Independence Day, 2002 began a four day "weekend" for Tim. Unbelievably, the weather was gorgeous too, so we off we went

On Friday, July 5th, we headed south to Mount Rainier. On our agenda was Reflection Lake. We actually drove very close to Mount St Helens before we headed northeast, and could, in fact, see the volcano from a vantage point we found. As usual, the scenery was spectacular, and we were even able to see groups of climbers attempting to reach the peak of Mount Rainier. It looked like a great day for climbing - clear and sunny and HOT! Reflection Lake was very pretty, and by the end of the day, we had seen three of the four "sides" of the big mountain.

If you would like to see a few pictures of this trip, please follow the link at the left called Index to Day 1: Mount Rainier.

Saturday, July 6th was sunny and warm as well, and we knew that we must take advantage of these days so out we headed again. This time we drove north, determined to reach the trailhead at Mount Pilchuck after two tries which were stymied by snow and by thick, low clouds. Later, we picnicked at Big Four - one of our favorite places on the Mountain Loop Highway. From there, we bounced up and down several forestry service roads, and were rewarded with some of the most awesome views we have had for a long time.

To see a few of these pictures, please follow the link at the left called Index to Day 2: Mount Pilchuck and Mountain Loop Road.

You can also see Felix' version of the trip by visiting his website HERE and following the links.