I needed this.
I was missing snow. I was missing Lake Tahoe and the wonderland of winter there. New to the Seattle area, I was trying to figure out where to go to experience the beauty of snow covered mountains, that sound of silence that blanketed snow creates, that crisp air of a snowy day.
All I needed to do to get my fix was head to Mt. Rainier National Park.
Mt. Rainier National Park is about 50 miles southeast of Seattle, but it can feel like another world. While the city is cloudy and overcast, Mt. Rainier has it’s own weather due to the proximity of the Pacific Ocean and it’s geographical layout. Weather changes rapidly here-I have to admit, I wasn’t even prepared for the amount of snow we ran into.
My tour with Evergreen Escapes left around 8am, and we managed to beat the crowds to the snowshoe trails. Since the road to Paradise, the main visitor center, was closed, we stayed around the Longmire area as did everyone else. Arriving early made sure that we enjoyed the park without the crowds.
We used MSR snowshoes, which worked well for the heavy snow. Along the trail, Dan, our tour guide (or Escape Artist as Evergreen refers to them), pointed out certain trees and plants, all info that I love to learn about. Did you know that Native Americans used to use the bark from Cedar trees as diapers for their babies? Yep, didn’t know that one I bet.
All in all we covered a couple of miles, doing a hike in the morning and then a shorter one after a tasty lunch (with a glass of wine from a local winery-yum). I felt like I had gotten my heart rate up and had a bit of a workout, but nothing too strenuous. If anything, the most important thing for me was the mental health of getting outside in those mountains, at least for a little while.
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” –John Muir
Photos courtesy of Joslin Fritz.