Mt. Rainier National Park During 2020
Everything has been turned upside down this year and, honestly, I’m at a loss on just how to proceed but we can see Mt. Rainier from our backyard and that seemed a good place to start. Here in Washington our Governor has opened our State Parks to camping. And just recently our National Parks have opened including Mt. Rainier National Park. But, it just doesn’t seem the same.
Before our parks opened we took advantage of Hipcamp to find private property to camp on. One of our favorite properties is Wilderness Path, which is located just outside the Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park. In just the last few months, we’ve camped there multiple times, always wondering up to the park gate just on the outside chance that it would be open.
Finally the day came, and it was great to be able to head into the park and see what was new since its closure. Of course nature is oblivious to our current crisis. If anything it’s had a bit of a break from our onslaught. Skies are clearer, road kill is down.
It was soon apparent that the park was going to be just the same whether we were visiting or not. I doubt much has changed since it’s opening in 1899 really.
coaast surveys resume
We're back in the field collecting data for COASST. After being absent for 3 months we weren't sure what to expect at our beach and I was a bit intimated with the thought of hiking over Scott's Bluff once again.
I invite you to follow our updates from the field on twitter.
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A beautiful sunrise over Washington's Fort Worden State Park. This makes up for all the rain we have to endure during our winters here in the Pacific Northwest. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics #wastateparks
North Mountain Lookout Tower. We lucked out the day we headed up the mountain to check out the view.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Last spring we spend a long week exploring the North Cascades. Looking at today's rain-filled skies, I'm missing the warm sunshine of that trip. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - "Toleak Survey Short Film"
Enjoying one of those rare sunny winter's day on the Washington coast. This was from a few weeks back when we were conducting our monthly #COASST bird survey. Might be a while before we see another day like this. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympic
We have some of the wettest winters I've ever experienced. The upside is our lush green forest and when the sun does shine it transforms our wilderness into a fairyland. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - "Exploring Cathedral Falls"
Here's a shot of Chinitna Bay in Alaska with Iliamna in the background. If you look carefully on the right flank you can see her venting.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #travelphotography #nature #naturephotography #mountains #wanderlust #outdoors #alaskalove #optoutside #wildlife #explore #alaskalife #photography #adventure #explorealaska #sharingalaska #photooftheday #alaska #landscape #beautiful #fishing #thealaskalife
Camp on chilling winters morning on Puget Sound with a crescent moon looking down. Later the chill gave way to a wind storm that played havoc on our campsite. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #moonrise #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #sunrise #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
A shot of Cathedral Falls in the Mt. St. Helen National Monument. It required a scramble down to its base to try and get the entire fall in frame, not easy at nearly 250' in height. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Mushrooms growing from the trunk of a fallen tree in the Goat Creek drainage with Cathedral Falls in the background. #pnwonderland .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24travele
Sunset over Riffe Lake. We had a beautiful day to hike in the Mt. St. Helen Monument and found one spectacular waterfall after another. More photos to come. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Heading into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to do a bit of waterfall hunting with @bradleymiller618. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Thankful we still have wild places to lose ourselves. Taken recently on the Washington coast during our monthly #COASST survey. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Our recent camp on the Washington coast for conducting our #COASST beached bird survey. We lucked out with the weather. Doesn't happen that often during Pacific Northwest winters. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #sunriseporn #clouds #sky #upperleftusa #oregoncoast #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #photooftheday #sunset #skyscape #beautiful #love #sunup #sunrise #pnwadventures #instasunrise #pnw #nature #photography #cloudporn #sunsetlover #pnwisbest #oregonexplored #skylovers #orangesky #oregonlife #centraloregon #sunrise_and_sunsets #travel
Here's my latest news article regarding the world of citizen-science "A New Twist to Our Toleak Survey" https://buff.ly/3q20bMH
Paradise
But some things have changed in regards to the services being provided by the park and it’s staff. One of the most apparent is the closure of the Visitors Center at Paradise Inn. Rangers are available outside the center to answer questions etc. The Inn is currently closed (but it seems the Longmire Inn is open).
A few of the campsites within the park are open but when we drove through one to check on conditions it seemed many individual sites were closed due to hazard trees. Backcountry trails are open.
This whole situation is dynamic and subject to change so it’s best to check on the parks website if you plan on a visit. You can find the latest information here.
For those who would rather stay safely at home until this crisis is over the park has created a virtual tour which you can experience on their Mount Rainier Virtual Tour page.
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