where did the summer go?....Mt.Hinman climb

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A rather brief backpacking season this summer with travel, wedding plans, and a lingering snowpack in the Cascades, but Becky and I knocked off Mt.Hinman a few weeks before the wedding.  The approach was longish, not particularly scenic, and once at treeline the mosquitoes were incredibly thick.  We kept climbing and climbing, hoping to eventually get above the bugs. Once above treeline the views opened up and the scenery was amazing...but the skeeters were still biting any exposed flesh.
Finally, just a few hundred vertical below the summit we found a small spot amongst the rocks to set up the tent that was above bug territory.
The evening was quiet, warm, and with a full moon it was a good opportunity to try some night photography.
Sunday morning we took the quick walk to the summit of Hinman and then reentered the buggy realm of the forest for the hike back out.

where did the summer go?.... Rainier turns

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In between too many work trips to Oakland this summer, I managed to get up to Rainier in August for some skiing on the Russell and Flett glaciers.... Becky would've joined me, but she had a cold, so it was a solo jaunt.  Skiable snow all the way down to treeline even in August.   Managed to get to the top of the Russell, just below 10,000ft...wasn't feeling all the fast but it was nice to get out.