If you, like us, have been yearning to hike Mount Rainer but are daunted by the vast number of options (which trail(s) to take? Can you bring your pup if you have one? What time and day are best for a visit? Will it be too crowded? What gear should you wear and bring? How seasoned do you need to be to succeed? Are there any worthwhile kid-friendly hikes?) we've got you covered.
Mount Rainier is indeed as gorgeous and popular and unbelievable as you've imagined. If you are a casual hiker seeking epic vistas (I count our family in this group) and you opt for the route we took, you will be put to the test but you will certainly not be disappointed.
I'd been daydreaming about seeing The Mountain up close since the day we arrived in Washington just over a year ago. We hadn't realized that from our street we'd have a glimpse of her when she chose to show herself. For those unfamiliar with the mercurial nature of Mount Rainier, there are stretches of time--sometimes even weeks--where you can look where you swore you saw a mountain in the not-so-distant past and find zero evidence of any peak. One of the things I find most charming about where we live is the tendency of our neighbors to report on The Mountain's whereabouts. Sometimes she is visible in her full glory, sometimes you see only her foothills, and often, in shoulder seasons, you see only the top 1/3 or so of her, floating above a ring of clouds like a UFO hovering over Puget Sound,
I have lived near foothills before, but never in proximity to a true mountain. She is endlessly entertaining. And so, it was with some measure of trepidation that I began planning our adventure to meet The Mountain. What if she was a disappointment up close? What if I picked the wrong day or time and there was snow too low to hike through, or thick fog obscuring the view? What if there was smoke from the late summer wildfires making it difficult to breathe or see? I have a tendency to put pressure on the planning phase of these excursions in part because we haven't had that many seasonable days when the whole family is together, so wasting one of them--or being the reason my family comes away from an adventure I've imagined will be magnificent with a shrug and an "eh, it was alright"--feels shameful.
All that being said, we've had our share of misses as you are bound to do when you are on a quest for something unknown, enchanting, or surprising. One day soon, I'll start sharing our misadventures as well. But for now, the main attraction: Mount Rainier.
First, our route: I have a bucket list for Mount Rainier alone, and wanted to start with a bit of a bang. We opted to go to Paradise (that's the Nisqually entrance for anyone as unfamiliar as we were). I'd decided Skyline Trail to Panorama Point, High Skyline, Golden Gate, and a quick pass by Myrtle Falls was the way to go. Our original planned route appeared to be about 4 miles but that may not have included High Skyline as tracking on our watches and phones indicated it was 5.25. Do with that what you will, but in our experience, it is always wise to assume you may end up hiking longer than planned.
This also means it's wise to conserve some energy (if possible) and to refrain from finishing your water when you assume the hike is almost over (this is essential, and something we learned early on to safeguard against with kids. Tip: ALWAYS have more than one water bottle and declare one "empty" when it is 1/4-1/2 full so that you have reserves even if your little ones drain the bottle you've said needs to last).
We left our house at 4:30am to be at Rainier before the crowds. We didn't quite make the sunrise (next time maybe!) but that wasn't our goal. I've mentioned before that semi-solitude is a top priority for us in most adventures, meaning we're willing to go places at odd times to secure the sort of experience we imagine would've been standard in the pre-internet days (the irony is not lost on us!). We saw only 4 or 5 other hikers for the first portion of our hike but were on the trail with maybe a dozen others from Panorama Point until we broke off at Golden Gate, which we had largely to ourselves. Keep in mind that this was with a pretty early start. By the time we got to Myrtle Falls, there were people everywhere. The experience would have been vastly different had we begun our hike at 10 or 11am.
The terrain of the route we took varies enormously. For the first portion of Skyline, the trail is paved but leads straight up for longer than you'll think possible. The guide I read before hiking estimated this portion to be 1/2 mile but I did wish I hadn't told Bella that because when we reached the 1/2 mile mark and the path kept climbing like a wall, she was quite cross with me. After maybe another 1/4-1/3 of a mile, the path settles into some lightly rocky mini-climbs for awhile before changing into a few very rocky steep inclines leading to Panorama Point and continuing on from there.
Panorama Point
As gorgeous as the view is from Panorama Point (from the overlook, you can see Mount Rainier, Nisqually Glacier, Mount Adams, Mount Saint Helens, and, on a very clear day, Mount Hood), our favorite spots were actually along the ascent to that juncture. The alpine meadows, craggy cliffs, patches of snow, glacial views, and marmots darting out for a peek at their visitors were surreal. If you continue the loop from Panorama onto High Skyline and Golden Gate, you may even find small snowmen, before descending into an otherworldly black moonscape and a zigzagging path that cuts steeply down through meadows full of chipmunks, wildflowers, butterflies smaller than a thimble, and even a few trickling glacial brooks. The area is named Paradise for a reason.
