Friends of mine from University of Washington have organized another amazing summer opportunity in the Park, this time at Mt. Rainier. I look forward to contributing in any way that I can, and learning from this tremendous experience.
Here is the description from their website:
“Out of the forest at last there stood the mountain, wholly unveiled, awful in bulk and majesty, filling all the view like a separate, newborn world, yet withal so fine and so beautiful it might well fire the dullest observer to desperate enthusiasm.”
–John Muir, Steep Trails
Rising to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier is an icon in the Washington landscape. The fifth oldest National Park, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states and is the centerpiece of a national park filled with ancient forests, sub-alpine meadows, and dramatic glacial river systems. Join us on a trip around the mountain exploring the history, beauty, and diversity of this extraordinary place. We will meet with park officials, University researchers, and more – all people passionate about this wondrous place. As we learn the story of Mount Rainier, we will also wrestle with the complexities of managing a park that is both 97 percent wilderness and welcomes approximately 2 million visitors a year. The majority of our trip will be moderate to strenuous day hiking with group camping in an established campground. We plan to do an overnight excursion in the wilderness backcountry on the last two days of our trip. Our boots will hit the trail every day and as we say in Seattle, we’ll hope “the mountain is out”!
Some great links:
http://content.lib.washington.edu/glacierweb/
http://content.lib.washington.edu/mtnweb/index.html