Backpacking!

August & I (Rob) went backpacking for one night at the end of August.  This was Auggie's first overnight trip ever--and my first since before the kids were born.  We went up to the Crystal Lakes in Mt Rainier National Park, which sit high on a ridge at the edge of the park.  It was only less than 3 miles in, but the climb was fairly severe so it was a definite workout.

Auggie at the upper lake where we went exploring after making camp.

And at the lower lake next to our camp.  He couldn't resist trying the water, though he quickly regretted it due to the deep, sticky mud!

On our hike out the next morning, we saw this fascinating lenticular cloud formation above Rainier.  It's above and downwind of the mountain, caused by the air currents rising over the 14,000 foot peak.  They're a common phenomenon, though they are usually just the disk that you see at the bottom hanging in the sky by themselves above the mountain.  I've never seen one attached to a larger cloud like this before.