2014-10-07_Spray_Park

IMG 1574xBears960 IMG 1726xParkSign960 The Mowich lake entrance to the National Park is only 33 miles from our house. IMG 1463xSign960 Now that the Carbon River road is closed the Wonderland Trail route should be rerouted to the Spray and Seattle Parks. IMG 1466xLogBridge960
IMG 1470xTrail960 IMG 1472xWhite960 IMG 1478Bridge960 IMG 1479xTrail960
IMG 1482xTrail960 IMG 1484xRockTrail960 IMG 1488xTrailSteps IMG 1492xMountain960 A peek at Rainier
IMG 1498xMtRainier960 IMG 1502xMushroomBush960 IMG 1506xMushrooms960 IMG 1516xSprayFallsSign960 The spur trail down to Spray Falls.
IMG 1517xBridge960 IMG 1533ySprayFalls960 This would be worth a return trip during the spring snow melt IMG 1535xBaseOfFalls960 Looking at the base of the falls IMG 1532xSprayFalls960
IMG 1540xRockPath960 This is a view of the trail across this scree field. IMG 1543xRockSteps960 Starting the 12 switchbacks up to Spray Park about 385 feet up. IMG 1545xShelterDrips960 I always thought crawling under exposed tree roots would make a good shelter from the rain until I saw this. IMG 1548xPeek960 Another peek at Rainier
IMG 1554xMeadow960 Finally out of the trees and switchbacks. IMG 1556xEnterSprayPark960 Entering Spray Park IMG 1562xTrail960 I photographed the bears from the edge of the trees on this trail IMG 1595xBearsFar960 A big bear and it's two cubs.
IMG 1586xBears960 She is a cinnamin color with a black face. One cub was black and the other a lighter black almost a gray.. IMG 1602xBears960 The second cub is to the left of the tree IMG 1631xSprayPark960 IMG 1633xRainier960
IMG 1638xTrail960 IMG 1634xMtRainier960 IMG 1640xMoreTrail960 IMG 1644xTrail960
IMG 1643xClouds960 Beginning to cloud up IMG 1651xMistPark960 A view of Mist Park. This would be a great place for lunch and to watch for animals. IMG 1653xHikers960 A hiker and ridge IMG 1656xPond960
IMG 1660xTrailRidge960 Heading back IMG 1661xSprayPark960 IMG 1645xTrail960 IMG 1675xBearMeadow960
IMG 1664xFiveMushrooms960 IMG 1669xTrees960 IMG 1673xSnow960 IMG 1693rockTrail960
IMG 1691xTrail960 IMG 1683xRail960 IMG 1685xRockSteps960 IMG 1700xGoat960 Spotted this single Goat
IMG 1706xTrail960 IMG 1709xRangerCabin960 The ranger patrol cabin on the shore of Mowich Lake IMG 1714xCabinRear960 IMG 1717xStorageDoors960 The cabins and lookouts in the park have these external cabinets. They are decorated with animal cutouts. This one has salmon. I've seen goats and buffalo on others.
IMG 1722xParkLot960 The parking lot.