Jackpot at Grand Park August 2

While I was gone to Cali, Tim worked diligently on my new entry floor.  We worked together for a couple of nights after I returned, to get the grout and the base boards and moldings up.  I am going to wait to blog the finished product.  I want to get the new lighting in too before I show you--I know, I am such a tease.  But with that done (or almost done) it was time to...

let the vacationing begin!  Tim was able to schedule 10 days off of work so we began HIS summer break with a trip up near Mount Rainier to a place call Grand Park.

Look closely and you will see Tim in red up near Eleanor Creek burying our gatorade for after the hike!  He said that his hand froze instantly in the water--never had a brain freeze from creek water before!

I hope you are prepared.  This entry is mostly just pictures of the beautiful flowers--our timing was just about spot on --we hit the wildflower jackpot!

Just the parking lot teaser.  

 The trail began at Eleanor Creek with a slight climb--easy even for me--then the rest was basically flat.

About 20 minutes in and we were at Lake Eleanor.

 There are several camping sites here.  The pole in the center of the picture was the bear wire for hanging up your food--um, no wire.  You use the hooked pole on the right to haul your food bag up and hand it on the X.  Thought it was unique.  Every site nearby used the same pole.  I thought a smart bear would just shake the pole and get your food, but maybe they aren't that smart...

This is one of Tim's favorite flowers.  It is called bear grass.

Unhappily, every photo did not catch the flower profusion.  All of the light colored dots are flowers in the grass.  The dark line in the middle is the boot trail--Rainier is the mountain in the background.  We were way up there, but we got to drive the steep parts.  I guess you could say, it is the back door with a great view of Sunset.

There is a tarn in the mid-ground.  The path up was muddy so the snows are not that far gone--thus the flowers and the bees and the mosquitos and the beauty of it all.

I am pretty sure this is larkspur.

Magneta colored paintbrush.

As you climbed up a bit we traversed an area of avalanche lillies--usually the first flowers in the high mountains out here to bloom.  They are white with yellow centers.

It just kept getting prettier as we went.  Up on top it was a huge meadow.

There's Tim waving.

The bird in the hand is a Camp Robber.  Not so much tame as greedy!  They will steal any food you leave out, so they will fly right up to your hand and take food.

Alpine Lupines

Some day I hope to like pictures of myself, or I will learn how to pose to my advantage...

Alpine phlox

The meadow here was filled with buttercups dotted with lupine and paint brush.

I want to say that the mountains to the right of Rainier are called the Tatoosh, but maybe not.

Large patches of just purple lupines...

Well you get the idea!  Loads of flowers, the most I have ever seen before.  Last year Marc and Jes went with Dad while I was out of town and they too saw flowers.  This was my first time.  The grandkids could easily make this hike.  Anyone want to come for a visit?

Guests arrive on Saturday so it is time to get the house ready!  Seven days of someone else waiting on me!  I cannot wait!

XO

PS  Be sure to keep going--I posted out of order--our trip to Alaska is below!

PSS Look for our next adventure soon: a canoe trip on (probably) Lake Crescent north of Port Angeles.  Summer is so short!