Wednesday, August 31, 2005

My newest hiking accessory........ I went to the REI Labor day sale on Monday and picked this up for 50% off. It is great! A 2 liter water reservoir that I can fill with ice water, which sits right on my back to keep me cool, lots of space for a snack, extra camera lens, extra clothes, book, etc. And a nice waist strap and sternum strap to keep the pack close on my back so I won't feel so strained. I am all set! The only things on my list of hiking wishes are trekking poles (but I want to borrow some and try them out before buying) and some hiking shoes, although I have made some old Nikes work for now. They are worn through on the heel so the plastic rubs, but I patched them up a bit and they don't hurt my feet. Now, all I need is good weather! I am hoping to go out on Friday, if it is not raining. Not sure where.....I was going to go out today for short hike to test out the pack, but I ended up feeling so tired from work yesterday that I opted to stay home instead.

Thursday, August 25, 2005


Me atop Tolmie Peak, looking back on Mt. Rainier and a tiny peek of Mowich Lake


Rainier


Brighter colors but still dark


Overexposed rainier


Rainier overlooking Eunice Lake, and a peek-a-boo look at Mowich lake in the background


Mt Rainier through a gap in the trees

Tuesday, August 23, 2005


Beautiful Ipsut Creek


The rocky carbon river running from the Carbon glacier


So nice and mossy and soft looking!


Carbon Glacier atop Mt. Rainier. The summit of the mountain should be visible above here, but it was just too foggy to see it until just before we left. Look how dirty this thing is!


A little bit of helpful hints to keep everyone on the path


Cave where the Carbon river originates under the Carbon Glacier


Little calving going on, it made such a loud cracking rumble!


Last look at the glacier


Jobie crossing the suspension bridge


Shackle looking things keeping the vertical cables in place


Center gadget holding everything together


O-rings keeping the horizontal cables in place


Bolts holding the bridge to the rocks on either end


Lovely slug


Trail marker as we passed the suspension bridge


Jobie


Angry snake


Garter snake that Jobie pulled out for me to photograph. It was getting away too fast! It did poop all over his hand as a defense mechanism, then curled up and looked at us until we left


Timid little squirrel


Leafy greens


Massive tree along the way


A family of fungi (conch)


Huge old downed tree along the path


Huckleberry--Jobie ate a few and said they were pretty good-sorta grape tasting, with blood red juice


Reddish berries


Slightly better exposure of Jobie at the waterfall


Jobie at the waterfall


Me at the waterfall


Waterfall at the crossing of Ipsut Creek (at least we think it was Ipsut Creek. The water seemed to clear to be part of the Carbon RIver) So pretty!


Pretty red berries


Jobie checking out the Carbor river (like the mohawk??). THe water is so white/greyish/bluish because of all the silt and dirty stuff melting out of the glacier


Most of our hike up to Carbon Glacier involved fog, but it did clear up as the day went on