Mt. Rainier

According to Wikipedia, Mount Rainier, Mount Tacoma, or Mount Tahoma is the highest mountain of the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, and the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a large active stratovolcano located 54 miles (87 km) south-southeast of Seattle. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m). Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. Because of its large amount of glacial ice, Mt. Rainier could potentially produce massive lahars that could threaten the entire Puyallup River valley, and poses a grave threat to the southern sections of the Seattle metropolitan area, a city of over 650,000 people with more than 3.7 million living in its metropolitan area.

Mt. Rainier from the Third Burroughs.

Alpenglow on Mt. Rainier from Sunrise Point

Sunrise from Sunrise Point.

Looking north from Sunrise Point with Mt. Stuart (9,420 ft.) in the background.

Looking west from Sunrise Point.

Looking south from the Burroughs Mountain Trail.

On the way up to the First Burroughs.

Burroughs Mountain Trail between the Sunrise Visitors Center and the First Burroughs.

A view into Huckleberry Basin.

The cliffs on the edge of Huckleberry Basin to the north of the Sourdough Ridge Trail.

Looking east towards the Sunrise Visitors Center from the Burroughs Mountain Trail.

Looking at the First Burroughs from the Burroughs Mountain Trail just before the Mt. Fremont Lookout trail.

Looking east from the Burroughs Mountain trail towards the Sunrise Visitors Center.

Mt. Fremont Lookout with Mt. Stuart (9,420 ft.) in the background.

Mt. Fremont Lookout with Mt. Stuart in the background.

Looking west from the Burroughs Mountain trail towards Berkeley Park and the Wonderland and Northern Loop trails.

Approaching the First Burroughs (7,000 ft.)

A view of Mt. Rainier from the top of the Second Burroughs.

Domed seat atop the Second Burroughs (7,400 ft.) with the Third Burroughs (7,800 ft.) off in the background on the right side of the image.

Emmon's Glacier coming off the left flank of Mt. Rainier from the Second Burroughs.

Looking downhill to a saddle and intersection with the Glacier Basin trail towards the Third Burroughs.

Two new friends I met from Chattanooga TN looking at a lenticular (or lens shaped) cloud taken from the Third Burroughs that had formed over Mt. Rainier. These types of clouds are a good indication of strong winds aloft.

Lunch at Third Burroughs Mountain. It took a little extra effort to get to this 7,800 foot rocky top, but the reward is the sense of awe you experience from being so close to Mount Rainier.

Staring at the Winthrop Glacier while standing atop Third Burroughs Mountain with a lenticular cloud having just passed over Mt. Rainier.

These Asolo boots were meant for hiking.

From this vantage point, you can hear the sounds of rock fall and the groaning and creeping of the Winthrop Glacier on Mt. Rainier.

This doesn't even come close to giving you the right perspective on the enormity of this mountain.

Looking back towards the Second Burroughs Mountain from the Third Burroughs Mountain.

Rocky slopes of Goat Island Mountain.

Looking back towards Third Burroughs Mountain at another lenticular cloud forming over Mt. Rainier.

Lenticular clouds hovering over Goat Island Mountain.

The end.

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