Ranger Falls and Green Lake August 17, 2015

For our last full day in America in 2015, we drove to Mt Rainier National Park after breakfast to spend a day hiking in a rain forest.  The sky was clear and the view was gorgeous.  It was about an hour drive to get to the parking area to start of the hike.  We didn't arrive till after 10 and had another clue that we weren't in Colorado any more.  There were only 3 other cars there!  We had picked up a map from the rangers' station when we paid our entrance fee and could see LOTS of possible future hikes if we ever get a chance to live in the area.  I only had my iPhone, so while the pictures look amazing on my screen, they are not wonderful blown up extra large, sigh.  It's a shame because it was just a beautiful day.

"The mountain was out" for our last two days of the week.  This was the view on our morning drive. 

 

This picture quality is really crumby, but we were just doing a bit of the upper left--a little under 10 miles total.  First 3 were on an old road, then the last 2 climb 100'.  

I read the guidelines for what to do if you see a bear or mountain lion and wondered if I should tell the kids so they are aware, or not say anything so Jess wouldn't run back to the car.  I did tell them, but despite the fact that we only saw 6 other people all day, we were so loud that the wildlife stayed away.  

I will now just put in a bunch of ridiculously beautiful pictures.  We loved all the green!  

Trees dripping with moss.

There was plenty evidence of violent pasts.  I can't imagine how loud the crack was when this fell over.  These trees are massive. 

This tangled root enclosed cave made us think of Fablehaven.

They aren't the Redwoods, but they have been in America longer than any white person.  

I don't know if they fall from wind or age or...?

Ranger Falls

My cozy girl still likes mom hugs. 

It's spongy and soft and impossibly green.

The water at Green lake is perfectly clear and glacier cold.  Good thing it was an unusually hot day. 

It took a $10 bribe to get Isaac to agree to jump in, but it was worth it.  Video upon request. 

Drying on the warm log. 

After two "swims", he put on all the dry clothes he had, plus an extra shirt and hat.  

Jess did a very fast dunk too.  No swimming, but she was braver than Kenna or I.  Kenna was braver than I and stuck her legs in.  

Isaac had the wet clothes hanging from his pack. 

Back at the trail head, we had a 3 mile pretty flat walk back to the car.  Fewer pictures as everyone's feet got more tired.  

Look at this twisted log.  

This is a huge root system at the base of a fallen tree.  Those are rather big river rocks stuck all over.  

Slugs should not be this big--Isaac's big hand for scale. 

Time to go find dinner, go back, do the last load of laundry and pack up for the flight tomorrow.