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Mt. Rainier National Park
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Introduction
Mt. Rainier National Park is one of three national parks in the state of Washington and is one of America's oldest parks, one of only five founded in the 19th century. The park was created to preserve one of America's most spectaclular scenic wonders, the snow-capped volcano known as Tahcoma to Indians in ages past and as Mt. Rainier now. While the mountain is unquestionably the centerpiece of the park, its 235,612 acres also contain mountain ranges, glaciers, rivers, deep forests, lush meadows covered with wildflowers during the summer, and over 300 miles of trails. 96% of the park is classified as wilderness.
Park History
Although there is no evidence that Indians actually lived within the present borders of the park, a number of tribes did make use of the mountain and its environs for hunting and gathering food such as roots, berries, and herbs. The first white man to see the mountain was sea captain George Vancouver of the Royal British Navy in 1792 who gave the mountain its present name. William Frazier Tolmie first traveled in the park in 1833. In subsequent years the area was visited by hunters and fur trappers andother explorers.
Settlement of the area began in the mid 19th century. This included the activities of James Longmire, who settled in the area and later, in 1883, built a resort at the hot springs area which came to be known as Longmire Springs. Although it is not clear whether the Indians ever scaled the summit of the mountain, and there is some evidence that Rainier was climbed in 1854, the first documented ascent of the mountain, by Hazard Stevens and Philemon Von Trump, occurred in 1870. Longmire helped a number of climbers attempt the ascent and later climbed the mountain himself at an advanced age.
The park began to receive more publicity as a result of visit by naturalist John Muir and photographs taken by Arthur C. Warner. The first suggestions for preservation of the mountain and surrounding area as a national park were made in the early in 1883 by two foreigners, Karl von Zittel of Germany and James Bryce of England. The cause was also taken up by the Great Northern Railway. By 1894, a concerted effort to establish a national park was being made, supported by newspaper articles, petitions, and other activities.
In 1893 the park area was included in a newly declared Pacific Forest Reserve created by President Benjamin Harrison. In 1896, a special Forest Commission study recommended national park status for Mt. Rainier as well as Grand Canyon. Despite opposition from an Illinois Congressman known as "Uncle" Joe Cannon, who remarked that the "place isn't worth it", the park was officially formed on March 2, 1899 when the park creation bill was signed by President William McKinley.
Mt. Rainier National Park received widespread publicity in 1915 as a result of an article in the Saturday Evening Post. In 1931, 34,00 additional acres were added to the park in 1931 to bring its eastern border to the crest of the Cascade Mountains.
The Mountain
At 14,410 feet Mount Rainier is one of the highest mountains in the lower 48 states and the highest peak in the Cascade Range. But, in some ways, the mountain is the most spectacular of all. This is because it rises so sharply--800 feet-- above its neighboring mountains and valleys. It is also one of the world's most massive volcanoes, born over 1/2 million years ago. Its last major eruptions were more than 2000 years ago, although a minor one occurred 150 years ago. It is presently considered dormant, but not extinct, and contiues to be watched very closely. Periods of eruption and glaciation have created the mountain's present profile; at one time in its history it was probably very nearly symmetrical and nearly 16,000 feet high.
Mt. Rainier is so high it creates its own weather system. Warm, moist air flows eastward from the Pacific Ocean until it runs up against the ice covered slopes of the mountain, creating clouds which often obscure the peak. This can be seen in the photograph on the left below and in pictures later in this document. The mountain also contains one of the most extensive systems of glaciers south of Alaska, a number of which can be seen in the shot of the south face of the mountain on the right below.
Mt. Rainier is a stratovolcano--formed by a combination of quiet lava flows and ash and rock fragments from explosive eruptions. Deep snows cover the upper slopes of the mountain, even in the middle of the summer, as can be seen below, and clouds and fog can quickly blanket these features.
Nisqually Glacier
Mt. Rainier is covered by one of the largest glacial systems on any peak in the United States. There are 26 different named glaciers on the mountain. One of the most visible is the Nisqually Glacier. This large body of ice has carved a deep canyon down the south face of the mountain, as can be seen below. The glacier itself is the brown object in the lower central portion of the picture. It is presently about 4 miles long and travels downhill at a rate approaching one foot per day, although it's about 2 miles shorter than when it was observed in the 1840's.
At its lower section the glacier is covered by rocks, dirt, and gravel, and doesn't look so much like an icy river. A close-up of the Nisqually can be seen in the picture on the left below. This is the terminus of the glacier, and the ice below the surface covering of rocks and debris can be more easily seen here. Also visible in both photographs below is the runoff from the glacier which forms the beginning of the Nisqually River.
Here's the Nisqually River a bit further downstream.
Plants and Wildflowers
The beauty of the snowcapped mountain is complemented by the park's famous wildflowers which bloom in the meadows on its slopes after the snow has melted in mid-summer. Shown below is some examples of red heather.
Several more varieties of flowers are shown in the two pictures below. On the left is a pair of specimens of Magenta Paintbrush; on the right is an Orange Paintbrush.
As with the other Northwest Parks (Olympic and North Cascades), the forests of Mt. Rainier are lush and extensive. Below is a shot of some forest undergrowth, including fern and Oregon grape.
There are a number of additional pictures of wildflowers and plants on another page.
Grove of the Patriarchs
The climate and precipitation of the park contribute to the growth of very large trees of a variety of species. Some of the largest specimens are found in the "Grove of the Patriarchs" in the southeastern section of the park. This grove contains trees in excess of 500 years old and 250 feet in height. Some of these trees are pictured below.
