Seattle's waterfront is bustling with tourists. Fisherman's Wharf, Pike's Place Market and the surrounding streets are a picture takers paradise. People from around the world speaking every imaginable language blend with the sights and sounds of the Pacific Northwest's largest city.
Seattle is surrounded by snow covered mountain tops even in the summer. Probably the most famous and recognizable landmark in the entire state of Washington, Mount Rainier is also one of the more gorgeous mountains in the entire United States of America. Mount St. Helens is most notorious for its catastrophic eruption in 1980 which was the deadliest and most destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. From Steve's brother's patio on Alki Point (facing north) we can see the Olympic and Cascade ranges across Puget Sound. Ferry boats carrying passengers and vehicles cross paths with fishing and sailboats on The Sounds interconnected waterways.
Steve's daughter Amie (and friend Danny) joined us for a Gondola ride on Mt Rainer, traveling over meadows and ski runs to the summit of Crystal Mountain. A winter ski resort, it is also a breathtaking attraction in the summer with views of Mt Rainier and the Cascade Mountain range. Summit House restaurant is perched at 6,872 feet and the highest restaurant in the U.S. This restaurant however, is a ski chalet and all they served was Chile and beverages. So we grabbed a beer and and a lounge chair and enjoyed a fabulous view!
This was my favorite day of my trip to Seattle. Thank you Amie and Danny for a great day, well 2 great days actually but this one was special. From the drive through the mountains to the pub grub and drinks at the end it was just perfect.