Northern Loop

First of three trips taken during my two week vacation from work in September.  Leigh and I hiked the Northern Loop in Mt. Rainier National Park - 34 miles in 48 hours.  September 10-12. We started from Sunrise.

 

We hiked about thirteen miles on Saturday, to James Camp.  I read 'Passport to Darkness" that my friend Linda sent me.  The book is a memoir written by Kim Smith, a woman who served as a missionary in Sudan for many years and founded a non-profit to assist Sundanese orphans affected by the warring in their country.  The stories Kim explicitly told about violence, rape, and genocide in Sudan brought me to a feeling place of despair, helplessness, rage, and gratitude, and I cried.  Kim's actions reignited the activist inside me, whom has always felt a strong desire to go to Africa and witness the mass suffering and poverty of freedom and basic human right to be safe in one's own body. 

We hiked another 13 or so miles on Sunday.  Mystic Camp, near Mystic Lake (pictured above) was our home for night two.  Because I had to return to Seattle to assist in a yoga class for my practicum on Monday evening, we left camp at 5:30 Monday morning to hike the remaining 8-10 miles back to Sunrise.  

Hot, sunny weather and comforting companionship.  Perfect weekend and trip.  Next year, the entire Wonderland Trail!