Rainier Sunset Panorama
It was just me and a marmot on the summit of Burroughs Mountain admiring this view of Mount Rainier at sunset. The enormity of this mountain is humbling. Rainier is the most prominent peak in the lower US and the most glaciated containing rivers of ice up to 750 feet thick. This volcano is dormant, but not extinct, and it holds the potential for major destruction if it erupts. The greatest hazard wouldn't necessarily be a lava flow, but what's known as a "lahar." A lahar is a mud and debris flow caused by magma destabilizing the rock and rapidly melting snow and ice. These mudflows can travel many miles (as far as the Puget Sound) and signs in the campground warn visitors to head uphill in the event of an earthquake or a rumbling sound. After spending a week in Washington, this was the first sunset I saw that wasn't extremely smoky. It was a long hike back by headlamp, but the pictures were worth it.
- Copyright
- Kevin Palmer
- Image Size
- 12012x4004 / 12.2MB
- Keywords
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2018, Burroughs Mountain, Mount Rainier, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, alpine, august, blue, clouds, colorful, crescent, dusk, evening, gold, golden, kevin palmer, moon, national park, nikon d750, orange, panorama, panoramic, path, peak, rays, scenic, sky, snow, snow capped, stitched, summer, sunset, tamron 24-70mm f2.8, trail, view, volcano
- Contained in galleries
- Recent Work, Panoramas, Washington, Mount Rainier National Park
