A Night on Mt. Rainier, A Day in Paradise

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Sunset view down Nisqually River Valley in Mt. Rainier National Park..

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Night photography beckoned this fall, so I decided to do an overnight trip to Mt. Rainier on what I hoped would be a relatively clear night.  Actually, my first choice had been an overnight backpack on the lower slopes of Mt. Baker, but then I saw a recent trip report for the Railroad Grade area that had a hiker postholing through the deep snow there.  Change in plans!

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I drove to Mt. Rainier just after noon on an early October weekday.  It was cloudy upon my arrival, but I had time to check out possible positions for night photography and to find some great spots for late autumn photography.

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After taking some evening photographs of a vivid sunset, I went to Cougar Rock Campground and was sawing logs (and not for a campfire!) by 8:00 p.m., with the alarm set for 3:00 a.m., when I expected the half-moon would be high in the sky and most of the clouds would have lifted.

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I awoke as planned and drove to Reflection Lakes, drinking the coffee I had wisely made before bed.  The mountain was revealed and everything went as planned, though I was a little surprised that there wasn’t more snow on The Mountain, given the stormy weather of late.  Later, I had hoped for dawn alpenglow on the peak, but just got the littlest bit of faint pink light.

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I spent the rest of the day photographing in the Paradise area, with a classic clear morning at Reflection Lakes, followed by a hike on the Skyline Trail in search of White-tailed Ptarmigans, which I failed to find.  It was a wonderful day with lots of older hikers on the trail.

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A strange cloud emanates from the mountain at night..

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Dawn glow, stars, and clouds..

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At first light, the cloud emanating from The Mountain began to dissipate..

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A touch of alpenglow on the rock and glaciers at dawnpp

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A classic view of Mount Rainier reflected in Reflection Lakes..

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A cedar puncheon boardwalk crosses a small stream..

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Blueberry bushes, scarlet with autumn, share a talus slope with subalpine trees..

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A grand staircase, with a quote from John Muir, leads to the high country..

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A stunning view of The Mountain on a crisp autumn morning in Paradise..

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The lovely colors of blueberry leaves..

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A Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel living above timberline..

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A tarn in the raw rock and gravel land above timberline..

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Glacier-gouged and polished rocks with the Tatoosh Range distant..

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A cloud quickly rises like a cresting wave or a geyser..

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Nootka Cypress trees (formerly Alaska Yellow Cedar) with blueberry leaves.’

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The enchanted Skyline Trail winds through a subalpine forest..

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Fuzzy white seed heads among blueberry leaves.

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Looking down the Nisqually River Valley at sunset…

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To see my web site, which includes photographic prints for sale, please go to LeeRentz.com

To see thousands of my photographs in large file sizes for use in magazines or other printed materials or electronic media, go to my PhotoShelter Website

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Tags: alpine, autumn, mount rainier, mt. rainier, mt. rainier national park, national park, night, paradise, photo, photography, stratovolcano, timberline, volcano, washington

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