2014-08-08_VanTrumpPark

IMG 8982xBottomFalls960 Base of Comet Falls IMG 8817xTrailhead960 Fourth car here. On the trail at 8:18AM IMG 8831xBridge960 Bridge above Christine Falls IMG 8834xCanyonFalls960 Taken from the bridge above Christine Falls
IMG 8838xTRail960 The trail begins to climb. IMG 8848xTrailBrush960 MOst of the trail is rutted with roots exposed and lots of big rocks. IMG 8858xTrail960 IMG 8860xRAinier960 First and only view of the mountain top.
IMG 8875xLadder960 Interesting ladder steps IMG 8882xRockTrail960 Big rocks require BIG steps. IMG 8893xPreFalls960 The falls just below Comet Falls IMG 8904xYellowFlowers960 Large Mountain Monkeyflower. Grows in the damp soil along the creek.
IMG 8911xCometFalls960 First view of Comet Falls. A fellow hiker said he was told not to bother coming today because the falls would be just a trickle. We will have to return next spring. IMG 8929xCometFalls960 IMG 8947xComet960 I experimented with an HD (high density) filter. This was a 15 second exposure. IMG 8957xCometVert960 Another falls photo
IMG 8958xBlown960 Trees blown down and snapped off. IMG 8991xLupineDew960 Water fall spray collects on the Lupine. IMG 8998xWEtFlower960 More water fall spray. IMG 9000xFallsPeople960 People in photo give a reference for how far the falls drop. The couple taking the picture are from Brittany in France.
IMG 9003xFrenchies960 Here is the French couple on the trail above the falls. IMG 9006xTrailFlowers960 A series of swithbacks looked to be layed out by a landscape architech. Beautiful flowers with schrubs and trees placed to make one forget how steep it was. IMG 9013xTrail960 MOre landscaping IMG 9020xTrail960 Near the finish. Steep trail with BIG steps.
IMG 9025xBearGrass960 The mountain was socked in by clouds. IMG 9031xVanTrumpPark960 A view of Van Trump Park. Named for the first person, on record, to climb Mt. Rainier. This is the best view of the mountain I got all day and my stopping point at 5940 feet. IMG 9037xFrench960 The French couple and there friend. They have traveled to the USA 10+ times and visited most of our National Parks. IMG 9045xBearGrass2960 Bear Grass.
IMG 9048xPaintbrush960 Indian Paint Brush IMG 9051xBear960 Bear Grass heads IMG 9077xFalls960 The base of Comet Falls. I waited here for bright sunlight and a rainbow, but the clouds did not cooperate. IMG 9095xFallsBlowDown960 Looking back on my way out. A hiker can be seen in the trees at the far end of the trail in the trees.
IMG 9100xBridge960 The bridge crossing the Van trump Creek at the falls just prior to Comet Falls. IMG 9103xLadder960 Looking down the ladder steps. IMG 9106xRoad960 Back at the first bridge near the trail head. The road and guard rail can be seen. IMG 9111xTrail960 Last view of trail near the trail head.
IMG 9999xParkingLot960 On the hike I counted 81 people. Cars were parked up and down both sides of the road