Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a great place for families to take vacations. The mountain is one of the largest active volcanoes in the United States. The volcano could destroy lives if it ever erupted again. Some people have jobs there like giving tours, leading people on guided trails, working in the restaurant gift shop, showing kids the nature center, and running the fancy restaurant that has lanterns for the lighting.

Hiking is one of the recreational activities that you can do there. There are different trails that you can hike. Some of the trails are steep and challenging slopes. They pose a deadly threat if you are not careful and paying attention to what you are doing. You can take hours on the trails and have fun walking, sight seeing, exploring different areas, and even camping on some of the trails. If you go camping on some of the trails, one of the forest guides has to know where you are camping for your own safety.

The flowers of the mountain are so unique because they are something you don’t see everyday. On one of the hiking trails there is a flower patch that contains some unusual flowers. One of the flowers that you will see is the Avalanche Lilies ( Erthronium Montanum). It is white and the center is yellow. It also has plain stems with green leathery leaves. There is also the Anemone Seed Head which is white and bushy. It hangs down on the stem and flows in the wind. The flower will fall apart easily if it is shaken. Lupines are found in the meadows at the Sunrise Visitors Center. It is purple in color with green leafy stems. The Indian paintbrush flowers are red and feather out just like a paintbrush. Back when the Native Americans lived on the mountain they used the flower petals to dye their clothes, make face paint, make signs on their teepees, and paint their horses for war. There is also another flower named the Heather flower. It is a brilliant pink and light pink flower only found by the waterfalls. They grow on the bank by the riverside where the water flows into the river.

The waterfall is one of the most relaxing things to watch and listen to. When I was there I took two hours to relax and watch the water flow into the river. Some of the waterfalls are about two miles into the mountainside. One of the waterfalls is 241 feet tall and 75 feet wide and is a very heavy flow into the pool at the bottom. Narada Falls is located near Paradise, Nisqually. When the water flows it splashes you as you are getting closer to it. Some people actually wade at the green pool behind the waterfall. There have been several deaths because of people not reading the signs that are posted. They have tumbled over the cliff into the big pool at the bottom of the waterfall. There is also a bridge that you can walk across and be above the water so that you can see the opening of the cave that is hidden behind the waterfall. Washington Cascades in Paradise is 168 feet tall with a drop over of 300 plus feet. It has a medium to heavy flow and is 75 feet wide.

Looking at the trees you can see the flowers, waterfalls, and the hiking trails. Western Red Cedar trees can get 100 to 175 feet tall and two to eight feet wide or more. They have evergreen leaves with reddish brown, thin, fibrous shredded bark that can be easily peeled off. This poses a big hazard during wild fire season. The Douglas Maple shrub is 30 feet tall and looks like a tall bush. The tree has colored flowers. It also has fruit-like seed cones that are a brown color. The tree has fall colored leaves. There are also giant trees there that reach up in the sky more than 200 feet. Two of the trees are over 850 years old. The Douglas Fir is the second tallest tree in the world. The branches on top of the tree grow upwards and the bottom grows towards the ground. One of the trees in the 1700’s grew to be over 300 feet tall. It has reddish gray-brown bark that has deep thick grooves. It is used for defense against wildfires. They grow 5-8 feet around and can live 1,300-1,400 years.

On the trails there are cabins built in the trees that are 50 feet up in the air with spiral staircases to get into them. You can see the waterfalls, trees, flowers, people hiking, and all of nature that God created. Also you can walk across the swinging bridge to other cabins and get to the restaurant where they have a few items that you can buy to make meals yourself.

Now for a little history lesson on Mount Rainier. The mountain was founded in 1792 by an English explorer named George Vancouver. He named the mountain Puget Sound. The Native Americans named the mountain “Mountain that was God”’ because it was so big. It was easy to find food, and shelter for their families, friends, and animals there. They also had plenty of wood, food, water, and things that they needed in one place. Hazard Stevens and P.B. Vantrump on August 17, 1870, named the mountain “active volcano” Mount Rainier.

The mountain is 14,410 feet above sea level with a relief of 10,000 feet from the valley floor. The water from the waterfalls and ice glaciers flow into five major rivers after they melt. They are South Puyallup River, South Mowich River, South Mowich River, Carbon River, and West Fork River.

Mount Rainier is one of my favorite places to visit. There are a lot of activities that you can do to keep busy. My personal experience in visiting this mountain was awesome. I got to go hiking to the top with two of my best friends from Washington. On our spring break from college we decided to take a break and go on an adventure. We left early on Thursday to head to the mountain and spent the night at the campground. Then Friday morning we got up early at around 6:00 a.m. to start hiking the longest trail. We didn’t come back down until the following weekend. We camped on top of the mountain for three days. It was an experience and a half coming back down the mountainside. We saw huge trees that were very old, waterfalls, and caves that are hidden and unmarked. There are flowers and special hiking trails that we as a group got to experience. We also saw a lot of different animals there. We saw deer, buffalo, turkeys, rabbits, birds, eagles, and several other animals. For those who have never been on an adventure at Mount Rainier, I encourage you to please take a vacation to relax and have fun with your family and friends.
Tina Speer
Writing class
08/13/2009