Mt. Rainier National Park

On the homeward leg of our vacation, we camped just outside of Mt. Rainier National Park.

When we awoke the early morning light was reflecting off this stream.

We drove up to Paradise, and stopped on the way to look down into the steep canyon carved by the dark, silty glacier meltwater that feeds the Cowlitz River.  It was well over 100 feet below the bridge to the water.

Though you can't see it in this image, the canyon is just at the left of this meadow, and the meadow sits on solid rock polished smooth by glaciers.

Mt. Rainier is covered in snow and blue ice glaciers, and the water from melting snow and ice cascades in rivulets and waterfalls.

Tiger Lily. Lilium columbianum.  With beargrass in the background.  The wildflowers were an astounding symphony of color.