Mount Rainier

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Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano (and national park) located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle, Washington in Pierce County. One of the monarchs of the Cascade Range, it was originally known as Tahoma or Tacoma, from the Puyallup word tacobet, or "mother of waters." Due to its prominence on the southern horizon—its prominence is greater than that of K2—Seattle-area residents refer to it as The Mountain.

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The view of Mount Rainier is ubiquitous in the Puget Sound area, here shown from Gig Harbor.

Climbing Mt. Rainier is not an easy endeavour. It is a technical glacier climb and most climbers require two to three days to reach the summit, with weather and conditioning being the most common reasons for failure. Climbing teams require experience in glacier travel, self rescue, and wilderness travel. In most years, dangerous route conditions and/or storms take the lives of several climbers.

Hiking, photography, and nature watching are very popular in the park. There are numerous hiking trails including the Wonderland Trail, a 93 mile circumnavigation of the peak.

Mount Rainier is a good place for winter sports, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Above 6000 feet (1800m) elevation, Rainier is mostly covered by snow and glaciers, but heat from the volcano keeps areas of the crater rim on its summit cone mostly ice-free.

Mount Rainier's earliest lavas are about 500,000 years old (Sisson, 1995). The most recent recorded eruption was between 1820 and 1854, but many eyewitnesses reported eruptive activity in the late 1800s (Harris, 1988). As of 2002, there is no imminent risk of eruption, but geologists expect that the volcano will erupt again. Lahars (large volcanic debris flows) from Rainier pose the most risk to life and property. However, Rainier is also capable of producing pyroclastic flows as well as lava.

The White, Carbon, Puyallup, Nisqually, and Cowlitz Rivers arise on the slopes of Mount Rainier. The first three combine as the Puyallup and empty into Commencement Bay at Tacoma; the Nisqually empties into Puget Sound east of Lacey; and the Cowlitz empties into the Columbia River between Kelso and Longview.

History

Mount Rainier was first discovered by the Native Americans. At the time Europeans reached the area, it was inhabited by the Nisqually, Cowlitz, Yakama, Puyallup, and Muckleshoot tribes. Residents of the mountain's river valleys, they hunted and gathered berries in the forests and mountain meadows.

Captain George Vancouver sailed into Puget Sound in 1792, and became the first European to see the mountain. He named it in honor of his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.

In 1833, Dr. William Tolmie explored the area looking for medicinal plants. He was followed by other explorers seeking challenge. Hazard Stevens and P.B. Van Trump received a hero's welcome in the streets of Olympia after their successful summit climb in 1870. John Muir climbed Mount Rainier in 1888, and although he enjoyed the view, he conceded that it was best appreciated from below. Muir was one of many who advocated protecting the mountain. In 1893, the area was set aside as part of the Pacific Forest Reserve in order to protect its physical/economic resources: timber and watersheds.

Citing the need to also protect scenery and provide for public enjoyment, railroads and local businesses urged the creation of a national park in hopes of increased tourism. On March 2, 1899, President William McKinley established Mount Rainier National Park as America's fifth national park. Congress dedicated the new park "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people; and...for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders within said park, and their retention in their natural condition."

In 1998, the United States Geological Survey began putting together the Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System to assist in the evacuation of the Puyallup River valley in the event of a catastrophic debris flow. It is now run by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management. Tacoma, at the mouth of the Puyallup, is only 37 miles west of Rainier, and moderately sized towns such as Puyallup and Orting are only 27 and 20 miles away, respectively.

References

Sisson, T.W., History and Hazards of Mount Rainier, Washington, USGS Open-File Report 95-642, (1995).
Harris, S., Mt. Rainier, in Fire Mountains of the West, Mountain Press Publishing, pages 231-255, (1988).

External links

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History

References

See also

External links