When I visited Seattle, Washington last week I made a trip Mt. Rainier. My dad picked me up Sunday morning, we grabbed brunch and were on our way. We weren’t able to drive up the mountain as far as we had hoped. It was too early in the season, and those paths wouldn’t open for another two weeks. Still, the views were breathtaking. Everything was so green! I’ve definitely missed the Pacific Northwest. The colors are so vibrant, even in the winter. The fog, the trees, the water, the rain. The weather was gloomy as we climbed the mountain. Oddly enough, that made it even better. The Pacific Northwest is known for its rain, and it wouldn’t have felt the same without some drizzle. One of the first stops we made was on a pullout on the side of the road, it had a lovely view. As I was taking pictures I could hear a slight roar of thunder, which grew the longer I stood there. I absolutely love thunderstorms. The sound is so powerful, and it amazes me that the sky can be so intense. The thunder roared for a short period as we continued up the mountain. As we climbed, the ground became kissed with snow. At some points though, the snow was taller than the car! On our way down, we saw a small creature. It was a Cascade fox! As some other onlookers passed we stayed a while longer to watch the creature. He became comfortable with us and approach our car (of course we were inside, simply observing). It led to some pretty cool photos! If you’re ever in the area, I strongly suggest exploring Mt. Rainier. You won’t be disappointed.
