here's something a bit more cheerful
Jun. 30th, 2009 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mmegaeraI went to Sunrise on Saturday, the first weekend the road was open. The weather was glorious (the only cloud in the sky was a con trail, and it was in the low 70s F -- a little over 23C), and my favorite trail was only a bit snowy. And muddy. My sneakers (I should have worn my boots, but I didn't) will probably never be the same. But it was worth it.
I saw birds. And flowers. And the Mountain loomed over me like some big protective god. And I was happy for the day. Sunrise never fails to do that to me...
Pictures behind the cut
The Mountain (Mt. Rainier), of course. From the trail back behind Sunrise.
Snow on the trail.
Shadow Lake. The no-swimming sign may actually be useful later in the season, but not while there's still ice on the surface [g].
I'm pretty sure this is a ruby-crowned kinglet. Is that right,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kk1raven? He lit about six feet from my face, waited for me to take his picture, then flew off again.
Spring beauties. Not the clearest picture, but I wanted to show how that there were many of them. That was a small part of a hillside's worth.
A single glacier lily. They were growing at about the same density as the spring beauties, only in moister areas.
Pasqueflowers. Usually by the time I get up to Sunrise in late July, all that's left is their distinctive moplike seedheads. I was surprised to discover that they're yellowy cream, not pale lavender like the ones I'd seen in Colorado years ago.
And
Alpine phlox, my absolute favorite alpine wildflower. I didn't know they began to bloom this early, although it may be a function of our abnormally warm and sunny June this year. There were places alongside the road going up to Sunrise, and along the trail, where it looked from a distance as if someone had spilled lavender paint all alongside the pavement and path. Just beautiful.
Saturday was a very good day.
I saw birds. And flowers. And the Mountain loomed over me like some big protective god. And I was happy for the day. Sunrise never fails to do that to me...
Pictures behind the cut
The Mountain (Mt. Rainier), of course. From the trail back behind Sunrise.
Snow on the trail.
Shadow Lake. The no-swimming sign may actually be useful later in the season, but not while there's still ice on the surface [g].
I'm pretty sure this is a ruby-crowned kinglet. Is that right,
kk1raven? He lit about six feet from my face, waited for me to take his picture, then flew off again.Spring beauties. Not the clearest picture, but I wanted to show how that there were many of them. That was a small part of a hillside's worth.
A single glacier lily. They were growing at about the same density as the spring beauties, only in moister areas.
Pasqueflowers. Usually by the time I get up to Sunrise in late July, all that's left is their distinctive moplike seedheads. I was surprised to discover that they're yellowy cream, not pale lavender like the ones I'd seen in Colorado years ago.
And
Alpine phlox, my absolute favorite alpine wildflower. I didn't know they began to bloom this early, although it may be a function of our abnormally warm and sunny June this year. There were places alongside the road going up to Sunrise, and along the trail, where it looked from a distance as if someone had spilled lavender paint all alongside the pavement and path. Just beautiful.
Saturday was a very good day.
