| Volcanoes of Washington Bike TourSeptember 10 - September 23, 2003 |
This was a layover day. We've learned not to call them “rest” days since rest is usually not on the agenda. We skipped the Grove of the Patriarchs hike lead by Mark and Kate. We did pack a lunch with everyone else, heading off to the Visitor's Center to check out the exhibits. There's a great observation deck on the top floor of the center with free telescopes. The deck offers good views of the mountain, including Camp Muir where those who are hoping to reach the summit spend the first night before heading out for the summit very early the next day.
I added to my postcard collection at the gift shop. Before heading out for a brief hike up Skyline Trail, which is the early part of the trail to Camp Muir, we ate our lunch at the center. A woman sitting nearby told us about her son who had tried to climb to the peak a while back. That trip was aborted when one of their party, an executive with Forbes Magazine, died of a heart attack: (“he sat down and his heart burst!”).
As Rainier came in and out of view, we hiked up to about 6400 feet on the Skyline Trail. We saw some of the only wildlife of the trip, what looked like a coyote running along the trail up ahead, and a grouse. On the way back, through the mist we had great views of Nisqually glacier and the terminal and lateral moraines created by the glacier. We would later cross the Nisqually River on our way to Longmire Lodge the following day.
After a brief rest, I spent a little time doing a quick sketch of the lodge and ended up with freezing hands. It felt like fall or early winter with the sun setting earlier and the temperature diving. After another so-so dinner, we retired early.