365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Thursday, September 27, 2018
2130 View
Day 249: When you're a 14,410' Mountain and the surrounding foothills top out between 5000-7000', you certainly dominate the landscape from every vantage point offering a clear view. Of course much of the Pacific Northwest is forested (logging operations notwithstanding) and a little of it is dominated by man-made structures (Seattle), but for the most part, if a hiker achieves a high spot where trees don't block the vista, Mount Rainier owns the horizon.
I don't think this particular section had been clearcut the last time I walked Pack Forest's 2130 Loop, and the obvious maturity of the thistle patches and foxglove stands indicated to me that it must have been more years than I remembered. From main campus parking, the 2130 is roughly the farthest point in Pack attainable by walking the road system and/or trails. Other routes would add more miles, but if you're looking at the 2130 as a destination, you're in for pounding your soles. I had started my day with a shorter hike planned: up the 1000 to the 1400, 1400 to its end, then back to the Advanced Horse Trail and up to Hugo Peak and out via the Reservoir Trail, a 10-mile trip. After having lunch on Hugo, I decided to visit the 2130. I remembered it as being heavily forested, shady and richly green. I did not remember the view of the Mountain, and that's not something I'd be likely to forget. After all, the Mountain is a significant part of my life. Having done the 2130, I walked back to Kirkland Pass trying to judge how much more plodding my feet would stand. I had three choices to take me back to parking, two somewhat shorter options and the longer Reservoir Trail. I went the long way. Typical.
Labels:
2130 Rd.,
hiking,
Mount Rainier,
Pack Forest
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