And the Road to Hell is paved with… asphalt, like the lower trails at Paradise? Gravel and potholes, like the road to Mowich Lake? Nope, nothing but good intentions, which is exactly what I have each month in publishing a blog post. July and August are high summer at Mount Rainier, and I might have guessed that time—and a blog post—would slip away. Here are a few highlights:
In early, our son Dimitri and I invented the “Mount Rainier Quad Shot,” trail running up and down each of the park’s four fire lookouts in a day and a half. Thirty-two miles and 6000’ plus of elevation gain, and it wore us out. He wants to do it again, of course; I’m thinking “one and done!”
Also in July, I spent multiple days in the field with the student interns from The Evergreen State College, removing invasive plants, getting trained up on amphibian surveys, and cruising the backcountry on patrols. It’s rewarding to watch them work so well with park scientists, technicians, and rangers.
The biggest summer news is “full speed ahead” with Washington State University Press and preparations to get the manuscript to press. Soon-to-be officially titled Tahoma and Its People: A Natural History of Mount Rainier National Park, my editor Beth DeWeese and I have been trading edits and comments one chapter at a time. Beth retires at the end of the year, telling me that she loves the project and the idea of “going out on a high note.” We begin cover design this month, and if the other 15 steps fall into place, will get it the production team by December. The Press still plans for a March 2020 release. You’ll be invited to the book release party!