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Washington State is crammed with vertical topography, but when locals mention
"The Mountain," there's no mistaking which peak they're referring to.
At 14,411 feet, Mount Rainier is without peer in this part of the world. It
towers 8,000 feet above surrounding Cascades peaks, and is such a behemoth that
it creates its own weather.
Mount
Rainier in the rich glow of dawn.
Photo
© John Clet Jones, Greater West Images
Every year some 2 million people wend up onto Rainier's flanks. Most drive up
twisty mountain roads to gape at sublime natural scenes: the summit cone, stark
against a cobalt-blue sky; subalpine meadows spangled with summer wildflowers;
steep-walled valleys scored into the mountain's flanks by glaciers — 25 of
which still tumble down the mountain. Many visitors explore no further, but
those hungry for adventure and wild places will find them by stepping off into
the park's vast backcountry.
Even a short hike trades the crowds in for a wilderness of huge, ancient
trees; alpine glades; icy-cold, tumbling streams; and ancient glaciers. And in
winter, Rainier draws crowds nearly equivalent to those in summer — the
cross-country skiing and snowshoeing around Longmire and Paradise are that good.
Climb to
the Summit
Taking in the vast views from atop Rainier's summit cone has been a rite of
passage for North American climbers for more than a century, and nearly 9,000
hopefuls attempt the peak each summer. About half make it — clearly, this is a
climb that delivers more challenge than many people are prepared for. Most
ascents begin at Paradise, and involve climbing across rocky slopes and up steep
snowfields to the Camp Muir hut for a short night's sleep before an early
morning assault on the peak itself. From Camp Muir, the route mounts the spires
of Cathedral Rocks, crossing the upper crevasses of Ingraham Glacier, then
climbs near-vertically up the summit snowfields to Columbia Crest, Mount
Rainier's highest peak. For those not steeped in mountaineering experience and
technical climbing skill, sign on with a mountaineering service.
Drive the
Road to Paradise
Enter the park at Nisqually Entrance and the Paradise road cleaves a dense,
towering canyon of thick fir forests — there's little visual evidence that you
are on the flanks of the Northwest's highest peak. Your first close-up views of
Rainier come at historic Longmire, the park's center for winter sports. From
there the road steepens, switchbacking past volcanic outcrops and thundering
glacial streams. Elevation gains rapidly, the trees thin, and traffic-stopping
vistas open up, with Mounts St. Helens, Hood, and Adams incising the horizon.
The high point, literally and figuratively, comes at Paradise; the views
from here are astonishing. The stark white summit cone of Mount Rainier half
fills the sky. Massive Nisqually Glacier chokes a wide cleft in the volcano's
flank. Colorful wildflowers bend in the breeze, filling meadow after meadow with
vivid, unexpected color. And the elegantly rustic Paradise Inn, an enormous
stone and log lodge, surveys this wondrous landscape.
Hike amid
the Wildflowers
Even the briefest visit to Mount Rainier demands a walk through the subalpine
and alpine meadows of Paradise or Sunrise, filled with wild asters, daisies,
orchids, cinquefoil, and heather. Perhaps the most scenic of the many trails
that begin at Paradise is Skyline Trail, which climbs through wildflower
meadows and across snowfields and scree slopes to Panorama Point. Along the way,
look for yellow glacier lilies, marsh marigolds, western anemones, and purple
shooting stars. At Sunrise, the high-flying Burroughs Mountain Trail quickly
climbs up from subalpine meadows to rocky ridges and seemingly barren pockets
where a true alpine ecosystem — with tiny wind-whipped plants, pikas, and
marmots — stubbornly holds on to seasonal life.
Explore
the Grove of the Patriarchs
Far in spirit from the primeval ice-age world of Paradise, Rainier's Ohanapecosh
district is a preserve of rushing waters and dense old-growth forest in the
park's southeast corner. Some of the largest trees in the park — many more
than 1,000 years old — preside over these brooding woodlands. The Grove of
the Patriarchs, a collection of forest giants — huge Douglas firs and
Western red cedars mostly — on an island in the Ohanapecosh River, is reached
by bridge along a popular trail that starts near the Steven's Canyon Entrance
Station. (Look out for the banana slugs.) At the Ohanapecosh Visitors Center,
exhibits tell the story of the lowland forest ecosystem, where Douglas fir,
western hemlock, and red cedar trees reign supreme.
Camp and
Paddle at Mowich Lake
In the quiet northwest corner of the park, the Carbon River area is a preserve
of misty woodlands and deep-channeled rivers. The hemlocks, red cedars, and
Douglas firs in this temperate rain forest are cloaked in foot-long strands of
dripping moss; ladyfern and other plants sprout from the trunks and branches of
living trees. Decaying logs along the forest floor provide home for a multitude
of wood-eating insects, lichens, and ferns. Amphibians such as Pacific tree
frogs and various kinds of salamanders are abundant, along with insect-eating
birds like woodpeckers. And up the road from this uniquely lush environment is Mowich
Lake, which offers stunning views of the glaciered face of Mount Rainier and
is a favorite with backcountry campers and paddlers.
Backpack
the Wonderland Trail
The ultimate Mount Rainier hiking experience, the Wonderland Trail loops around
the mountain, a distance of 93 miles. The trail crosses glacier-fed rivers and
passes through varied terrain, including alpine and subalpine meadows, dense
forest, and rocky barrens. The trail involves some strenuous climbs and
descents. A full traverse of the Wonderland Trail takes a minimum of 10 days.
Any trip involving overnight camping in the backcountry requires a permit,
available free from any ranger station.
Skiing in
Paradise
Mount Rainier is one of the snowiest places on earth. In 1972, Paradise received
94 feet of snow, a world record. Obviously, this is a place well suited for snow
sports. The National Park Inn at Longmire offers ski rentals, and remains open
for lodging and dining year round. The road from Longmire to Paradise is plowed
all winter (chains are frequently required). The broad snow-laden meadows at
Paradise are especially appealing to ski and snowshoe enthusiasts. The gentle
ridges and broad plateaus at the base of the peak provide great snow conditions
with unequaled views across half the Northwest. |
