Seattle Trip - Mount Ranier National Park, Olympic National Park, and Mount Si

 Seattle and the surrounding area screams "green!"  The city requires citizens to separate out compost from recycling from trash.  An intimidating sign on the trashcan of my sister's condo complex threatens to increase the HOA fees should compostable waste be found in the trash dumpster.  REI was founded there.  The grocery store charges you for every plastic or paper bag that you use.  There are parks everywhere including three national parks within a reasonable drive.  And it may be not be science, but it sure looked like the fitness outweighed the fatness of the passers-by that I noticed on my visit.  It seemed a natural place for hikers to convene.  And if it weren't so far away and traffic didn't terrify me (a by-product of learning to drive near DC?) I might just move there.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to visit my sister who has taken up residence in Seattle.  While there, we did some hiking, some wandering, and a whole lot of enjoying the beauty of nature. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

View from Skyline Trail looking away from the summit of Mount Ranier (Mount Ranier National Park)

Mom and Jenny enjoying the hike

Mount Ranier via Skyline Trail

A snow tunnel at Mount Ranier

Snow covered trail on the Skyline loop (Mount Ranier)

Me and Casey at Panorama Point (Mount Ranier)

Wildflowers at Mount Ranier

Another shot from the Skyline Trail at Mount Ranier

Hurrican Ridge at Olympic National Park

Me and Jenny at Hurricane Ridge

Marmot on hike near Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center

Ruby Beach (Olympic National Park)

Sol Duc Falls (Olympic National Park)

Deer at Hurricane Ridge (Olympic National Park)