Heading back off the summit to cross the crater to the other side and make our way off the mountain.
The view from the crater rim to the south and the Nisqually River drainage far below.
Making our way through the crevasses to get on Disappointment Cleaver.
The Emmons Glacier was fairly broken up at the top of Disappointment Cleaver.
Aaron is having a really good day.
Making our way down through the broken rock and spider web of trails on Disappointment Cleaver.
Michael and Nadya crossing the Moat off of Disappointment Cleaver onto the Ingraham Glacier.
Looking across Ingraham Flats towards Cathedral Gap..
Back at Camp Muir and packing up.
Ray Germain took this picture of me after we had reached Camp Muir, packed up, and descended the Muir snowfield.
I returned the favor for him. Note the clouds moving up from the valley below bringing in a storm that lasted the next three days.
Back into the flowers of Paradise.
Back with my wonderful kids and wife (taking the picture).
Everyone safe and sound back at Cougar Creek Campground. This was a big, blessed, and spectacular day.
Friday, August 7, 2009 (Rest and Family Day)
Aaron left last night to catch a plane early this morning. John left this morning before I got up around 8:00 a.m. Jim and Ray were cleaning up to go to Seattle and catch a baseball game while Ryan, Michael, Nadya and ourselves were more paced on this overcast and rainy day. We enjoyed great conversation and the euphoria of a successful climb while enjoying another one of Lisa's great breakfasts.After breakfast we putzed around the Paradise visitor center and enjoyed a really great little hike through the big trees on the Trail of Shadows near Longmire. Two days before Lisa had taken the kids down this wonderful interpretive trail where both Hannah and Caleb earned their Junior Ranger badges. It was great to have a laid back and rainy day to relax and enjoy the family.
Our great kids at the Paradise Visitors Center on a rainy day. Caleb is proudly wearing his Junior Ranger badge.
Saturday, August 8, 2009 (On to Salem Oregon)
It rained all night and is still raining this morning. Not a heavy rain but a misty, light rain typical of the Northwest. It is so good not to be on the mountain now. We take our time to pack up and clean up our "base camp" as best we can. There was a lot that went into this trip and it takes us until around noon before everything is cleaned up (kind of) and collapsed into our PopUp camper and pickup.We head for Salem Oregon to see my Uncle John and Aunt Faye. It's around 250 miles so we plan on seeing them around 7:00 p.m. after we get a hotel room to take a shower and clean up without setting up camp.
We arrive at their place right at 7:00, have a great visit and leave at about 8:30 p.m. to go back to the hotel where Lisa and the kids go swimming and I catch up on some paperwork. It was good to have a hotel room for one night after being on the road camping and climbing for over a week.
The kids climbing the rock wall in Ashford, Washington after just leaving the park and heading to see my Uncle and Aunt in Salem, Oregon.
Uncle John and Aunt Faye with the kids in their home in Salem, Oregon.
The kids enjoying their BIG bed in the motel after a week of camping.
Sunday, August 9, 2009 (The Oregon Coast)
I got up around 7:00 a.m. and decided to go down to a car wash to clean up the pickup, camper, and throw rugs while Lisa and the kids relaxed in the hotel room watching cartoons. We still have a few more nights of camping left as we made our way down the Oregon coast and we really needed to clean things up a bit.I got back to the hotel around 8:00 and joined Lisa and the kids for the free breakfast offered in the lobby. Afterward we went back to visit with my Uncle John and Aunt Faye for another couple of hours while Lisa took advantage of the Laundromat in their retirement community. It was so good to see my uncle and aunt and I'm glad we took the time to do so. They are getting quite elderly and I'm not sure how many opportunities we'll get to do this again.
We left Salem around noon and headed down Highway 101 for a spectacular Sunday drive down the Oregon coast. We found a great campsite at the Oregon State Bullard's Beach campground. Oregon has the best campsites. Every site has power, water, and showers. In the morning we plan on visiting the historic Bullard's Beach lighthouse and play with the kids on the beach.
All cleaned up after a wonderful stay in Salem and enjoying the drive along the Pacific coast.
Lisa and her "little" Mountain Guy.
It was a beautiful day to play in the ocean at Bullard's Beach.
Going to the beach for Lisa is like going to the mountains for me; she loves the water.
And so does our daughter.
Lisa and the kids with the historic Bullard's Beach lighthouse behind them.
This was Caleb's first visit to the ocean and he liked it a lot!
Hannah headed out for more wave action. We couldn't get her to dive in though, the water was very cold.
Running back to Mom after taking a beach tour with Dad.
Caleb wearing Dad's T-shirt after getting cold from a big expedition collecting a cap full of sea shells.
Mount Shasta on our way back home after leaving the coast.
Lisa at our last camp on our 2009 Rainier climb and Potts family vacation/road trip.