Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the continental United States, with 26 glaciers, and is massive in size. It is the tallest mountain in Washington state and on a clear day can be seen from Seattle. Unfortunately for us, cloud cover was low during the two days we were there and our only glimpse of the mountain was early in the morning on the second day for a very short period of time (above photo). The mountain is centrally located within the national park and no roads cut across it, rather the roads pass through the southern and eastern part of the park. Most of the roads, other than the Nisqually Entrance (the southwest corner of the park) to Longmire, are open only seasonally in the summer months. Mount Rainier instituted a requirement for timed entry reservations right after we were there; reservations are now required for entry into the park from 7 am to 3 pm from late May to early September. This is separate from the entry fee for the park.
In late May when we visited, the Paradise Inn had been open for just a week and the road was open to Paradise, but all the trails in that area were snow-covered and only the Nisqually Vista Trail was marked. Snowshoes were available for rent at the Paradise visitor center, but we were able to use Snowtrax spikes that attached to our hiking boots, giving us enough traction to manage the trail. The trails in the Longmire area were snow-free. It was well worth staying in the historic Paradise Inn (top left photo), although the rooms were small. The lodge, which was built in 1916, was very cool, with a quaint rustic feel to it. The trails we hiked included the Trail of the Shadows (0.7-mile loop), Nisqually Vista Trail (0.9 miles) in the snow (top middle and right photos), Narada Falls Trail (0.2 miles, bottom left photo); and Carter and Madcap Falls via the Wonderland Trail (2.5 miles; bottom middle and right photos).
In terms of wildlife, we did not see anything too exciting, but came upon a grouse, a black-tail deer and a Townsend chipmunk during our hikes.
There were no brew pubs in Mount Rainier or the immediate vicinity, but we did manage to stop at two brew pubs near the Seattle airport before we departed--Elliot Bay Brewing Company and Logan Brewing Company. The Brambleshot West Coast IPA at Logan was particularly good. Elliott Bay had tasty beers, including the Demolition and Alembic Pale Ales, and a full menu of delicious food, making it a great place for dinner!
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