Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range at 14,410 ft, and is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.  The volcano last erupted in 1894-95 and is considered one of America’s most dangerous volcanoes due to it’s close proximity to the metropolitan areas of Seattle and Tacoma. In the 1990’s, the Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior identified 16 volcanoes worldwide that were deemed deserving of study.  The volcanoes were selected based on their volcanic history and their proximity to dense human population and infrastructure. The project aimed to increase public awareness and understanding of volcanoes and their hazards. The project was initiated as part of the United Nations “International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction”.

We began our trip to Rainier after tent camping 6 nights in Olympic National Park and were ready for a change of pace. We rented a cabin just a mile from the Nisqually entrance. The cabin was lovely, equipped with a comfy bed, beautiful woodwork,  and a hot tub surrounded with old growth cedar and ferns. It was amazing! We spent a lot of time in the car during the previous week and decided to limit our adventures to the southern area of the park during this visit (of course we plan to return!)

The only real plan was to hike the Skyline trail at Paradise, the busiest area of the park. I have hiked a lot of awesome trails, trails I will forever remember. The Skyline trail is among the most scenic hikes I have experienced. It was a beautiful day with clear skies, affording unobstructed views of Mount Rainier, cloaked with a blanket of wildflowers. Snowmelt feeds countless waterfalls and streams along the trail. We hiked over several snowfields during the hike and enjoyed 360 degree views throughout a huge portion of this trail, it is simply stunning. You can see Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mt Hood, as well as excellent views of the Nisqually Glacier.

On our last day, the weather was fickle with clouds hovering over Mount Rainier, providing the peaks with fresh powder. At lower elevations there were intermittent light showers throughout the day. We hiked to Silver Falls and continued on to connect to Grove of the Patriarchs, an old growth grove of Western Cedars, Douglas Fir, and Western Hemlock.