Mt. Rainer - East side

October 8 - We got up to clouds and light rain.  We had breakfast in the dining the room at the Inn.  And are awaiting the sun which is forecasted for the afternoon.

Vine Maple

We left the Inn at mid morning and drove to Paradise for great photos of the mount in a fresh coat of snow.

We joined a multitude of others.  The snow was melted off the roads and quickly melting elsewhere.  It was quite unique given the snow and the vine maple leaves still on the tree/bushes.

We next drove the one-way loop around the head of the Paradise River and Paradise Park to Stephens Canyon Road.  This route took us past Reflection Lakes, Louise Lake, onto a classic Canyon Road, an interesting stop at Box Canyon (a 180-foot deep slot canyon with water and glacier-polished rocks), to the Stevens Canyon entrance and the Grove of the Patriarchs, then north to Cayuse Pass and into White River entrance and to the end of the road at White River Campground facing  the north side of the mountain.

Stevens Canyon Road

Box Canyon of the Cowlitz

Glacier Polished Andesite

We walked around the Grove of the Patriarchs, which is an old growth forest island of magnificent Western Hemlock, Douglas Firs, and Western Red Cedars.  There was a 1-mile trail that crossed the Ohanapecosh River on a suspension bridge to an island that contained 1000 year old trees and ancient fallen Giants.

Twin Douglas Firs

Western Red Cedar

Our drive toward Sunrise Visitor Center was stopped by the seasonal road closure due to last night's snowfall.

We paused briefly along the Inter Fork of the White River.  Then we drove all the way back to Longmire for one last photo of the big one, from the front porch of the Inn.