Paradise

Today was our day in Paradise. It was a bright, clear day, and Mt. Rainier was out in all its glory. We got an early start to ensure we could find a parking spot outside the Visitor Center and to get ahead of the hordes that would surely come later in the day. They've installed new granite steps leading up to Paradise with a quote from John Muir carved into them. It helped to set the tone for the gorgeous alpine gardens that lay ahead.

Flowers lined both sides of the paved Skyline Trail up the mountain. We hadn't walked ten minutes before we saw the first deer grazing among the flowers. He ignored us and slowly ate his way across the meadow and disappeared behind some trees.

When we reached the first trail junction, a sign informed us that the Skyline Trail was closed, and we would have to take the longer Deadhorse Creek Trail up the mountain. The reward for the increased distance was a hike along a creek dotted with flower gardens. We met a couple who pointed out a side trail that crossed a wildflower garden before dropping down into a valley that served as a lush green foreground for the Tatoosh Range. It was gorgeous! After shooting for half an hour, we sat on a bench soaking in the scenery. As we looked toward the Skyline Trail, we saw a doe and her rambunctious fawn. The fawn was only a few weeks old, and it could not stand still for more than a minute. It accelerated from a standing start beside its mother to 50 MPH running along the edge of the meadow and into the trees. It disappeared for a minute or two (totally freaking out the doe) and then ran at full speed in the opposite direction. The poor mother didn't know what to do. She started to follow, but then the fawn went flying by in the other direction. This went on for about 20 minutes before they were lost in the trees. That poor doe is going to have ulcers before the summer is over.

We continued our climb up the mountain as the trail wound back and forth beside Deadhorse Creek. As we continued higher, Mt. Rainier loomed just above the ridge to our left and the Tatoosh Range filled the horizon to our right. Pockets of wildflowers marked the damp areas beside the trail.


Deadhorse Creek Trail Climbing Paradise	Deadhorse Creek	Pinnacle Peak

Paradise Wildflowers	Tatoosh Range	Paradise Wildflowers

We were still ahead of the crowds, but we could see them snaking their way up the trail. Interspersed with the tourists were groups of 20 - 30 led by an International Mountain Guides person. They climb up to Camp Muir in the afternoon and stay there overnight to get acclimated to the altitude. They start their summit hike the following day at 1:30 in the morning and reach the summit just after dawn. This allows the climbers to cross the glaciers and ice bridges before the ice begins to get soft. There must have been a lot of climbers on the summit because we certainly met a lot of groups coming back down.

Nearing Glacier Vista Just below Glacier Vista, we found some shade and a couple of comfortable rocks to enhance our dining pleasure. PBJs never tasted better. As we sat eating lunch, we watched the clouds blowing in and obscuring Mt. Rainier. By the time we finished, Glacier Vista and Panorama Point were lost in the fog. There was no reason to continue climbing the mountain, so we turned around and started back down.

A marmot provided entertainment and an excuse to take a break as we hiked back down to the parking lot. The hoary marmots at Mt. Rainier are significantly larger than the yellow-bellied marmots we see in the Sierras, but they have the same lazy disposition and love for lying on a rock soaking up the sun. They have no fear of people and are very curious. That made them one of my favorite animals when I backpacked in the Sierras.

The parking lot was packed when we reached the Visitor Center. I can only guess how bad it will be over the weekend.