![]() The grandeur of old growth forest here is breathtaking. After crossing Cayuse Pass, I head toward the southeast corner of the park, where I stop and take off on a hiking trail. I drive along the northeast side of the park, looking for trails and admiring the abundant waterfalls - 150 are in the park, which hosts five major rivers. This splendid park that bears the mountain’s name truly offers something for everyone in every season. Remote, roadless camping experiences are available, as are trails and services easily accessed directly off the maintained road system. Two inns are located in the park, along with three car camping areas and numerous wilderness camping sites.Ĭlimbing the mountain requires some training and expertise, but all park visitors have access to 260 miles of hiking trails, snowshoeing, skiing, fields filled with late summer wildflowers and the chance to enjoy a view of Mount Rainier while sipping a cold beverage on the porch at Longmire Inn. Still, I know it’s there, tantalizing in its elusiveness.įive entrances lead into Mount Rainier National Park, a 369-square-mile reserve about 60 miles southeast of Seattle, and the park offers five developed areas (Longmire, Paradise, Ohanapecosh, Sunrise and Carbon River Mowich) that make good bases for exploring. As I drive my rental car past the rows of towering fir trees that line the last stretch of highway before entering Mount Rainier National Park’s White River entrance, the mountain remains hidden behind a blanket of clouds, which is not uncommon. I’m here to explore the lower reaches of the park for the first time, to experience regions I’ve never seen - and I have no idea what to expect. On this day in June, I’m not here to climb. The mountain’s majestic alpine environment makes it the perfect mountaineering training ground for the Himalaya range, and it’s a stunning peak to climb. Whitney, in the Sierra Nevada at the eastern border of Sequoia National Park in California, rises 84 feet higher, but Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the Lower 48, boasting 25 major glaciers and countless unnamed permanent snow and ice fields. The mountain has taught me about risk, reward, responsibility and consequences, and when I look up at the ice falls, crevasses, rock and snow on Mount Rainier, I see a friend, a mentor and a powerful mountain that I view with respect and reverence.Īt 14,410 feet, the mountain lost out to Mount Whitney for the title of highest peak in the contiguous U.S. Still, Rainier was the starting point, and it’s here that I’ve experienced some of the most intense emotional highs and lowest lows. Since then, I’ve led expeditions around the world, and high, glaciated mountains are where I feel most at home, most comfortable. As an aspiring mountaineer some 25 years ago, my first climb to the summit inspired me to pursue mountain guiding as a profession. Mount Rainier, truly an icon of the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade Range, holds a special place in my heart and soul. My emotions well up, and my mind unexpectedly floods with memories. Many times, over many years, I’ve driven along Washington State Route 410 out of Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park, but this trip is different. INSPIRATION PARK PROFESSIONALFor the first time, a professional climber chooses to explore the lower elevations. ![]()
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