Posted by:
schrodingerscat
(
)
Date: March 12, 2021 01:35PM
dagny Wrote:
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> That area is beautiful but I'd worry about being
> below a big dam.
>
> I'm sure not being LDS in that area was not fun.
>
> Thanks for the interesting Yellowstone YouTube!
I love volcanoes and can't live somewhere without them.
What I miss most about being away from home, is being able to orient myself to a big giant glaciated volcano, like Mt. Rainier, and all the other Volcanic peaks around here. I like knowing where I am in relation to the mountain, and the sea. When I go somewhere flat, like Texas or Oklahoma, it just feels like the energy is off. Something is just not right about not being able to see around you and know which direction you're headed, in relation to some fixed point in the distance.
I'm an architect and there's a book we all read in the first year of Architecture Undergrad, it's called, "Genius Loci: The Spirit of Place - towards a phenomenology of Architecture" It talks about the Ancient Roman Latin concept of "Genius Loci" or Spirit of Place (for lack of a better translation) the idea that each place has it's own spirit or "genius" phenomenology, it's own unique light, atmosphere, climate, flora, fauna, which influences human culture and expression. We can learn from that 'genius' or 'spirit' of that 'loci' Location, that place then we can respond to that genius, we can harmonize with it, strike a balance with it, between indoor and outdoor, and occupy and explore that zone in between.
There's a particular 'genius loci' that is really powerful every time I go to Mt. Rainier. We have a season pass and go there often throughout the year. And every time, there is this same feeling you get, this distinct powerful energy you feel coming from the mountain.
If you ever go to the top, it is like being on another planet. You don't suspect it. But it was different both times I was there, once when I was 18 and once 18 years ago. The first time I went, there was a forest of ice trees in the middle of the 1/4 mile across crater. Around the rim of the crater were black rocks that had steam coming up out between them and the ice in the crater. Some of the steam was so hot it would burn you. But some of the steam was warm and moist, like breath.
Some of the steam vents were so big you could walk upright down them 300ft below the ice forest above. Down there you'll find a luke warm lake, the highest lake in America, Lake Muriel,
suspended between the ice above and the fire beneath, that still rises to the surface.
http://www.highestlake.com/highest-lake-usa.html#:~:text=1.,Rainier.
Last time I was there, the forest was gone. It was just flat across the whole crater, but the steam caves were still steaming and warm like human breath, which was quite welcome on the windblown frigid summit. There was an elderly gentleman and his wife sitting on a blanket they had spread out for a picnic on top of the mountain with smoked salmon, cheese crackers and wine. I said to them, this looks like this is not your first time here. He looked at her lovingly and said, 'this is her 15th time.'
She looked back at him with a smile and said proudly, "this is his 50th time."
I told them they were my heroes.
They still are.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2021 01:52PM by schrodingerscat.