Tiger Summit

Running is the best therapy.

Especially when that running involves dogs, good friends, perfect weather and stunning views.

That's Mike posing with Finn at the summit of Tiger Mountain, looking south. Mt Rainier is in the background, just to the right of Mike's head, but you'll have to trust me - it was early morning, I was shooting almost into the sun, and the air was a bit hazy.

We knew what we were seeing. And it was gorgeous. Well worth the four mile climb.

Mike wrestling Finn into a pose (ha! good luck...) with a more southwesterly view in the background.

Finn does not pose happily, although he seemed to think being asked to jump up onto the bench several times was a good game. He's not allowed on the furniture at home, so this probably made him feel very adult.

It was a very warm morning. Probably 60F-plus at the bottom when we started at 8 AM, and there was clearly an inversion because the air got warmer the higher we went. I'm sure it was well into the 70s at the top. We were thankful to drop off the summit and back into some shade for the return trip. In the photo above, you can just barely see Mike (blue dot) motoring down the trail; Finn is mid-photo. Finn immersed himself in stream water whenever he found it; even he thought it was a tad warm.

Last weekend was full of rain, so this weather felt like an end-of-summer gift, not to be wasted.