The Climbing Season Starts at Mount Rainier

Get ready, get set...the climbing ranger season has begun!

Climbing rangers are now staffing Camp Muir and the information desk at the Jackson Visitor Center (which is now open daily) to issue climbing permits.

Here's the current schedule for the JVC and for climbing information:

JVC Schedule May 3 -- June 6
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Saturdays, when it opens at 6 a.m.

Climbing rangers staff the JVC on weekends in May from 6 a.m to noon Saturday

Note that you can get a climbing permit at the JVC when it is open, even if the climbing rangers aren't there to issue it. Also, while the NPS transitions from winter to spring weather (there is still 5 feet snow in Longmire), be sure to call ahead for weather and road conditions.

To get you pumped about the upcoming good weather, we've posted a few new trip reports, featuring the Fuhrer Finger and Gib Ledges, and one about the ever-popular Muir Snowfield.

Elsewhere you can read about David Brown and Hannah Carrigan's trip up Gib Ledges and ski descent down the Kautz Glacier, as well as a trip report from Kyle Miller and Scott Stuglemyer about their splitboard expedition to Fay Peak - during which they dug out the Mowich Lake ranger station along the way (thanks guys!)
(Photo of Fay Peak ascent by Kyle Miller)

Picture tour of Colmar old town and some trivias

The well-preserved medieval town centre of Colmar is gorgeous! The city is dubbed as the ‘capital of Alsatian wine’ in the region. When in Alsace, I strongly believe a visit to Colmar is a must, and the only way to enjoy this lovely place is to wander off on its cobble-stone streets and appreciate its fairytale-like architecture. The old town is not so big so getting lost is not really such a bad idea. Go for it! =)



Colmar Old Town







While I was discovering Colmar on foot, I was really mesmerised by the stunning architecture and the well-looked-after picture-perfect environment. Oh wow, it felt like France and Germany just collided in front of me! Are my eyes and ears playing tricks on me? I am seeing German half-timbered framed houses but hearing French spoken on the streets. Help, where am I really? Haha.



This feeling of displacement you know was present the whole time during the extended weekend trip in Alsace last April, not just in Colmar.



As for the food here, they are a lovely mix of both French and German cuisine, as well as the wine. It’s fantastic. Some of Alsace’s dishes and pastries are named in German with some tweaking a bit in the spelling to make it French-friendly. They are not that obsessive enough to translate everything here to French. An example is the typical bundt cake of the region called ‘Kougelhopf’. While some of the local fares served and advertised at restaurants are actually German dishes as well but translated into French, such as the ‘Choucroute’ (that’s sauerkraut sounding haute cuisine).



It’s one of those few places in France where you feel you are not really in France.















Colmar Trivias



So I have a few Colmar trivia items to share!



Trivia 1: Did you know that the Carolingian Emperor Charles the Fat held a diet here in Colmar in 884?



OK, before you start laughing, a diet is actually a political assembly, but I have no idea why he is called Charles the Fat, perhaps he is indeed fat. History lesson aside, I just thought this is so funny!

















Trivia 2: Did you know that there is a treasure hidden and buried by the Jews in Colmar during the Black Death epidemic in Europe (circa 14th century)? The treasure was only discovered in 1863.



The Black Death was estimated to have caused about 30%-60% of deaths in Europe. It took a century and a half for the continent to recover its lost population. The treasure was called Colmar Treasure or Colmar Hoard. The treasure includes silver and gold coins, silver furniture and silver and gold jewellery.













Trivia 3: Did you know that Pierre Herme of the lip-smacking Pierre Herme pastries (especially his famous macarons), was born here?



Trivia 4: Did you know that Colmar has 3 Michelin-starred restaurants?



For such a small town, they have 3! Well done. All 3 restaurants have 1-star Michelin. They are JY’S, L’atelier du Peintre and Le Rendez-vous de Chasse where I had dinner on my first night.















So that’s it for Colmar folks! Bisous =)



Previous Colmar entries:



Hotel tales and the Statue of Liberty in Colmar

Colmar's picturesque 'Litte Venice' (aka Petit Venise)

Arriving in Colmar and dining at starred restaurant 'Le Rendez-vous de Chasse'

Overview and map of Alsace Wine Route Villages

Daily scenes of Santiago de Cuba’s pedestrian zones and street markets

Blondine and I were so glad to have discovered the pedestrian lane—Calle Jose Saco. We were literally harassed, walking on the narrow and busy streets of the city, such as the chaotic Calle Heredia where you practically walk side by side with pedestrians, bikes and vehicles as well. These are very poorly maintained vintage cars and old trucks blowing out very thick clouds of black smoke. The horrid air pollution was making me dizzy and I could feel the grime gumming on my skin. I know it is only a matter of minutes that I will catch allergy.



If I was to be re-born again, I would ask for a super power skin where no amount of bad environmental elements can make me itch, sore or fly off the handle. Seriously. It is not easy having very sensitive skin.



Anyways, oblivious to our surroundings, Blondine and I walked as fast as we could to get out of this traffic, noise and pollution madness. We just want to reach the corner of the street and turn to somewhere where we can breathe. We need fresh air so bad! Luckily the corner is a plaza.



Here, we came upon ‘Plaza de Marte’ and discovered the local Starbucks of the city—Café Mama Ines. In front of the plaza is ‘Calle Jose Saco’, the only pedestrian main and big street in Santiago de Cuba. However, it is only a pedestrian street between 9AM and 9PM.



Calle Jose Saco is a very lively and colourful street adorned with shops, cafeterias, fast food windows and beautiful colonial crumbling (as usual) architecture. There are street markets as well located on the parallel streets. Moreover, here at Calle Saco we can now inhale normal air while walking the streets (of Santiago de Cuba)!







Window kiosks selling fastfood such as Cuban sandwiches and pizza are very popular in Cuba.











Papaya's are great medicine when you experience constipation.





Taro but we call this 'gabi' in Cebuano which is a popular vegetable in the Visayas region of the Philippines.







There are many locals cafeterias such as this that are subsidised by the government.







Cubans like it colourful.











This is Plaza Marte with the Column of Independence and statue of Jose Marti.









This is between Calle Jose Maria Heredia and Calle Francisco Vicente Aguilera, the nook by the Barcardi Museum:









Cuban dolls are usually black.







Happy vendor because Blondine bought something from him!



And this is Plaza Dolores. This area is very popular for night life in the city. Lots of bars, cafe terraces and restaurants rings the plaza.







Moi, souvenir shot in front of Plaza Dolores.