The Northwest Avalanche Center is one of the non-profits Moosefish supports. It's more than a little self-serving since they provide lifesaving avalanche forecasts and education for winter junkies like us. In addition to monetary donations, we also volunteer as part of the Trailhead Outreach program.
Well, we try to. Last season was messed up by the whole hip thing. This year it was weather and mechanical difficulties. We were supposed to set up shop at Paradise in Mount Rainier, but because one of their plows wasn't operational and the day before had been gnarly with storms, the gate at Longmire (scheduled to open at 9am) remained closed all day.
After the event was canceled, we wandered up the Wonderland a bit to its crossing of the Nisqually River. Deep forest with just a touch of snow. Nothing like our day would have been at Paradise almost 3,000 feet higher, but lovely nonetheless. We were granted a final view of the Mountain when we got to the river.
Don't worry. We're scheduled to work on more weekend before the season is over, though it's a local event rather than at Rainier. Something tells me I'll need to schedule a return to Tahoma even without the excuse of trying to do good.
📍On the land of the Nisqually people.
