Funke Mama: Smoked out in Washington

Driving from Oregon to our next stop we saw lots of lakes and old bridges. This RV park was huge! No cell service or wifi. We found a private spot nestled in the trees. Nice flat grounds for riding bikes and there was a chilly river to dip in.

After our disappointment at Crater Lake, we were excited to see majestic Mount Rainier. The National Park website states, "Ascending 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S. spawning six major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier's lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park's ecosystems, thriving in the wide diversity of environments."

We roll up to the gate and the sky was somewhat blue. This is encouraging.

First stop is always the visitors center for trail maps and #allthetrinkets. And then there was the haze and smoke.

We found a short trail with river access that the boys liked.

And a waterfall! 😍

Thrilled with all the pictures. 🤣

Before we headed out the next morning, we did schoolwork. They love outdoor learning.

For today's field trip, we went to Mt. St. Helens. It wasn't as smoky as Mount Rainier but still pretty hazy.
The boys learned about how the eruption occurred, what was done to restore the forest afterwards and the different ecosystems found there. They liked the baby frogs at the lake but complained about the hike up steep stairs to an incredible viewpoint.