Among the largest of the species are Douglas fir. These twin specimens, pictured below, are are over 1000 years old.
The grove itself is reached by a trail which crosses the Ohanapecosh River. The suspension bridge pictured below leads directly to the grove.
Tatoosh Range
Mount Rainier is not the only mountain in the park, as the area itself is quite rugged. Directly to the south of the mountain is the Tatoosh Range, a sawtooth shaped ridge reminiscent of the Tetons. These mountains are particularly beautiful in the evening when their face reflects fading light of the setting sun.
The picture on the left shows the Paradise road with the Tatoosh Range in the background. This road was completed in 1911, providing a far greater level of access to the Paradise Valley for park visitors than had previously been possible and increasing the number of visitors to the area. On the right is a meadow just south of the Paradise Valley complex, with the peaks of the Tatoosh Range in the background.
The Tatoosh Range, which predates Mt Rainer, was formed by lava flows. The valley floors are heavily forested, as can be seen in this view looking southwest into the Paradise River Valley.
This is another view of the Tatoosh Range at sunset. In addition to the magical quality of the light reflected from the snow on the peaks, the sky turns pink creating a memorable scene.
Rivers, Canyons, and Valleys
The park abounds with rugged, beautiful scenery. The first picture below shows Stevens Canyon, with Stevens Creek running through. This canyon, which was carved by glaciers, runs east and west in the extreme south central portion of the park. Stevens Creek itself empties into the Cowlitz River.
That's the gravel-filled bed of Kautz Creek below, in the southwestern section of the park. Kautz Creek empties into the Nisqually River, pictured above.
One of the park's highest waterfalls is Narada Falls, below. The Paradise River in this spot, just south of the Paradise Valley, drops about 168 feet.
In the picture on the left is a bridge where the Paradise Road crosses the upper reaches of the Paradise River. A more detailed picture on the right shows the creek and the rocks and vegetation which surround it.
On the left below is a small waterfall on Stevens Creek. On the right is Kautz Creek with snowcapped peaks visible in the background.
Box Canyon
One of the more interesting features of the park is the Box Canyon on the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River. Only a few feet wide, the river has cut a channel through moss covered rocks a hundred feet deep, but only 15-30 feet across, as can be seen in the picture below.
Another picture of this canyon a short ways downstream is shown below on the left. The rocks in this area not only are covered by moss but also show traces of glacial action. In the picture on the right scratches made by glaciers as the flowed across the rock surface are still visible.
This is another view of the Box Canyon, showing the bridge on the park road as it crosses the Cowlitz River.
Animals
There are a variety of animals, large and small, which can be found in the confines of the park. One of the most visible is the black-tailed deer, such as the one pictured below as it crosses an open space in the forest.
These animals can be found throughout the forests of the northwest. Although relatively easy to spot in a clearing, they can be difficult to see once they enter the cover of the forest.
Birds are also plentiful. Snags provide excellent places to perch or nest, as can be seen in the picture below.
Reflection Lake
Mt. Rainier National Park contains a number of scenic lakes. One of the most popular and often photographed is Reflection Lake south of Paradise Valley. It provides spectacular reflections of Rainier's peak, particularly when the wind is scarce and the surface of the lake is still.
The Reflection Lakes basin was another feature of the park formed by the carving action of ancient glaciers. The deep green, heavily forested banks of the lake set off the white of the mountain in the reflection. The smaller peak on the eastern slopes of Mt. Rainier is Little Tahoma Peak, at 11,138 feet.
Paradise Inn
Rainier's most famous building is Paradise Inn in Paradise Valley. This building, opened on July 1, 1917, is the parks 's most popular and elegant place to stay for visitors. The original inn was built of Alaska cedar reclaimed from a burne portion of the park forest. This view below from the lower slopes of Mt. Rainier above the hotel looks southwest toward the Tatoosh Range.
The picture below shows the whole hotel from the opposite direction. The 100 room annex to the main building, seen on the right hand side of the photo, was completed in 1922. As can be observed, snow remains in the area even in midsummer. In fact, the Paradise area holds the world record for snowfall--93.5 feet in 1971-1972.
The hotel and nearby Paradise Visitor Center lie at an altitude of about 5400 feet. The hotel lobby and parking lot serve as a staging point for the long, difficult climb to Rainier's peak. In the view below the setting of the hotel can be seen with the peak in the background. The section of the hotel which is visible here is the main lobby.
Views from the Paradise Valley and the hotel area are quite striking as well, which is in no small part responsible for the popularity of the hotel. Here is one of those views. As John Muir, who climbed to the summit of the mountain in 1888, pointed out, one of the remarkable things about the Mt. Rainier is just how close it seems even when it's far away.
Other Scenes in the Park
There are many beautiful areas in the park. Among the most beautiful are the alpine meadows such as the one shown below. The meadows are surrounded by subalpine firs and many other kinds of trees and are often blanketed by carpets of wildflowers. This meadow is in Paradise Valley, one of the wettest places in the United States. It receives some 100 inches of precipitation per year. The meadow is visible from the Nisqually Vista Trail.
In recent years tremendous care has been taken to avoid damage to the delicate alpine meadow areas in Paradise Valley, but this was not always so. Campgrounds, skiing and other winter sport-based recreational facilities, and even a golf course one existed in this area, doing tremendous damage. However, such activities are no longer available, and the area has largely recovered.
One additional scenic area is Lake Louise, just to the east of Reflection Lakes, in a basin carved by glaciers.
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