When was the last time you were intentional about spending time in nature?
I live only two hours from one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, but don’t visit it often enough. And usually when I do, I’m working too hard on two wheels to truly enjoy it. It’s trippy driving through the Paradise parking lot and looking at license plates from all over the country. Its proximity probably contributes to my taking it for granted.
Amazingly, the sky and hija’s social calendars opened up last Thursday, so the four of us spent the bulk of the day hiking to Bench and Snow Lakes from the Stevens Canyon trailhead. Highly recommended. Spotty snow through the first mile and solid snow the final 400 meters. One daughter with a 3.9 g.p.a. wore sandals which proves good grades and common sense are not inextricably linked.
At one point I found myself 30 meters behind the galpal. I fired three snowballs at her and each landed right between her shoulder blades. My mad John Elway, Will Ferrel Elf-like snowball skills never cease to amaze me.
One half of the family makes A LOT of noise when they hike. Wonder if anyone at Saturday Night Live would be interested in a “Loud Hiking Family” sketch?
After lunch at Snow Lake and the hike back out, we visited the nice, new Visitors’ Center. The 20m long movie was excellent.
Do yourself a favor, unplug and make time for nature this summer.
Pressing Pause 
Hey. We do Mt. Rainier every year. In fact, I bought my first car so I could get there when I was a grad student at the UW (long time ago–typewriters) VW ’65. We have a few suggestions for day hikes on the Mt. 1) Summerland–West side- get an early start because it is popular and justifiably so. 2) Tolmie Peak — Carbon River entrance. great view of the Mt. and Tacoma and the Olympics. 3) Denny Park and Mildred Pt. Best in the fall. Can make a shorter hike with a turn around at Comet Falls. 4) Burroughs Mt. Sunrise side. In my opinion, August and Sept are the best times for hiking on the Mountain. August for flowers (best in the West) and Sept for fall color.
Hurray, a substantive comment. Thanks for the suggestions.