicer flower meadows, I think, and a nicer lodge. We took our son and his girlfriend to Sunrise a couple of weeks ago when they came for a visit. The only flowers out were glacier lilies and pasque flower too.

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  3. Sounds like the perfect way to spend an early birthday. perfect in so many ways.

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  4. What a splendid wonderful day. I see you have added another grandchild. I'm assuming she's spending another summer with Jill and the kids.

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  5. Gorgeous scenery all around you! Every view was definitely a photo op. (I like an occasional Peanut Buster Parfait, too. So does Ken. You more than earned yours, though, after all the hiking you did.)

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  6. What a stunning place with amazing views. Nature really does put out the best gardens. Maybe it is all the water features, wildflowers and lovely mountains.

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  7. This is unbelievable! Absolutely breathtaking! I did find the tiny frog! I'm wondering how the weather felt. If you were warm climbing, or cold, walking through snow? And all those different flowers growing there, that we buy at nurseries around here, are wild flowers there? That was sure a perfect start to your birthday celebration.

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  8. Very nice photos of the family and the scenery.

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  9. Thanks for sharing your day and all the beautiful photos.
    We are fortunate indeed to live in such beautiful country!

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  10. Nothing like the high country. Mountain Meadows are alive with flowers. Your mountains are much higher than our Rockies.

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  11. Gardens are lovely to explore but there really isn't anything that can compare with God's handiwork. Thanks for sharing those stunning pictures.

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  12. It looked much like our hike to Excelsior Pass yesterday, with the same flowers but plenty to come in the near future. A beautiful place indeed. :-)

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  13. A magnificent place to begin your birthday pageant!

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  14. I can't imagine a warm day with snow on the ground. It looked wonderful.

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  15. Such a breathtakingly beautiful area and of course to flowers lined your path. You earned that ice cream.

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  16. What a great hike! What a way to spend the day! :)

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