South Cascades Loop - Day 1

As we round the corner at Sunrise
Point, five snow-covered mountains all come into view – Mount Baker, Glacier
Peak, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and of course, the breathtaking giant that the
park we are in is so aptly named after: Mount Rainier. The drive up to Sunrise
is beautiful, but the sight of the wildflower-covered meadows of Yakima Park
and Emmons Glacier glistening in the background – well, that sight is beyond
comparison. This was Ryder’s first trip to Sunrise, and when we pulled him out
of his car seat and showed him the massive, snow-covered beauty that loomed in
the near distance, his eyes filled with excitement as he pointed at the
mountain and giggled with glee. You see, the mountains are where the three of
us feel the most at home, so when Ryder realized where our Subaru had taken us,
he was overwhelmed with happiness… which is exactly how Andy and I feel every
time we leave our home head west toward the Cascades.   

After a quick “tailgate” snack, the
three of us went for a hike past purple wildflowers and vibrant green grass
taller than Ryder. Birds chirped and flew above us and grasshoppers jumped and
danced at our feet (probably Ryder’s favorite part of our visit) as we strolled
down the path, in search of a short, morning adventure at the base of one of
Washington’s most beautiful peaks. 

As Ryder’s morning naptime
descended upon us, we made our way back to the car, loaded up and headed down
the mountain, hoping that our little man would get a good snooze in before we made
it to our next destination: Crystal Mountain. Upon arriving at the base area at
Crystal, Andy and I ate our lunches and relaxed in the car while Ryder slept
soundly in the back seat. Once he awoke from his morning slumber, we packed up
our adventure gear and strolled over to the base of the Mt. Rainier Gondola.
This would be Ryder’s second trip up this mountain via gondola ride, and boy
was he stoked! He wanted to look at everything, out every window, all at once.
The tree tops below us, the airplanes flying in the distance, the mountains
that surrounded us on all sides, beckoning us to explore - he couldn’t get
enough of the world around him from this spectacular vantage point in the sky.

Once we got to the top of the
mountain, we hiked around a few nearby trails and couldn’t help but shoot some
photos of the beautiful mountains that surrounded us on all sides – including
the mountain we were just up close and personal with: Mt. Rainier. After a bit
of hiking and exploring, we walked up to the Summit House, Washington’s highest
elevation dining at 6,872 feet. Sitting at one of their rustic outdoor wooden
tables, we enjoyed the sunshine and breathtaking views with our beverages of
choice in hand, watching the little birds flutter from tree to tree, hoping to
nab a treat from one of the many guests on the patio.

Soon it was time to head down the
mountain and begin our drive to Enumclaw, the next stop on our South Cascade
Loop adventure. Another ride in the car rocked Ryder to sleep once again as
Andy and I took in the natural beauty that lined both sides of the highway all
the way into town. Upon arriving in Enumclaw, we checked into our hotel and
then headed out on foot to see some of the sites. Our first stop was to
Washington’s Logging Legacy Memorial Park to see the beautiful sculpture that
resides there and to honor all of the loggers and animals that lost their lives
while logging in the Pacific Northwest. Our next stop was the Pie Goddess - to
appease our tummies and our taste buds by having a bit of pre-dinner dessert
(because who can say no to a delicious slice of homemade peach pie before
dinner?). 

After a brief stroll around town
with Ryder, we found ourselves at Kelly’s Mercantile, our dinner destination…
and let me tell you, after a day of adventures in the mountains, this was just
what the doctor ordered. Amazing farm to table food, tasty wine and some of the
friendliest, kindest and most welcoming restaurant staff, owners and customers
(the little girl from the table next to us played with Ryder for quite some
time!) that we have ever met, we would have loved to take the entire
establishment back home with us! But an unforgettable evening out after a
memorable day in the mountains with our little munchkin was more than we could
have ever asked for, so with full bellies and tired eyes, we strolled back to
our hotel and hit the hay, for tomorrow would be another day of adventure, and
we needed all the rest we could get.