View of Mount Rainier during an overflight auctioned off by Washington's National Park Fund/WNPF

Editor's note: Most of us spend our time looking up at our mountains. Often we reach a vista, or sometimes a peak, moving forward while jutting our chins toward the sky. The rare occasion is one where we get to look down at the majesty. With that in mind, the following dispatch comes from Washington's National Park Fund.

Every year in April at Washington’s National Park Fund’s auction, guests wildly compete for some of the most unique experiences to be found west of the Mississippi, all in support of Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic national parks. Items such as ‘Grab Your Wetsuits and Swim Up the Elwha to Count Salmon,’ ‘Follow a Wilderness Ranger for a Day (Flat Hat NOT Included…),’ ‘Behind the Scenes of a Search & Rescue at Mount Rainier,’ or ‘Archaeology in the Olympic Mountains’ are just a few of adventures to be had. Here are two stories we gathered from last year’s event, and both took place above our mountains:

A Scenic Flight Over Olympic National Park for up to Three People was offered by pilot Howard Johnson, member of the board of directors of the American Bonanza Society, the world's largest community of Beechcraft owners and enthusiasts. “I find it fascinating that, like most giving, you tend to get more than you give when you donate a gift. I recently had that pleasure when I donated a scenic flight to Washington’s National Park Fund.”

What better way to get an aerial view of the national parks in Washington than a small plane?/WNPF

The winning bidder, Jamie, contacted him to schedule her flight and she specifically chose Olympic since she had lived in an historic beach cabin on the Strait of Juan de Fuca over 50 years ago. She had also hiked and fly fished the park extensively over the years, before the Elwha dams came down. She and Howard touched base to scope out good weather forecasts leading up to the flight. Jamie’s excitement bubbled over as she arrived at the hangar with a gift of freshly smoked Northwest King Salmon and a giant backpack full of photographic gear. And she literally busted out with joy when she laid eyes on Echo Charlie, the V-tail aircraft.

After a walk-around and briefing, she hopped into the back seat to get the best position for photos. “We had a beautiful trip flying the shoreline on the Strait and then up the Elwha River canyon at 6,000 to 9,000 feet, Jamie snapping photos and taking videos all the way,“ said Howard. “Seeing the site of the largest dam removal project in history was breath-taking.” Jamie’s note afterward sums up the flight:

Howard,

Wow! What a magnificent flight to the Elwha river today!! Thank you for all the masterful tipping of the wings so I could get divine photos of Freshwater Bay and the river valley with the Olympics shining behind in all their glory. Absolute Heaven, and a memory I will not forget!

Wishing you and your family a wonderful summer in OUR Northwest.

Gratefully, Jamie

A different perspective was found by board member, Jim Gilchrist, when he grabbed the winning bid for Take a Private Flight over Mount Rainier, North Cascades or Olympic National Park. He chose Mount Rainier.

“This is one of the best bargains at the auction and this was the fourth time I had purchased a flight. All of the pilots are friends of the parks and donate their flying time and expense to the fund to raise money for our parks at the auction.”

The flight was for four people (including the pilot), so Gilchrist invited two friends. With four people’s schedules and the need for good weather, it was hard to coordinate, but after several tries they flew out on September 27 from Paine Field in Everett, Washington.

“Approaching from the north, we flew 1,000 feet above the ground clockwise around Mount Rainier. John Newhoff, a WNPF board member, was our pilot. He knew every hiking trail and promontory, and could point them out before we could recognize them from the air," recalled Gilchrist. "As we flew over Grand Park on the north side of the mountain, we realized it had an up-close, unobstructed view of the entire north face and we vowed to hike to it in the near future. Next, we saw the trail from Paradise to Camp Muir (at 10,188 feet) beaten in the snow by many climbers. Muir seemed very, very small.”

A flight over Olympic National Park offered a great perspective of the mouth of the Elwha River/WNPF

You can bid for your own flight, or donate to Washington's National Park Fund some other way, during its annual spring auction set for Saturday, April 13, at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion. Check the organization's website for additional details.