Rainier
Barely a word was spoken as we made our way up to the mountain. Anger was not the culprit for this lack of enjoying conversation. Powder was. Both Brad and myself wore goofy expressions on our faces, entranced by visions of ourselves flying through “hero” snow. We stopped, picked up… Read the rest
Mt. Rainier National Park offers some of the most diverse alpine terrain in the Pacific Northwest. Millions of visitors flock to the dormant juggernaut during peak seasons, and even in winter there is a steady flow of admirers. Surrounding areas receive some traffic too, such as the impressive Tatoosh range… Read the rest
It is said that the earliest record of snowshoes goes back to several thousands years ago. For me, growing up in Quebec, they were simply part of the winter package. The snowshoes I had back then were not the fancy, technical ones found today, but instead the classic Native American… Read the rest
Having just had an amazing day of early season powder, Kyle, Dan and myself were itching to get back up to look for more. This time, we wanted a different destination to vary things up a bit. Curious of what Rainier might have to offer, and noticing the telemetry reading… Read the rest
Rain. Surprise. With fall starting, the forecast for the Pacific NW was not alarming in the least. However, an also rapidly decreasing freezing level piqued my interest. Maybe, just maybe there would be some of the good stuff. Like a kid sneaking pumpkin pie early at Thanksgiving dinner, the idea… Read the rest
The temperature was finally beginning to drop to a normal level and the forecast was looking good. It was time to head out to another beautiful area in the northern area of Mt. Rainier National Park, only this time the focus was getting in July ski turns. Kyle had returned… Read the rest
The Sunrise area of Mt. Rainier National Park, at 6,400 ft., is the highest point one can drive to within the park boundaries. Its location at the northeast corner of the park offers views that many visitors claim are unsurpassed by any other area of the park. From here, one… Read the rest
Alpine starts aren’t always necessary, but usually become the norm for a summit bid day. Especially amongst climbers. Skiers sometimes have the luxury of waiting a while since their round trip time is usually cut in half by the descent. However, there were a lot of areas on the upper… Read the rest
- Morning light begins to bask Adams and St. Helens.
Early mornings are not always necessary in the backcountry and sometimes prove difficult to pull off. We still left early, and although it was no alpine start, the sunrise we digested that morning was the breakfast entree that served all three
Standing on the Wonderland trail between Mowich Lake and Longmire in Mt. Rainier National Park I fell in love. The millions of visitors every year do not get to see this part of the mountain. The west side of Rainier although easily visible at a distance, is one of the… Read the rest
