BYE, BYE EELGRASS....HELLO BEARGRASS

After a considerable time away from hiking in the mountains....thanks to overdoing it last summer and ending up with a bum knee, Gretchen and I got back to the higher elevations on Wednesday.
Usually you can expect to see at least some images of Eelgrass on this blog...even a complete post on nothing but eelgrass but today it's Beargrass that takes its place in the list of "grass" that isn't grass.
It's a very important plant in the Pacific Northwest....check it out here:
 http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/news/2012/11/beargrass.shtml
While I've enjoyed any run in I've ever had with Beargrass, today was special just due to the number of plants on the short 3 mile hike around Naches Peak at Mount Rainier National Park.
See for yourself.  If you don't like Beargrass leave the post now.

Gretchen crosses treacherous snowfield

Gretchen wondering if my knee will hold up

NE side pond Naches Loop

Phlox

Beargrass

Beargrass lover

A few Beargrass

A few more Beargrass

few more

Gretchen of course

I don't care that they don't have much of a smell

Amazing image without lots of Beargrass

Beargrass heaven

Guess what this is...

Just a little in a sea of Beargrass

Perhaps there is someplace a nice as this in the Universe, but there is none better..