Fun Days In Mount Rainier National Park.
Established in 1899, Mount Rainier National Park is America’s 5th designated National Park. Rainier is the tallest mountain in all of the Northwest Cascade Range, coming in at a whopping 14,410 foot elevation. It also has 25 named glaciers, it receives over 2 million visitors a year, and is used as the North American training base for mountain climbers looking to train before climbing Mt. Everest. This mountain is rugged and has a series of ice caves that are being researched by NASA.
This National Park offers so many different types of experiences and can be enjoyed by all skill levels, from designated campgrounds to overnight backpack hiking. There are also many easy paved trails as well as strenuous hikes up to peaks that lead to phenomenal views. You will need to have a permit for any overnight camping that is not in a campground. The famous 93 mile Wonderland Trail not only needs you to have a permit to hike but you are only allowed to overnight camp in designated areas along the way.
I learned that the earlier you reserve a campsite within the park the better. We were not lucky enough to get a campsite within the Park on the scheduled days we were visiting but all worked out despite my failure to plan appropriately. We brought along the teardrop trailer and were lucky enough to find a camp spot just outside the South side entrance to the park on a random forest road.
Once we located our campspot, we unhitched the teardrop , set up a few camp basics, then headed into the park. Since we were heading into the park from the Stevens Canyon Entrance that made the Paradise area the closest to explore. First stop was the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center, what an informative place. Next Stop was the parking area for Pinnacle Peak which sits across from reflection lake. We came here to size up Pinnacle Peak because tomorrow we're going to hike up this bad boy.
Grove of the Patriarchs.
Heading back to our camp we did stop and hiked the easy Grove of the Patriarchs trail. This trail is a simple 1.3 mile loop with a suspension bridge and some huge thousand-year-old Douglas-Fir and Western Red Cedar trees. This trail is easy for all ages, even the youngest little hikers will love it.
Pinnacle Peak
This hike is only 2.5 miles round trip but it can take 2-3 hours to complete. Pinnacle Peak is situated in the middle of the Tatoosh Range and is its third highest peak. With over a 1,050 feet in elevation gain on this trail you’ll be in for a workout. Pinnacle Peak sits at an elevation of 6,562 feet. Thank goodness the end of the trail is at the saddle portion, which sits at an elevation of only 5,920 feet. No big deal, yeah right! On this day we were not gifted with clear skies or glorious views but at the top the accomplishment felt just as sweet. I may be over 50 but I’m still spry and as every year passes I get more grit added to my mindset. With this being said, tomorrow’s hike of the Burroughs Mountain trail is going to bring me up close to Mount Rainier, and I’m going to need all my grit after today's tough hike.
Sunrise
Up until now most of our time has been on the south side of the Park but today we are heading to the Sunrise area which sits in the Northeast side of this National Park. Sunrise sits at 6,400 feet. This is the highest point a car can drive along in the park. The road to Sunrise is only open 3-4 months out of the year starting in late June early July to late September early October. Due to the short access window of time, this portion of the park can be very busy, if possible try to come here mid-week.
2nd Burroughs Mountain
This trail is a 6.0 mile loop with 1,200 foot elevation gain and it can take 3-4 hours to complete. From the picnic area you start this hike by following the Sourdough Ridge trail then at the junction close to Frozen Lake you follow the signs for Burroughs Mountain then return via the Sunrise Rim trail. I didn’t make great time on this trail, honestly, I was terribly sore from the previous day on Pinnacle Peak. However, I felt like I could just reach out and touch Mount Rainier, I have never felt so close in distance to something so powerful. At times along the trail I gave myself the hebegebees more than once, just by acknowledging that Mount Rainier is an active volcano. I have respect for something so natural that has the potential to cause great harm. This trail runs through subalpine meadows and can still be icy or snowy in July. Always be cautious and keep your eyes open for wildlife, I was hoping to see Mountain Goats out on the trail but it wasn’t meant to be on this trip.
There is so much more of Mount Rainier National Park than I have shared. I hope to return again. I leave this National Park wanting more and realizing two days just isn’t enough.
“the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the Alpine gardens I have ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings”
