A relatively short drive away...

I was back in the San Francisco Bay Area last April. I recall thinking the region has so many incredible places nearby to visit within an hour or two's drive. It is a photographer's paradise. There are, of course, the cities with their old buildings and landmarks, their new buildings and landmarks, many people, and the terrific vistas. But there are also the East Bay parks and the parklands to the south on the San Francisco peninsula. To the north are the Marin Headlands, Mount Tamalpais State Park and, my favorite, Point Reyes National Seashore. Each visit leads to at least one newly discovered place. On the drive out of the region last April, zipping across California Highway 37 towards I-5, I drove along the edge of San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge on a perfect clear morning—another place with incredible wide open vistas. I didn't have time to stop, but I did bookmark the place in my mind (and in notes) for a deeper exploration on another trip to the area

There is so much to see in the Bay Area, all within a same day decision and relatively short drive—if traffic cooperates. I did not own a car when I lived in San Francisco and Berkeley from 1978-84. My range was limited to where my feet, a bike and public transportation could get me to and back within a day. On my recent visit last April, I recall thinking how incredibly lucky people who live there are. I wished and dreamt for a minute on what it would be like to live there again now that I'm no longer tethered to Seattle with a career and job.

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However, the Pacific Northwest has similar access to many great places—as long as weather and traffic cooperate. Three national parks, and many state parks, are well within day trip range. And if you know the basics of mountain hiking, know what to bring and what to wear, have much of it pre-packed, and know these places well, many of them are well within a same day decision to pay a quick visit with little planning.

Mount Rainier National Park is one of those places. Tuesday I decided to head up to Mount Rainier. I had actually decided to head up there the night before but did not run the necessary preparatory errands Monday night. Tuesday morning I woke up about 5:45 AM. But I dawdled all morning with some necessary chores (watering the plants) and performing the duties I should have taken care of the night before (fill up the gas tank/shop for groceries).

*A Volkswagen campervan rounds the curves through the park. 2005.*

The northeast corner of the park is about 100 miles (or two hours) from my home in Seattle. I didn't leave the city until just shortly before 11 AM. I was at the trailhead by about 1:15 PM or so. The hike I took was about 10 miles round trip. I was back home just after sunset around 9:30 PM. Similarly, I left in midmorning, as I always tend to do, for North Cascades National Park a week ago on another trip. That day included a 12 mile round trip hike. My return home was a little later that night, about 11:45 PM.

Mount Rainier is huge. And a drive around the park takes some time. Therefore, for impromptu visits, sticking to the northeast corner works best for me. I visited the Sunrise area of the park and hiked to Third Burroughs, a third peak on the Burroughs ridge generally left unmentioned in park literature. The elevation gain from the parking lot to the top is probably less than 1500 feet.

*Mount Rainier from the White River. 2011*

*A panorama of Burroughs Mountain from Skyscraper Peak. July 2006.*

This trail may be one of the most scenic anywhere. My first visit was in October 1986. We backpacked up and over Second Burroughs on a loop camping trip in a driving sleet storm. You could not see 20 feet forward as we ascended. I didn't see much. Once past the peak, the skies opened and the temperatures warmed into the sixties or seventies. Rainier can be like that with its micro-climates and conditions. This trail has become one of my favorites that I return to most years since I rediscovered it around 2010.