Snowshoeing on Mt. Rainier

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Last monday, Kj and Kelli and I took off up to the mountain for one last little happy outdoor time together before I left for Utah. Even though it was the end of April, the snowpack was still too thick for there to be much in the way of hiking trails available. So we went snowshoeing which is even better!


Here is Kelli all fired up to blaze some trails:


Actually that's the wrong way :( There are no trails that way. Just more jagged mountains.

Aside from one other group of people we passed, the three of us were the only ones out there on the trail. My favorite thing about snow and nature is the utter silence. Or rather, not silence, but the complete absence of human or manmade noise. All you hear is the soft crunching of snow beneath your feet, the wind rushing through the valley, the owl hooting and echoing through the trees, the rocks cracking against eachother as they slowly erode and roll down the hill.


We hiked out to this viewpoint of a glacier-carved valley:


Kj fixing a loosened snowshoe strap:


Waiting for success with these shenanigans as my REI rentals needed no such adjusting. Caw!



It was a great day and a great way to unintentionally celebrate Grandma Pat who we found out later had passed away that morning. These things are what life is all about. Thanks Kj and Kelli!