Volcano 1 - Mt. Ranier

Now for something new, I would be visiting a couple towering volcanoes in central Washington: Mt. Ranier and Mt. St. Helens. I would be spending three nights in Mt. Ranier National Park (because I have a National Parks pass, so I like to use it), and have four days to hike around these areas. I had to check road conditions before heading out to Sunrise Visitor Centre, where I would be starting my first hike, because the road can be inaccessible due to snow until June or July. Everything was open, but just barely, I found out later that it had only been this way for about a week or two.

What an amazing drive up the mountain with gorgeous Mt. Ranier and all it’s glaciers looming ahead. I really felt on top of the world. Today’s hike would be Sourdough Ridge and Burroughs Mountain, to which I later decided to add Mt. Fremont hike, because I’m only here once! I was also trying to train myself for the lengthy and challenging hike I had chosen up Mt. St. Helen’s later in the week, gotta make sure my legs are still working well after over a week off the trails! I took off in my regular shorts and tank, with a lined jacket over top because it felt a little chilly. I figured I would warm up once I got going. For the first half hour or so this was true, until the clouds formed over the mountain and the wind picked up. Not only was I chilly and somewhat doubting my preparedness for my lengthy hike, but I was also cursing my luck that the gorgeous views were now clouded over! Shoot. It was around this time that I added Mt. Fremont to my hike, to kill time while I waited for the clouds to burn off and hope that by the time I hit Second Burroughs I would have a view of the mighty glaciers. Someone also told me that the fire tower at the top of Mt. Fremont was open so you could rest and warm yourself there. WRONG. But that was alright.

Heading back down from Mt. Fremont now, the view was beginning to open up and I could see sunny slopes in the distance. Maybe soon the dark cloud around Mt. Ranier would disappear too! I was warned of some snow as I climbed Burroughs Mountain, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I was elated to see some of Mt. Ranier lighting up in front of me, and thought it was funky that I was following mountain goat tracks in the snow. As I neared the top, everything opened up beautifully. What a day! What a mountain!

Day two was a hike to Crystal Peak and Crystal Lake, as was suggested to me by some people I met at Alki beach. Although I tried to get an early start, the hike up to the peak was still very hot! Better that than freezing in the snow like yesterday though. I walked with Mt. Ranier looming along my side the whole way, and enjoyed seeing all the beautiful wildflowers (still not at their peak til early August). From Crystal Peak, I scaled down the rocky slope (not recommended), and found myself at Crystal lake about an hour later. Here I could relax by the water and take in the flowering alpine meadows. I would learn later that these meadows are slowly being invaded by trees due to global warming. Years ago, the park had a program of removing these trees, as people come from all over to see these unique alpine meadows. Now, that no longer happens. Perhaps we will lose the meadows, or perhaps they will take root where the receding glaciers once were. It will take time, as some of these flowers take decades to grow!

Day three was a beautiful hike to Glacier Basin, to a valley with the glacier overhead. I passed climbers on this route who were planning to scale the glacier up the mountain, and hoped to see them tackling the ice, but I never did see them again. The basin was beautiful and giant, making me feel small as all my hikes do. Again, wildflowers were beginning.

That evening, I pulled out my pillows onto the picnic table bench by the fire, and read my book by the warmth and firelight until I could see the stars overhead. Travelling alone has a unique set of difficulties and can be challenging mentally, but that night I had this distinct feeling of peace. All I could hear was the white river on my left, the crackling fire on my right, and the crickets around, and I knew this trip was the right choice. Join me next as I discover Mt. St. Helens. As always, thanks for reading! -Amanda