High Rock Hike

My parents wanted to go on a hike and so did we.  We planned to go to Sunrise at Mt. Rainier, but my mom heard a lot of it was still snowy.  After asking my facebook friends and double-checking it on the WTA website (Washington trails association)  We decided to go to High Rock.  It is a hike up to an old fire watch tower near Mt. Rainier and I heard that the snow had recently melted.

After a very bumpy drive up a mountain, we found the trailhead.

The highest peak at the top of the picture is where the tower was

We started the hike up.  It was about 1.6 miles each way, but if you hike you know it feels like way longer when it is steep!

I found some snow still! In August!

There were all sorts of wildflowers on the way

Mt. Rainier to the right

We finally got near the top with some great views. It was straight down though.

You can see some snow patches but it was warm

Up a little bit more and we saw the tower!  The picture doesnt do it justice...it was pretty steep going up to it and there were no trails, just a rock.

We finally made it up (even Andy with Sawyer on his back which was very scary for me and my mom haha)

Its a long way down, but good view of the mountain!

Sawyer peek-a-boo.  To the left and right of the rock was a LONG way down if you slip

In the tower

While we were in the tower we talked with some people that got there after us.  The guy played rugby and had been at our tournament last weekend. They had a NINE DAY OLD BABY with them!  The most incredible part of that is the lady that gave birth nine days ago climbed that.  You arent supposed to exercise for 6 weeks (your uterus can actually fall out- yeah gross) post partum, but I dont know how you even could. For a couple months after, even walking in the park would be painful afterwards, but this lady climbed a mountain!  Kudos to her lol. I was tired and I have been exercising.

Anyway, we went back down (easier on the body as a whole, but my bad knees were giving out), and took a different route down the mountain in the car with a million potholes.  I dont know how anyone without an SUV or truck could make it up or down but we saw a car there so it must be possible.  We stopped at a park in Ashford on the way home for a picnic. MMmm. Definitely a good day!  We are all completely tired though!

Sawyer's first Lunchable

They had a nice new park!