When I say “subalpine meadow monitoring,” I can guess the image that appears in your mind. The first time I heard about our season-long project, I was picturing rolling green Sound of Music hills, complete with frolicking and wildflowers and birdsong. And while we do...
I didn’t realize how much I would miss the mountain until I left for a few days. The quiet, the green, the omnipresence of the mountain watching over us even when we can’t see her. The people, the simplicity of the daily routine, the distinct...
PART 1: FRAGILITY When you visit Mount Rainier, odds are that you go up to the Paradise area of the park. Known for its showy wildflowers and mountain views, it is one of the most highly visited sections of the park, and has the impacts to...
Mount Rainier is ringed by fields and meadows of subalpine ecosystems. The stark outline of the glaciers and ancient lava flows are an incredible contrast to the mass of color and life that, somewhat surprisingly, thrives at 6,000 feet. In late summer, even after a...
Mount Rainier is populated by quite a cast of colorful characters. As we get into the alpine spring season – about mid-July – the bear grass heads nod their blossoms and the hills turn bright green with new growth. Among the showy wildflowers, the people...
The banana slug: a fine example of Pacific Northwest wildlife, and one of our primary forms of entertainment now that we don't have the internet. Gas prices are sky high. I have no Wi-Fi. I haven’t seen the sun in weeks. Thus begins my first week at...