Our family vacation this year was another road trip putting on a total of 2,800 miles. This trip was another mix of activities and driving through beautiful country enjoying the scenery. The biggest portion of our trip was spent at Mount Rainier National Park with some very good friends to climb the mountain. We also toured through Salem Oregon to visit family and continued from there down the beautiful Oregon coast and then home again.
This is a picture of our little camping rig at a campground on the Washington/Oregon border on the Columbia River.
Lisa and the kids swimming in the Columbia River.
Our first view of Mount Rainier as we approach the Park.
Lisa offered to be the camp cook for the Rainier climbing group. This is an example of what she put together.
Sweet Hannah trying out Dad's pack (with a little support from the truck tailgate).
Caleb playing with Lego's.
Hiking through the flowers of Paradise in Rainier National Park on our way to high camp.
Our family in Paradise with Mount Rainier in the background.
Our climbing team on the Muir snowfield on the way to high camp.
Members of our climbing team (left to right and front to back):
Nadya Novak, Jim Germain, Michael Novak, Ryan Bledsoe, Ray Germain, John Graves, Aaron Hanson, Bob Potts.
Our high camp on the Cowlitz Glacier at Camp Muir.
On the summit of Mount Rainier (14,410 feet).
Making our way through the crevasses of Mount Rainier.
What a great setting to find oneself in!
Back off the mountain and with my wonderful kids.
The entire 2009 Rainier climbing group.
The kids with Uncle John and Aunt Faye Dykstra in their home in Salem, Oregon.
The family on the Oregon Coast.
For Lisa, going to the ocean is like going to the mountains for me.
Hannah loves it too.
Lisa and the kids with the historic Bullard's Beach lighthouse behind them.
Our wonderful son enjoying his first visit to the ocean.
Caleb wearing Dad's T-shirt after getting cold from a big expedition collecting a cap full of sea shells.
Lisa at our last camp on our 2009 Rainier climb and Potts family vacation/road trip.