Earlier this month we traveled North to spend a few days visiting our son and his family in Tacoma (Washington State). We like to explore and so does our son, who guided us on this day drive through pretty farm country (although it is also rapidly growing housing developments). We saw Mt Rainier from a side we hadn't visited before.
Views of the Mountain from the town of Orting heading towards Rainier National Park.
Mt. Rainier is the tallest peak in the Pacific Northwest and it is an active volcano.
Signs in the Orting City Park remind area residents to be prepared in case of an eruption. As the sign says, it may not happen in our lifetime, but preparedness is the best defense.
Just as in Florida where streets and highways are marked with hurricane evacuation routes, here in this part of Washington, there are volcano evacuation routes.
(Danger lurks everywhere, but we might as well enjoy the beauty in the meantime.)
A few miles outside of town, we crossed the Carbon River. It flows from Carbon Glacier on the Mountain and joins the Puyallup River at Orting. We walked over this bridge for amazing river and forest views.
A few miles further on, we stopped to walk in this mini rain forest area barely into the National Park.
Bill and Pete — wondering if that rickety boardwalk is safe.
Sure, why not. Let's do it.
(I have more problems with city sidewalks as it turns out.)
It was a green and beautiful nature walk — but cold!
And no wonder — by the time we headed back to town for dinner, there was even more snow on the Mountain than there had been in the morning.
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Linking to: Our World; Nature Notes; Mosaic Monday; All Seasons ; Wednesday Waters; and Signs Signs.
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