When you reach the Paradise visitor center at Mt. Rainier, you get this amazing view of the surrounding mountains and countryside. It's very hard to describe. Like your looking at a picture in a magazine, you can take everything in; your brain registers the mountains, grass, clouds, flowers, etc, etc... but it's all very unreal... It's like you are just on the cusp of being able to grasp the enormity of it all, but not quite.

Coincidentally, this was one of my favorite pics from the trip to Washington. I printed it out as a 16x20 and have it hanging (with two others from that trip) above my bed.
Mount Rainier: Stevens Creek Falls, Summer 2011.
Mt. Rainier
A 3-shot hand held panorama of Mt. Rainier from the Fremont Trail at Sunrise.
Mt. Rainier
A 3-shot hand held panorama of Mt. Rainier from the Fremont Trail at Sunrise.
The start of alpine glow on Mt. Rainier on a winter day as seen from the paradise Visitor Center.
Mt. Rainier on a winter day as seen from the paradise Visitor Center.
Mt. Rainier and Kautz Creek taken 30 minutes after sunset.
Mt. Rainier and night as seen from Dogwood Park near Eatonville, WA.
Sunrise at Sunrise
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier: Stevens Creek Falls, Summer 2011.
Mount Rainier: Stevens Creek Falls, Summer 2011.
Mount Rainier: Stevens Creek Falls, Summer 2011.
See photo in original gallery.