| Sunrise
Rim Trail Mt. Rainier |
August
7, 2002
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Washington
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Today
we made it back to the area's main attraction for me - the Most
Magic Mount Rainier. We went to the Sunrise Rim vantage point and
started our climb at 6,400 feet and treked up to 7,400 feet and
back down in 7 miles, round trip. We had intended to take the moderate
difficulty trails, but got carried away once we got farther out
and decided we wanted to see Frozen Lake. The paths start out wide,
relatively level and seemingly easy except for the constant going
uphill part. Then, when it was too late to turn back, we got to
a place where we had to cross a stretch of snow, going uphill.
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Now,
this Texas girl knows nothing about walking in snow, obviously.
I was struggling and slipping when this woman who had already made
it came and took me by the hand and showed me how to turn my foot
and dig in to the side and to take small steps. In this wonderful
Russian accent, she kept repeating, "Watch my feet - like this
- like we say in Russia "small steps make big progress."
When I was safely at the top, she seemed like an angel to me and
I had Don take my picture with her - I'm sure she thought I was
crazy but she laughed and hugged me anyway.
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That
peril past, there were then places where I walked practically hugging
the left cliff side because that drop to the right was extremely
close and seemingly imminent. The views were amazing, though - the
perspective that altitude affords is so sweepingly beautiful it
could drive you crazy just looking around!
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| This is Shadow Lake - a beautiful oasis and welcome stopping point on the trail. | |||
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| This is Shadow Lake from the upper trail vantage point. | |||
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Places
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National
Parks |
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Copyright 2001-2007 by Malia
Lane
