Box Canyon

We started the hike at Box Canyon.  This is a popular stop by the road, for it is unusual.  The Canyon has been carved by the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River through a fissure in the rock.  If you look carefully, you can see a rushing river 100' below the bridge running through a channel 5 feet wide.  

(Geology buffs can learn an overiew from the Box Canyon geocache or can do a deep dive in the Roadside Geology of Mount Rainier.)  

This section of the Wonderland trail goes down into Steven's Canyon, so naturally, we went up some switchbacks to pass over the road over the tunnel.  I was wary when the first switchback we encountered had a little stream running through it.  I thought that foreshadowed a muddy day on the trail, but I was wrong.  The trail was in great condition, almost completely dry, and clear of all snow.  
The trail paralleled Box Canyon for awhile before it took a right turn as we descended into Steven's Creek Canyon.  And thus, at 9:15am on July 10th, we were on our way.  

Of course, every beginning has to have the obligatory "I was here" photo.