Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Best of the Rockies Trek: Mount Rainier National Park

Got to a beautiful campsite and yeah, there was another Trek group here. They are doing the same Trek as us, only round the other way! So they are nearly finished. Their tour leader Dave had his B-day the same day as mine. Only the Best!! Unfortunately for those guys though, there are only 3 of them left. Although we only met 2 of them, Mark and Claire. They and Dave joined us around the campfire last night.

Today was a hiking day, but it didn't start as early as usual, as we convinced Jennifer that Yoga shouldn't start until 8am, which meant we didn't set off until nearly 9am. It was a beautiful day, and amazingly Mt. Rainier was clearly visible with hardly any cloud - as Jennifer says! " We're so lucky!"

First of all we went to " Paradise", which is where the VC (Visitor's Centre) is. There we hiked a short trail all through snow. We were all in shorts. It seemed kind of strange, but fun! After that hike some of us went to watch the film in the VC all about the volcanic action at Mt. Rainier.

We had lunch at Longmire, then we split into two different hiking groups. Half went up Eagle's Peak, and the rest of us (Linda, Gillian, Audrey, Patricia, Frank and I, Janny and Patrick speeded ahead) went to see a couple of waterfalls (Madcap Falls). The walk was less strenuous than the climb the others did!

We got back earlier than they did and weren't really expecting them back on time, but they made it. The other Trek joined us around the campfire again. And we chatted and had plenty of beer. What happened then, who knows, Janny came to the tent, and I was in my sleeping bag, with my socks on, and no mattress! That was by the fire! Sorted out that problem and then slept like a log until morning.

No comments: