Thursday, July 9, 2015

Mount Rainier Has Lost Its Glaciers With The Skagit River Drying Up While B.C. Burns


I saw that which you see here yesterday on Facebook via Sister Chris. I was puzzled as to what mountain this was, with the comments being made making me think it was Mount Rainier, which I did not think possible, what with Mount Rainier always covered in the icy white of multiple glaciers.

I was then informed that this is indeed the current status of Mount Rainier.

The only Washington volcano I have ever seen minus its perpetual white glacier cover is Mount Saint Helens. And that was due to that volcano erupting and melting its frozen cover.

Way back in December of 2000 I drove from Texas back to Washington. The route north was Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, then home. This was a big mistake. Hazardous icy driving in Kansas, Wyoming, Utah and especially Oregon, where I skidded out of control at one point.

So, when it was time to head back to Texas I decided to head south via I-5, where the only possible bad snow zone would be Southern Oregon and Northern California. Turned out, due to that period's drought, there was no treacherous snow driving.

What was memorable on that drive south was the condition of Mount Shasta. It was looking like Mount Rainier looks now. Stripped of most of its icy white cover. I'd driven by Mount Shasta dozens of times. It was shocking to see it looking naked.

In one of the Facebook comments replying to my bum puzzlement about this being Mount Rainier, Spencer Jack's dad had this to tell me....

Durango Jones, you would be shocked to see the little creek formally known as the Skagit River.

I need photo documentation of the current state of the Skagit River. Spencer Jack, if you are reading this could you drive your dad down to the river and take a few pictures?

I have read multiple first hand accounts of the smoke that has wafted over Washington, on both sides of the mountains. Something like 70 wildfires are blazing up in British Columbia. The smoke is so thick that it caused the temperature on both sides of the mountains to drop.

Below is a screen cap regarding the B.C. fires from a couple days ago.


I don't remember where I got the above, but wherever it was people were commenting who obviously did not live in Washington where one is used to British Columbia being referred to as B.C., because more than one person said that upon first glance they thought how could wildfires from 70 B.C. be burning now, or something like that....

1 comment:

Steve A said...

Now, people are worried about fires in the Olympic Rain Forest. I think a big fraction of Seattle went to Ocean Shores last weekend.