This is an entry for the amazing entry contest
I wanted to show you all pictures of when my wife and I went hiked up Mount Rainier.
We have hiked up a lot of mountains, and we plan to do most of the 3000 footers in New Hampshire, but Mount Rainier was one of the most beautiful mountains I have ever hiked up.
Usually, when I hike up a mountain, I just want to put my head down, walk and get to the top.
But Mount Rainier was different, and it changed my thinking on how I should hike going forward.
It was a slow progress, but over the years I have been more aware of the present moment. Through practice of mindfulness, I've learned to be in the present, and to take it all in, wherever you are.
I am grateful for those I have met on this site, to include atma.love, who has shared with me a list of more mindfulness books that I am excited to start reading. Everyone here is truly amazing.
The thing I loved most about Mount Rainier was the contrast in vegetation. As you walk up the mountain, you will go through meadows with beautiful flowers, while also walking through ice, snow and scrambling up steep terrain to get to where you need to go.
A view of the cairns
Oh, and every once in a while an animal will come say hi.
We definitely went prepared, as you never know what you may encounter. But there are always some people that will venture up a hike like this with very little. Towards the top, we did encounter a family who were looking for a bathroom (at the top of a mountain) and water, and a woman who was wearing dress shoes instead of sneakers or boots.
Don't ask me how they got up there without food or water, but I didn't realize this was so common. As I'm trucking along the ice sheet on this mountain, I was very surprised to find people up above that were unprepared.
When I made it to the top, the view was spectacular. Oh, and another animal came to say Hi! One of those sweat flies that never leave you alone came into my cameras field of view while I snapped this photo.
This is my amazing nature
The view at the top of the mountain was phenomenal. We were lucky that day that we were able to see out for hundreds of miles, therefore being able to take this spectacular photo.
The earth is a beautiful place. Every ridge, valley, ravine, river, and terrain feature is absolutely breath taking.
We recently went to the top of Mount Washington and the overcast was so thick we were unable to see even 20 feet in front of us. We didn't hike up Mount Washington that day though, we took the Cog Rail up which was a great experience as well. I'll post about that soon.
But what I remember most about this trip wasn't getting down the mountain by sliding down snow.
But the meadows.
The meadows really cemented how beautiful nature is for me.
The fact that you can have a meadow, snow and ledges all within 100 feet of each other was serene, and something I will always remember.
I recommend this hike for anyone interested, and make sure you bring your camera!