Mount Rainier only revealed itself for the briefest of moments on my last day. Rain and thick clouds kept the mountain hidden and it was frustrating because 1) I’ve visited the national park before and know how sublime the views can be and 2) it’s such a massive force that you can still feel it, just out of reach. Despite the weather, which I’m going to have to embrace anyway, I made it outside for a quick afternoon walk. I always forget about the nuanced beauty of the forest understory. And because of the geothermal features of Mount Rainier, there were a few surprises as well:
Snow!
The bright orange color is from iron that has precipitated out as the water cools. This spring, Iron Mike, was once used to keep meat and dairy refrigerated.
The Origin of the Mineral Springs from an interpretive panel:
Water from rain and snow melting on the upper slopes of Mount Rainier percolates down through fractures in volcanic rock where it is hydrothermally heated deep inside the volcano. This hot water then flows downhill through subterranean fractures and mixes with cool, shallow ground water. As the water travels underground, carbon dioxide is incorporated from surrounding rock. In lowland areas such as Longmire meadow, where the water seeps to the surface, carbon dioxide gas escapes into the air, like bubbles from a soft drink. Can you see and hear the mineral spring bubbling? During periods of little rain and snow melt, spring water cannot reach the surface but invisible carbon dioxide continues to escape.
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