Mount Rainier National Park

 Day 36: June 28, 2021

We “escape the heat” and go to Mt Rainier NP for the day

While we didn’t totally escape the heat, we did manage to have less of it to deal with. Record-setting temperatures in the PNW are in the triple digits—it was 108 when we came down from the mountain. Approaching Mt Rainier NP, the mountain kept getting bigger and bigger. No photos do her justice. Such a beautiful park.

Robert directed us to the Grove of the Patriarchs trail. An easy trail (and my knee had taken her ibuprofen!), we were there early and missed the masses of people coming in as we were going out.

One person at a time on the suspension bridge…

The Patriarchs were MASSIVE. Reading about tree communication, the oldest trees are called “mother trees”….but here, the patriarchy lives.

Sue and a couple of old Douglas Fir trees.

An old boy, now downed. Sue and Robert examine the base. It had to be 10-12 feet in diameter!

This guy was really massive. There is ONE big tree in this photo.
These trees can live to over 1000 years old.

Harpaphe haydeniana—yellow-spotted millipede, almond-scented millipede, or cyanide millipede.
From Wikipedia:  Harpaphe haydeniana reach a length of 4–5 centimeters (1.6–2 in) when mature. The upper surface of the body is black to olive green, and is distinctively marked along the sides with patches of a yellowish colour. H. haydeniana has approximately twenty body segments, bearing a total of 30 (males) or 31 (females) pairs of legs. Harpaphe haydeniana is an important part of the forest ecosystem, breaking down leaf litter and freeing its nutrients for other organisms. It is commonly associated with redwood forests where many individuals may be found within a small area. It has few predators, due to its aposematic coloration and its ability to secrete hydrogen cyanide when threatened. This behavior gives rise to the common names “cyanide millipede” and “almond-scented millipede” (since cyanide smells of almonds), although cyanide secretion is not unique to H. Haydeniana.

Sun on ferns

We have these weeds back home in Ohio but these seemed to be posing!
Narrowleaf plantain.

Northern Maidenhair fern is my best guess. Note the black stem.

With the high temperatures, there was meltwater and rushing rivers and waterfalls everywhere.

Last stop before the Paradise visitors’ center

The lobby area at the Paradise Inn

There were no more outdoor seats in the shade,
but this view from inside the big lobby of the Inn sets the mood.

Beautiful fountain, I thought. Until I realized that it was a staircase up to the trail. The melting snow was literally washing across the parking lot, creating a stream a few inches deep in spots!

Just another spectacular waterfall at Mt Rainier NP

The Tatooch Mountains—black, jagged, gorgeous. 

Tomorrow we head to Sequim, WA, near Olympic NP. Stay tuned—rain forest here we come! (And we’ll welcome cooler temperatures…just saying!)