Posted by Adrian Klein on August 2, 2007 at 7:56 PM
I know there has been much talk about Rainier NP on this site, yet I am Rainier ignorant (I feel like I have been living under a rock or something). I have not been there since I was a little kid. I am not sure why with all I have done in the outdoors here in the NW. I guess it because others I have traveled with have kept me going to other places.
I am hoping to go next weekend if I can swing it. If I go up there what are the suggested areas to try hit for sunrise sunset? Is there a nice backcountry route that I am likely to get just walking into the wilderness center? Suggested day hikes? Are there normally issues getting a car camping spot just showing up first come first serve?
I tried to search the forum to find if this info existed on PNWNP already and I did not see it. If I missed it and it's out there please point me to it if you can. I don't want to have folks taking time retyping things that have been documented already (we are all too busy for this). Or if there is another site that has all this great info just refer me there instead. I have done research already with some ideas of what to do but thought local photographers can give the best condensed info, especially on where to get some good images.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Adrian
Posted by Curtis Knight on August 2, 2007 at 9:38 PM
I'm pretty Rainier ignorant too, but we were up there last weekend and I can advise that if you want a car campsite, you're better off reserving a spot. Cougar Rock is closest to Paradise, and Ohanapekosh is at the opposite (east) side of the park. Those are the only two campgrounds that take reservations.
As for where to hike/backpack, I'm afraid I'm not much help there, but I'm sure others will respond.
Posted by Bryan Swan on August 3, 2007 at 12:15 AM
Heres the skinny, watered down for easy digestion:
- Camping is best done by reservation from Memorial to Labor Day. White River doesn't take reservations and is your best bet for first come first serve, but right now, you can't access the southern part of the park from the North entrance, so unless you plan on staying around Sunrise and Chinook Pass, you'd be best to reserve at Cougar Rock or Ohanapecosh. There are also some fairly large Forest Service CGs outside the park. La Wis Wis (100+ sites) is one I stay at frequently, about 5 miles south of the southern entrance along US 12 (it is open, though it sustained heavy damage during the floods) and Big Creek (50+ sites), about 3 miles south of Ashford along FR 52. Neither of these two require reservations, but they do accept them.
- As far as access goes, the best exposure for a Rainier virgin (okay, almost) is to head in from the west at the Nisqually entrance and head up to Paradise. Depending on what you want to see, that might be all you'll need, but its worth continuing through Stevens Canyon to Box Canyon, and were the trail open, all the way to the Stevens Canyon Entrance to do the Grove of the Patriarchs walk. However, if you're looking for the mountain primarily, no need to really go any further than Box Canyon, if that far. Plenty of easy, paved trails in the Paradise area and lots of pullouts along the road. If you do want to hike, however, the Skyline Loop at Paradise, the Comet Falls / Van Trump Park trail, the Pinnacle Peak trail and the Snow Lakes trail all provide good access to higher ground without submitting yourself to too much masochism.
Discussion
2 repliesI am hoping to go next weekend if I can swing it. If I go up there what are the suggested areas to try hit for sunrise sunset? Is there a nice backcountry route that I am likely to get just walking into the wilderness center? Suggested day hikes? Are there normally issues getting a car camping spot just showing up first come first serve?
I tried to search the forum to find if this info existed on PNWNP already and I did not see it. If I missed it and it's out there please point me to it if you can. I don't want to have folks taking time retyping things that have been documented already (we are all too busy for this). Or if there is another site that has all this great info just refer me there instead. I have done research already with some ideas of what to do but thought local photographers can give the best condensed info, especially on where to get some good images.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Adrian
As for where to hike/backpack, I'm afraid I'm not much help there, but I'm sure others will respond.
- Camping is best done by reservation from Memorial to Labor Day. White River doesn't take reservations and is your best bet for first come first serve, but right now, you can't access the southern part of the park from the North entrance, so unless you plan on staying around Sunrise and Chinook Pass, you'd be best to reserve at Cougar Rock or Ohanapecosh. There are also some fairly large Forest Service CGs outside the park. La Wis Wis (100+ sites) is one I stay at frequently, about 5 miles south of the southern entrance along US 12 (it is open, though it sustained heavy damage during the floods) and Big Creek (50+ sites), about 3 miles south of Ashford along FR 52. Neither of these two require reservations, but they do accept them.
- As far as access goes, the best exposure for a Rainier virgin (okay, almost) is to head in from the west at the Nisqually entrance and head up to Paradise. Depending on what you want to see, that might be all you'll need, but its worth continuing through Stevens Canyon to Box Canyon, and were the trail open, all the way to the Stevens Canyon Entrance to do the Grove of the Patriarchs walk. However, if you're looking for the mountain primarily, no need to really go any further than Box Canyon, if that far. Plenty of easy, paved trails in the Paradise area and lots of pullouts along the road. If you do want to hike, however, the Skyline Loop at Paradise, the Comet Falls / Van Trump Park trail, the Pinnacle Peak trail and the Snow Lakes trail all provide good access to higher ground without submitting yourself to too much masochism.