Navigate Rainier’s paved trails, climb to the peak, or view it from afar; and learn about the Brothers Whittaker, famous mountaineers who conquered Rainier and inspired generations of Northwest outdoorsmen.
The Sherpas of Ashford, Washington
Image: Amanda Paredes In the bump-on-the-road town of Ashford, which starts just outside of the Park’s southwest gate, there aren’t a lot of things: No McDonald’s. No stoplights. Definitely no fine dining.…
Rainier Photo Slideshow
1234567891011121314151617181920‹PREVNEXT› See the winning photo in the October issue of Seattle Met, on newsstands September 21.
On Not Summiting the Mountain: A Climbing Guide’s Perspective
More than half of the climbers who try to summit Mount Rainier don’t make it. And as a guide on the state’s tallest mountain, I feel them fail. As I trudge slowly…
Trails to Hike in Mount Rainier National Park
Trails Everyone Loves Burroughs Mountain Above the trees and in the tundra, these ridges resemble a moonscape. Besides the First, Second, and Third Burroughs mountains, hikers can sometimes see avalanches on Rainier’s…
How to Take the Ultimate Mount Rainier Photo
How pros photograph the mountain—angles, locations, time of day, and more.
Mount Rainier Will Erupt (But Not How You Think)
Mount Rainier is 100 square miles of active volcano. Armed with just a rock hammer and a handheld magnifying glass, geologist Tom Sisson set about reading its rocks like tea leaves. After…
Where to Stay in Mount Rainier National Park
Under a Roof National Park InnOpen year-round and snow free before almost anything else in the park, Longmire serves as a kind of home base for Mount Rainier operations. Most of the…
In and Around the National Park
AshfordThe town is little more than a loose string of rental cabins, mountaineering shops, and restaurants, but it’s home base for much of the park’s outdoor activity. Westside RoadAnother washout closed the…
Mount Rainier’s Red Fox Menace
Wildlife isn't always a good thing at the national park's big visitor areas.
Mount Rainier’s Wildlife and Wildflowers
BearSight a black bear—no grizzlies—in the Mazama Ridge area east of Paradise in late summer; train binoculars to the open meadows. Harlequin DucksThey’re not as populous as the camp robber jays that frequent…
Insider’s Guide to Mount Rainier National Park
Image: Jeff Marsh Ever been on a flight into Sea-Tac and seen a passenger smush her nose to the window when the airplane passes Mount Rainier? Ever been that gawker? It’s hard…
The Brothers Whittaker
Whenever we play in the mountains, we owe a debt to Jim and Lou Whittaker. The Seattle twins conquered Mount Rainier, Mount Everest, and REI, then made mountaineering the Northwest’s signature sport.
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