it's a Black-tailed Deer and something draws her attention
a lodging with a view
a Steller's Jay
eye to eye with a Grey Jay, who blinks first...
a waterfall in Paradise Valley
a picture perfect pose
it's a Fisher weasel hunting for small rodents
a deer enters the majestic scene
the Puyallup River
Mount Rainier is a large and dangerous stratovolcano. With a summit at 4.4 km it is the highest mountain of Washington state and the heaviest
glaciated mountain of the lower 48.
In case of a major eruption the melted snow and ice may generate a massive mudflow
in the
Puyallup River and wreck havoc in the nearby city of Tacoma.
In 1792 Captain
George Vancouver named the mountain
after his friend admiral Peter Rainier, but to the local Native Americans it was known as Talol, Tacoma or Tahoma.
Lately the
discussion on using the native name has emerged again.
John Muir was the first westerner to climb the mountain way
back in 1888 and many have followed his example since.
The volcano is the center of the
Mount Rainier National Park, where
you can view the snow-capped peaks from all sides, hike one of the many trails and encounter some of the abundant wildlife.
We
visited Mount Rainier in July 2001.
a first view of Mt Rainier from the northeast
further in in the wood we meet this young roe
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels are common at the higher elevations