Washington-Alaska 2019: Mount Rainier, Day 2

We started off day 2 at Mount Rainier in lightweight clothing only to watch the temperatures drop as we entered the park and climbed the mountain.

Our very first stop was at Christine Falls,

which is just a short hike away from the main park road.  

By the time we arrived at Paradise, the temperature had dropped to 45 degrees.  Two of us were in shorts and we only had lightweight jackets.  Our first stop at Paradise was at the gift shop to purchase a warm hat for Will.  And then we were off on our hike. 

Our first hike took us on a nicely paved path up to Myrtle Falls.  The wildflowers were in bloom and were gorgeous. 

Myrtle Falls

The falls were beautiful but Will was not impressed with our easy hike up the paved path and asked to look at the trail map.  He chose the Alta Vista Trail, which is a moderate 1.75 mile trail with a 600' elevation gain.  And we were off, always trying to get a peek of Mount Rainier through the clouds.  

We hiked straight up, which was perfect because we warmed up too.  Henry was thrilled when we came upon our first patch of snow.  

We had this trail completely to ourselves, 

only sharing it with a marmot!

More wildflowers

At the peak -- 5940'

Hiking back down

Avalanche lilies

Sooty grouse

After a couple of hours of hiking, we headed back down to the visitors center for lunch. We even found Mountain Bars, which are chocolate and peanuts molded around a filling. We had these treats often when I was a kid.  

After lunch, we gave Will the map again and he picked the Bench and Snow Lakes Trail, which was a 2.5 mile trail with a 700' elevation gain.  

Setting off! It was much warmer and we started shedding our jackets right away.

The first lake we came to was Bench Lake.  

And then we made it to beautiful Snow Lake. 

Look at the color of the water!

The boys had to go down and touch the water, of course. I did the same thing when I was a kid. 

Perfect snack (Mountain Bars) midway through a hard hike!

Heading back

Glimpses of Mount Rainier through the clouds

After over five miles of hiking and 150 flights of stairs (according to my Fitbit -- a record for us), we called it a day and headed back home to nap, read and relax. We ended the evening with smothered pork chops, salad, and mashed sweet potatoes. 

And to cap it all off, the boys soaked their weary bones in the hot tub.  

We were all exhausted after our long day but so glad to have done so much at Mount Rainier. What a gorgeous national park!

Will's Half Birthday in Kingwood

On Sunday, we celebrated Will's half birthday (7 1/2 already!) in Kingwood.  Gramma and Grampa are always in Maine for Will's August birthday, so each February, we celebrate Will's half birthday with them.

It's a small celebration, but one we always enjoy. Gramma and Grampa cook a meal, make a special dessert and give both boys a couple small gifts.  

This year, Gramma made a yellow cake that we layered with key lime curd, fakey whipped cream (sweetened Greek yogurt), and strawberries. It was the perfect dessert for a boy who likes cake but doesn't like overly sweet icing!

Present time. Henry got two easy reader chapter books, Will got a myth and legends book, and the whole family got Sorry! Happy 7 1/2 years, Will!

After lunch, we played outside. It was another beautiful day and we always enjoy playing at the park across the street. 

All three boys played HARD. They ran and slid and climbed and played tag.  

Our visit was a bittersweet one as this was likely our last time to go up to Gramma and Grampa's Kingwood house. They are moving to a home closer to us next month and we are beyond excited to have them nearby. For the past four years, though, we have loved visiting Kingwood, and have so many happy memories up there. I remember our first outings to the playground across the street, where we had to be so careful to watch Henry so that he wouldn't fall off the play structures. Last spring, the boys mastered riding their bikes without training wheels at the park's parking lot, and we spent countless hours exploring the trails, watching leafcutter ants work and listening to birds sing. We know we'll make many new memories at Gramma and Grampa's new house, though, and look forward to lots of adventures with them in town.

 Goodbye, Kingwood!