Wow (and Ow)

[patgund]

Today had this Gund and Little Bit in Paradise.

To be precise, Paradise snow play area at Mt. Rainier National Park. (5400 feet)

Now Little Bit had been boggled by the idea of snow drifts taller than her brother. Seeing snow drifts covering whole buildings had her amazed.

And excited. She threw herself into sledding and playing and just tramping though the snow with her usual full momentum. And, as usual, being little miss fearless in it too.

Only two major oops for me the entire day -

1) I spent WAY more effort making sure Little Bit was dressed properly for the weather than I did to make sure I was. As a result, well, my feet may thaw next week.....

2) Walking out of the visitors centre, I took a nasty spill on the ice. Nasty enough that when the back of my head hit the ice, my glasses flew off. I was more concerned making sure Little Bit wasn't scared by my fall - but it was NOT fun. I suspect some not-to-fun bruises are going to show up, and my back, hips, and neck hurt like hell.

Comments

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

What were the road conditions like? I was at Carbon River (http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/carbon-and-mowich.htm) today, and they were a heck of a lot better than they were about three weeks ago [g].

I do hope your injuries wind up hurting much less than you think they will.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Road conditions were fine. The only problem I had was in the visitor centre parking lot - front wheel drive, and both front tyres were on ice. I ended up putting it into gear and pushing it out until it started to roll on it's own.

Speaking of the visitors centre, what a lovely example of 1960's modern design. I understand why they want to build a new one that's more in keeping with the design of the inn there, (plus the fact that the current structure burns though fuel for the snow melt system on the roof), but it's a shame they plan to tear it down.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

It always reminded me of a flying saucer. I am 123% I'm not the only one [g]. Unfortunately, it's had problems almost from the day it was built, and it is decidedly not "parkitecture."

Glad to hear about the roads. I figured with the snow amounts they've had lately that they might still be pretty much a disaster. I might have to make a day trip up soon, then.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Well, the roads only reopened on the 14th.........

Yeah, it looks like a flying saucer. Part of it's charm, (and the observation deck, wow!!) I see their reasons, but the new one doesn't have the same feel that the old one does.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

No, it doesn't, but I've always felt that it looked out of place. Then again, I spent most of my childhood summers in the national parks, and the only other building I've seen in any of them that strikes me as anywhere near as out of place in its location is the lookout on top of Clingman's Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (http://www.visitusa.com/tennessee/images/clingmansdomepic.jpg).

I'm a Parkitecture purist [g] -- http://www.nps.gov/history/hdp/exhibits/parkitect/ -- and I probably always will be. My ideal for buildings in the national parks is the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone (http://www.nps.gov/history/hdp/exhibits/parkitect/lodg/yell02.htm).