Sunset at Sunrise

(pic from livingwilderness.com by Kevin Ebi)
Why is it that when you see the most spectacular sunset of your life you don't have a camera? I'm convinced that there is a cosmic rule that in order to see wonderous sights you must forget your camera at home. Last week I saw a bear about 20 yards away from me when I was hiking from Longmire to Paradise. Did I have a camera? Of course not. Because that's the rule. So, I am borrowing the above pic so you can see a glimmer of the inspiring sunset I saw.
The sunset I saw was even better than the picture. There where no clouds and so much more purple. It was fantastic. I shared this wonderful sight with Bogdon, a Romanian, I met at 6 o'clock that morning, who of course forgot his camera as well. We headed to Sunrise on the east side of the mountain, early last Monday morning, to help close the gift shop for the season. After work we hiked 4 miles to sit atop a ridge just below Mt. Rainier. So picture a 14,000 foot snow covered mountain (there's a lot more snow on the mtn on the east side at Sunrise) just to the left of the picture and to the right a wide lush valley, with the Cascade Mountains a silouette beyond the valley. The bright, perfect half moon pinned up behind us. We agreed that even from opposites sides of the world it was the most beautiful, natural sight either of us had ever seen. Believe it or not, it gets better. Just minutes after a skitish, little field mouse reveals itself from under a rock next to our feet, a preditor bird begins to circle above our heads then disappears. Moments later, the bird returns with it's mate and we realize they are OWLS!! We must have been sitting in a favorite and prosperous hunting spot. They continued to circle above our heads waiting for us to leave so they could engage in their idea of fine dining. That poor mouse was probably digested before we hiked to the bottom of the ridge. Of course, this beautiful experience had it's downfall. We had to hike the 4 miles back to Sunrise in the blackness of night. Everytime the flashlight caught a shadow I jumped thinking it was a bear. Bogdon didn't help matter because we started talking about how Dracula was from Romania and I was convienced that he was going to turn into a werewolf even though it was only a half moon. Then I was really hoping he would turn into anything carnivous when the bear attacked. Actually, I was laughing so hard at the idea of this slight youth turning into a bat or wolf that we were back at Sunrise safe and sound before I knew it.