Natural High

Phil and I haven't done a day trip for a long time, so today, which again was sunny and warm, we drove 60 scenic miles east to Mt. Baker, an active volcano that's the third-highest mountain in Washington state at 10,781 feet (3,286 meters).

We weren't that high today--just 5,100 feet (1,545 meters) in the Heather Meadows parking lot, the terminus of the Mt. Baker Highway (State Route 242). This two-lane road (one lane in each direction) is closed most of the year due to heavy snowfall, but usually the snow is gone by July and visitors can enjoy the high alpine tundra and amazing views until late September or early October.

The Artist Point trail, our favorite, offers 360-degree views of Mt. Baker's peak to the south (above) and Mt. Shuksan to the east, seen in Phil's lovely blip today. The first part of the Artist Point trail is paved, making the amazing views accessible to more people.

I enjoyed the long views like this one, rich in lovely autumn color, as much as looking at the snow and glacier-capped mountain. And with my predilection for interesting plants, I found these hardy blossoms, now at the end of their short flowering, irresistible!

It was wonderfully relaxing to spend time together in this amazing landscape, away from our everyday lives and activities.

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