Mount Rainier: Berkeley Park

When I first arrived at Mount Rainier in early June, the Park was very quiet, and the most popular areas were still buried under several feet of snow. At that time, there were only a few trails that were entirely snow-free.

As the summer progressed, the snow melted, and by August the wildflower meadows were in full force.

The most impressive wildflowers that I observed that summer were in the northeast part of Rainier, at an area called Berkeley Park. The trail cut through a dazzling display of lupines, paintbrushes, and pasqueflowers, to name just a few, which provided an incredible mix of reds, purples, yellows, and whites.
             
                             Here are some photos of this incredible area:

                  My personal favorite, pasqueflower seedheads:

Pasqueflower seedhead and lupine:

As if the flowers themselves weren't enough of an experience, we also saw some wildlife, including this black bear, one of only two bears I saw all summer!

The wildlife viewing didn't end there. There was also a whole family of hoary marmots to be found. How many can you count?

                                                     Another marmot:

Lastly, this pika came out from under his rocky shelter. A relative of rabbits and hares, this species is especially vulnerable to warm temperatures. The cool, rocky, sub-alpine areas of Mount Rainier provide it with crucial habitat.

It wasn't too surprising that Berkeley Park provided us with such an array of wildflower viewing, but the wildlife was a bonus that I didn't expect.

As we made our way back to the trailhead, we were also rewarded with some views of Mount Rainier.

First, the top of Rainier sticking up above a ridgeline (notice the top part of the Emmons Glacier; the largest glacier in the contiguous United States!):

Then back near the trailhead, the full Rainier, only covered by some swirling clouds that added to the view. 

The last thing that struck my attention were these odd looking mushrooms growing near the trailhead:

I have an unusual fascination for mushrooms of all varieties. I later identified that one as being an ink cap.

 

What a great day to be outside!