Muir Woods

 

For our anniversary in August, Steven and I decided to stay in a cabin the woods.  Well, the cabin was in the woods, but just behind the main drag of Mill Valley, a tony town in Marin County. Coffee, restaurants, and shops just a stroll away.  Not to mention the wine and champagne that graced our "cabin" room.

We had come north to see Muir Woods, home of the coast redwood, the tallest living thing on earth. These trees can reach 379 feet and live 2,000 years.  Muir Woods' tallest is 258 feet, about the height of a 23-story building.  I think you get a sense of the proportions of these trees when you see me standing next to one, above.  Impressed?  I was.   

These trees will outlast our record-setting forest fires this year, which were raging just north of us in Sonoma and Napa counties.  These trees actually depend on fire to clear out the duff  and many show the effects of past fires.  Air quality was generally poor in Mill Valley, which is right next to Muir Woods, but once we got the trees, the oxygen emitting redwoods made us breathe easy.  

We hope to come back in November or December, to see the Coho salmon returning to Redwood Creek.  I read that these salmon, and Steelhead trout, represent ancient strains of these fish, and are genetically unique.   

Mount Rainier in bloom

 

Now that we are plagued with wildfires all up and down the West Coast, with gray and orange skies, I am fondly reminiscing about my trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit family at the beginning of August.  A highlight (among several) was a trip to Mt. Rainier, and Paradise Lodge.  With this pandemic, everyone is visiting national parks.  Fortunately, we were smart enough to visit on a Monday, August 5th, when parking spots were still available at Paradise Valley, elevation 5,400 feet. I brought warm clothes, but it turned out to be exceptionally warm and bright. 

The meadows were in full bloom; a display of wildflowers so profuse I have seen nothing like it anywhere. My boys and I did some quick hiking  to Myrtle Falls, which has a 72 foot drop.  I've read it's the most photographed falls at the park, so we took some photos too.  

Two weeks later, on August 15th, Ben went back to the mountain with friends, this time to hike to 7200 feet.  Mind you, this is only halfway up this magnificent mountain.  Note the snow on the ground in August.  Ben enjoyed the hike, despite sunburn and the heels falling off his old hiking boots.