| Tips and photos for Mount Rainier National Park vacations and tourism, posted by real travelers and Mount Rainier National Park locals. Mount Rainier National Park Map |
 | Mount Rainier National Park General Tips | Tips 1 - 10 of 73 |  |
http://www.nps.gov/mora/ has the latest information on trail/road/mountain closures. It's important to check this before making any trip to the mountain. There can be closures for any number of reasons at any time of year (fires, mudslides, snow, flooding, bears, volcanic activity, etc.).
Enjoy your trip!! Leave a Comment
|
 A view of Mt. Rainier by lennywoods
Glaciers
Hikes
Sunset
Amazing views from Seatle and Tacoma Leave a Comment
|
 riverrafting by MartinaHLeave a Comment
|
This area is located in the northwestern part of the park and can be reach from a small place called Wilkeson on Highway 165. Here you can also find a Visitor Centre where you can get permits and information. The highway here turns into a gravel road, so you might need a car with high clearance. The road floods frequently, so make sure you check before you go to visit this area. This area has several hiking trails and beautiful lakes, it is also the area with the heaviest rainfall in the park.
In this area there are some choices of trails as well such as:
*Carbon River Rain Forest Nature Trail: 0.3 miles loop trail which takes about 20 minutes to complete
*Chenuis Falls Trail: 0.4 miles which takes about 30 minutes to complete
*Tolmie Peak Trail: 6.5 miles which takes about 4 hours to complete Leave a Comment
|
 the view from Shriner in early
am w/ bear grass by richiecdisc
The hike would prove a bit of a trudge and anti-climatic but its rewards sweet. After a hot and oddly dusty uphill climb, we found the small backcountry camp empty. We grabbed a spot with a view of the mountain and enjoyed a spectacular sunset on Mount Adams. Only the mosquitoes kept it from being absolute paradise. Oh, and the lack of water. This camp was without a creek but luckily there was still ample snow. We cooked up what we needed to make dinner but hadn't really made up as much as we should have to drink. Doreen wound up getting a massive headache during the night and I had to fetch the aspirin from the bear pole in the dark, no fun endeavor.
At that latitude in July, the nights are not long and before I knew it, the first rays of the sun were making Rainer glow red. With such a great spot, we could see it from our tent. Not content, I rushed over to a patch of bear grass I had sized up the afternoon before. The peak was almost completely clear but some lingering clouds hindered the rising sun's full strength from the east. I tried my best to pray them away but if every day was perfect, perfection would be less special. It was an incredible sight nonetheless and probably a nicer one than those closer to the peak. From this vantage point, it was close enough to get great shots but far enough away to still see the perspective of its massiveness. Thanks to some late season snow, we were led to this spot by the park's great rangers who said it was one of their favorite views of what is, even for them, a very special peak. Perfect every day in its own special way. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
 some of the late
lingering snow at Rainier
in 2008 by richiecdisc
My fears were confirmed when speaking with park rangers at Rainier who explained that the first group had just completed the Wonderland Trail, a full month later than is normally the case. That group was very experienced and had done the trek previously. With so much snow, there was, in fact, not much of a trail. Hiking through snow necessitated great navigational skills but nothing beats knowing the terrain first hand as this group obviously did. My heart sank a little less when the helpful rangers explained that while much of the park was still inaccessible, there were a few hikes just opening up that afforded great views of Rainier. Of course, if Rainier was visible.
The ride up to its namesake National Park was surprisingly devoid of such views. Rainier was absent from the landscape and I questioned my memories filled with such on my first approach to the area some 15 years prior. After setting up camp in an amazingly lush forest, we went for a drive that proved once and for all that Rainier could never be predicted when it appeared right before us as if magically released from a secret compartment enshrouding it. It was so clear, I swore it could not possibly cloud up over night but, of course, that it did. For two days, Rainier was not on our horizon so we enjoyed the Paradise Visitor Center and waterfalls that dot the park's scenic drive while planning what we would do when it cleared. (continued below in Fondest Memory) Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 open for panorama by richiecdisc
The next morning, we broke down camp just as it got light. The overnight hike we had planned was short and there was no need to start it early but we noticed a spot called Reflection Lakes on the park map that we would pass en route to the trail head. On our way, we had many great views of Rainier in very nice light. It was hard to not stop for photos at every turn but the promise of a reflective shot of this incredible mountain was too strong to squander it.
A photographer was already breaking down as we arrived. I feared we were too late but a mirror was soon before me, and in it was one beautiful sight: Mount Rainier. If it is at all possible, the reflection was even more stunning than the peak itself. The two together, with a few wildflowers for good measure was breathtaking. I kept expecting to wake up in my sleeping bag, no camera in hand, in a cold sweat. But no, it was really happening and while an hour later than I would have liked, the light was still not half bad. I snapped greedily and with glee. (concluded below in Fondest Memory) Leave a Comment
|
| | |
More Mount Rainier National Park Tips |
More Mount Rainier National Park Travel Deals Brand New Rainier Cabin
Custom Built in 2004 Sleeps 6 Last Minute Specials Save $30 Washington Hotels
Hotel Photos, Info & Virtual Tours Find the Hotel You Want at Expedia! Hotels
Come Find The Top Apartment Rentals In Your Area. Visit Us Now! Sponsored Links
Local Merchants in Mount Rainier National Park
|
