I am currently in Seattle for a conference and happened to sit on the left side of the plane so that I had an incredible view of Mt. Rainier(14,410 ft), Seattle's patron saint. It has been a long time indeed since I set foot on Rainer and I certainly never tried to climb it back then but seeing it again, an immense monolith thrusting up from the sea, I am sorely tempted to climb it. I was on Rainier twice before, once with some Navy buddies during Seattle's Sea Fair, and once with my parents. On both occasions, we started in Paradise where the visitors center is. This area is known for its wildflowers and some of my favorite early photographs come from there. There is something utterly magical about Rainier. It dominates the senses and fills the hiker with a sense of power I have never felt on any mountain in Colorado. Perhaps it is because it last erupted 150 years ago. From the plane, the glaciers on the north side were clearly visible. As we cruised by on our decent into Seattle, I could see other peaks in the Cascade Range. Mt. Baker to the left with Mt. Hood in the distance, and Mt. Saint Helen in the haze.
We are having a heat wave in Seattle, which is disconcerting indeed. I went for a run today along the waterfront and nearly roasted. Sometimes I wonder if the raininess of Seattle is a myth because every time I have visited the weather has been gorgeous. I am hear on business, so I won't get any where near Rainier this trip but seeing it again might just make me come back very soon.
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