I find it fascinating to contemplate the fact - on the one hand - that Mt. Rainier is perhaps the most beautiful single mountain in America. On the other hand, I often ponder the fact that she is also the most dangerous mountain on the continent. Her beauty comes from the sheer massiveness of her form, the multitude of glaciers she wears, the lush wildflower meadows that clothe her slopes, and the ancient old-growth forests which thrive lower down. Her danger comes from the fact that she is a volcano which could erupt at any time. Mt. St. Helens, which erupted in 1980, is an adjacent mountain rising up just to the south. If Rainier erupts, many metropolitan areas lying within the path of the lava flows would be affected. In fact, a large part of Rainier's beauty arises from the very fact that she has indeed erupted before. The decomposing lava from these eruptions makes an especially rich soil, a major factor in her unmatched wildflower display!
Photo: Avalanche Lilies and Mount Rainier at sunset, viewed from Spray Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA; July 28, 2013
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