mountains

#NatureWritingChallenge - A moment I am thankful for on public lands

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“A Moment I am Thankful for on Public Lands”

SEASON 2, WEEK 11

November 23, 2018

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag #NatureWritingChallenge to discuss and share the topic Thursday at 8:30 CST. This post was created in one hour specifically for this challenge.

Since it’s Thanksgiving, I’m going to keep this short. One of the moments I’m most thankful for on public lands happened in October when I was visiting the gorgeous state of Washington. I had just parted ways with my new friend at Mount Rainier and was looking for something to do before going back to the airport so I headed west back to the Olympic Peninsula. I crossed a neat bridge called the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and made my way up to another cool bridge called the Hood Canal Floating Bridge. From there I drove to the Mt. Walker Viewpoint and there it was, the moment I’m forever thankful for… I walked from the parking lot to the viewpoint and saw Mount Rainier in the distance, peeking through the clouds. I remember seeing it, thinking to myself that I knew that mountain, and then reading the sign and just laughing. I was giddy with delight, really, to think I had been so close hours before was insane and wonderful all at once. I went from the South Lookout to the North, saw the amazing range of mountains, and then went back to the South to get more looks at Mount Rainier. There is just something about that place, it’s got a hold over me.

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Mt. Walker was a fun drive, a nice quiet place to see some views, and a great places to do a cleanup before heading a few miles up the road to Finnriver Farm & Cidery. I finished the night with the same mountains as I saw from up on high. Probably the second most memorable moment in recent memory. The whole day, really, was a moment. From waking up and seeing Mount Rainier at sunrise to meandering through the park all day, and then making may way back over to the Olympic Peninsula. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO SPEND A DAY.

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#NatureWritingChallenge - Your Most Iconic/Favorite Entrance Station to a National Park

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“Your Most Iconic/Favorite Entrance Station to a National Park”

SEASON 2, WEEK 7

October 25, 2018

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag #NatureWritingChallenge to discuss and share the topic Thursday at 8:30 CST. This post was created in one hour specifically for this challenge.

If this topic was more than a week ago, I wouldn’t have been able to pick Mount Rainier National Park. I would have chosen Bryce Canyon, Olympic, or Redwoods. But, as luck would have it, I got to visit Mount Rainier with a knowledgeable guide and drive through THREE entrance stations that all stood out to me. There was one other, but it was more of a pay station and didn’t hold a lot of eye candy value to me.

I have a lot of memories and photos of entrance signs from everywhere (state/local parks included), but nothing compares to driving through a cool ranch-style entrance arch on three different occasions. Seeing people share photos of park entrances is one of my favorite things because it just entices me to visit.

My trip to Mount Rainier started in the Tacoma suburbs. I met up with my knowledgeable guide and learned about all of the rivers and history from the suburbs to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Since our first stop of the evening was at the Sun Top Lookout, for sunset and then we camped on National Forest land, I never saw the first entrance into Mount Rainier National Park other than by headlights the next morning as we chased the sunrise. Despite it being dark, it’s still memorable because it was a gateway of sorts as we transitioned from forest to park. Of course the trees didn’t change and the road was still paved, but it made it official for me. I’ve always wanted to see the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest too, but Mount Rainier was a dream I’d only seen from afar.

Through the gateway, we were headed up to Chinook Pass. You know, the view from the side of the road above Tipsoo Lake was memorable, but passing under the Pacific Crest Trail to the Wenatchee National Forest was also memorable. This takes us to two entrances now, this one I was able to snap a photo of due to daylight. From this point, I didn’t know what else to expect. We passed through the pay station, where you’d normally show your pass, but it was closed. Not a memorable pass through, but the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail is quite vivid in my memory. I walked across my first walking suspension bridge, saw some big old cedars, and really embraced low level forest of the park.

As the day passed, many stops were made and we eventually exited through the gateway at the Nisqually Entrance. Apparently, this is the more popular entrance. Sure, the entrances were fun, but the places accessibility within the boundary are what count. There was not a place in Mount Rainier National Park that disappointed. If it wasn’t a scenic vista, it was huge trees. Everywhere I turned, I was impressed. The views of neighboring peaks in the various National Forest lands were also impressive and humbling, making the park that much better. I am grateful to have had a great guide and new friend show me around; I have previewed the park and am ready to dive in. My favorite entrance, for the record, was from Wenatchee National Forest to the park, passing under the Pacific Crest Trail. To me, that is the ultimate representation of the Pacific Northwest in one spot.

The reason I love these entrances is not only because they’re cool to look at, it’s because of the experience I had in and around the park. The memories made, vistas seen, and roads traveled mean the world to me and I am fortunate to have been able to visit. The trees, mountains, and history of the land have made this park instantly one of my favorites thus making these entrances some of my favorites.

#NatureWritingChallenge - A memorable animal encounter on public lands

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“A memorable animal encounter on public lands”

SEASON 2, WEEK 5

October 11, 2018

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag #NatureWritingChallenge to discuss and share the topic Thursday at 8:30 CST. This post was created in one hour specifically for this challenge.

I wasn’t going to write an essay this week. I had no motivation because I don’t have but a few animal encounter stories to tell. I told my favorite, and most memorable, last season and you can read about it here. I thought about this topic all week and a few things came to mind:

  1. I don’t go wildlife watching often enough

  2. I haven’t been to many places with true wildlife

  3. Maybe I need to travel more?

I was just about to forego the writing and just share the old topic when I got a message from Douglas Scott asking me to host the chat for this week. So, I’m here, in real time, one hour before the chat piecing together another memorable animal encounter that nearly slipped my mind.

It was August 2014 in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was my first time visiting, though I had driven through Colorado several times. The motive for the trip from Texas to Colorado was to help a friend move into a new place near Fort Collins and then leave her and head west into Rocky Mountain National Park.

I entered the park on a sunny morning. Viewpoints were stopped at, pictures were taken. A lake was encountered in all of the mountain glory. I have a lot of trouble with the details of this trip, but I believe it was Lake Irene. The day continued on as the views leveled off and camp was set up at the Stillwater Campground on Lake Granby. A nap was had and then an adventure towards Steamboat Springs happened, with a turnaround way before getting there. The night was illuminated by a bright moon and it made for an awesome scene over the lake, which was visible from the tent. I do remember how amazing that detail was, so there is that.

Another amazing aspect I recall was waking up and wanting to go back up into the mountains/park and along the way seeing elk grazing in valley meadow. What a sight. Those elk stopped me in my tracks, and I had to pull over and just sit there a minute. It was the perfect morning - the sun was just coming up, the grass was a brilliant green, the elk majestic as all hell, and not many people around at all. It was a moment to just feel alive but also feel very insignificant in the best way. It was the only time I’ve stopped to see elk, really, and one of the only animal encounters I’ve had on public lands. I guess it’s time to get out more!

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