Mt. Ranier, Washington

Having marked our map in a squiggly line, traveling south to north in Washington; we decided to go to Mt. Ranier after Mt. St. Helen's.

The drive in was white knuckled some times as the roads going in were tight.  No railings to save us from our mistakes and huge drop offs if we screwed up.  We were blessed tho to have clear skies and low humidity and clear blue skies.  The day before and the day after/actually just hours after our visit, the mountain was wrapped tightly in it's own cloud and not seen for days, even up close and personal, from it's visitor's parking lot.

Dorothy got to 'enjoy....' this portion of the drive and narrated to me, as I would not take my eyes off the road.  Below: a bed of rocks, some the size of an automobile, washed down from the Glacier (I'll add a shot later that shows it the next morning in the 'mountains weather'.  The mountain actually creates it's own weather and it often wraps itself in fog or snow.)

Once there, we were lucky enough to get a campsite within their park, late in the day and yet only a hundred yards from their shuttle bus that takes you around the park and up to the best views and the lodge. We have often been just plain lucky!  IT help tho to travel after prime season...you know/kids 'in' school?

In 15 minutes we were at the bus stop and on our way up to see the top of the mountain.

The view was fabulous.

It was possible to walk all the way to the glacier on it as well as hike up to the top I guess...  They did have guides working there.  However, we walked a half hour or so UP, then enjoyed the view.  90% of tourists viewed from below at the parking lot/lodge.

The bluish ice is the actual Glacier...the white is snow.