Rainier Reprise

The mighty snow caps call again, so we hit the Wonderland Trail to achieve a different peak experience.






Frozen Lake contains the domestic water supply for the area.



With the sun directly in the lens, it's hard to make out the shape, but yes, it's really a bear sunning himself on the precipice and glaring at us for disturbing his morning nap. Grumpypants lets out a protest snarl and slinks inside his cave.





That thin curvy line is the trail, and it leads to the Mount Fremont Lookout Tower, which is that teeny box on the left.






Shale be coming 'round the mountain: looking back from the rocks toward Rainier as we inch in the opposite direction to the lookout tower.



Livin' la vida Vista--what a view!

The next shots look out from the same spot, rotating 360 degrees.