A few articles I read suggested hiking the route counterclockwise for a less punishing incline, but I think we would've been disappointed had we done it that way. Being ushered into a totally new landscape right off the bat makes the climb more exhilarating than tiring, and if the vista had taken awhile to reveal itself, I'm not sure how keen we would've been (especially our 8 year old) to forge ahead. I will say that we saw only one other child while we were hiking, who was probably 11 years old, had hiking sticks, and was talking to his dad in a way that implied they hike The Mountain regularly.
Bella struggled with the first mile or so until we bribed her. A little bit of sugar can be an incredible tool! We also used segmenting (not our concept but one that has worked wonders on all sorts of family outings) to make the distance more manageable. That worked decently but when paired with gummy bears, the change in Bella's hiking demeanor, speed, and resolve was wild. We gave her one gummy bear about a mile in, which bought us at least 20 minutes of solid hiking. One more gummy brought us to Panorama Point where we had a "sit-down breakfast" of a pb&j and fruit (which the chipmunks were very interested in).
Making snowballs a little further up mountain offered another great distraction and then Bella started to hit a wall again, which is when we revealed a few other treats: huckleberry gummies (one every 20-30 minutes) along with the promise of ice cream (also huckleberry...are you sensing a theme?) with whipped cream, sprinkles, and more gummy bears post-hike if she could go the rest of the way without complaining. I truly cannot stress what a game changer those little bites of sugar were.
So, was it worth it? This was, hands down, the most epic hike we have ever done as a family. It's also in my top 5 hikes to date, along with Machu Picchu, Bandelier, Plitvice Lakes, and Glacier National Park. Photos don't do justice to the views, the crisp rush of a cold mountain breeze when you start to warm up, the surreal wonder of making a snowman in August while wearing shorts at 6,000 feet, or the feelings of joy, fulfillment, and exhaustion that trail you after you leave The Mountain. Before we'd even finished the hike, I could feel a blanket of melancholy settle knowing it would be over soon. By the next day, I was already eager to return (maybe for a longer hike or a different vantage point) as soon as possible.
Scroll past the next few photos for all the details of our hike...
The Details
Entrance: Nisqually (Paradise). This is the Southwest entrance, which is open year-round.
Route: Skyline Trail to Panorama Point to High Skyline to Golden Gate, passing Myrtle Falls
Distance: 4-5.25 miles
Time: We started our hike around 6:30am, just after sunrise. We were back at the Visitor Center around 10am, so all in the hike took us about 3.5 hours with multiple stops for little legs to rest and one longer stop for breakfast at Panorama Point.
Crowds: If you don't like crowds, go early in the morning! We've heard that going late works as well, but I wouldn't be comfortable racing the sunset on such rocky terrain with children in tow unless that's something you're accustomed to.
Dogs: Not allowed. We left our pup with a sitter the night before since we knew we'd be gone over 8 hours.
Water: We brought ~2 Liters but wished we'd brought 4. There is a refilling station at the Visitor Center, but of course that won't help you until you've finished your hike!
Food: We brought the usual: PB&J, fruit, granola, protein bars, and sweets in case of emergency (see below).
Bribes: This is KEY if hiking with kids. Know what their favorite sweets are. Carry a few options, and don't let on that you have more than one with you until. you really need another carrot to convince them to keep going.
Supplies: You really do want hiking boots for the varied terrain on this hike, just make sure you've broken them in ahead of time or you're likely in for some nasty blisters. That wasn't an option for all of us due to our timing, but luckily Keith threw moleskin into our first aid kid for the inevitable blisters that popped up mid-hike. We also brought sunscreen, bug spray (which we thankfully didn't need), sunglasses, and ball caps.
This is a heavily-used trail but it's also wise to bring your standard emergency supplies just in case: navigation, light source, multi-tool, heat blanket, lifestraw, first aid kit.
Layers: The temperature increased by 20 degrees from the time we left until the time we returned, but was chilly at a few points due to elevation and breezes. We only wore coats for a short time, never needed our rain jackets, and ended up peeling off a few layers mid-way, but it's always better to be over-prepared.
Ice Cream & Espresso: If you're anything like us, you'll be hankering for ice cream (preferable huckleberry), espresso, or steak post-hike. We ended up going after the first two rather than the last, so you're on your own there, but for the perfect post-hike stop, head to the Cafe at Whittaker's Bunkhouse.
Lunch or Dinner and Live Music: If you have time to linger, Rainier Basecamp Bar & Grill is a great outdoor spot with burgers (they even have gluten-free buns!), fries, pizza, salad, a climbing wall, and, yes, even live music.
Elevation Notes: This hike begins around 5,400 feet with a 1,700 ft elevation gain and brings you to 7,100 feet at the top. A few things that will likely be obvious if this isn't your first rodeo (but helpful if it's your first hike at any significant elevation): If you live at sea level, and are hiking Mount Rainier, you will likely run out of breath faster than you expect, not realize how thirsty you are, and also not fully grasp how much you are exerting yourself or getting dehydrated because you may not sweat.
My favorite local saying was already "live like the mountain is out," but after getting to spend a morning with her, I'm even more enamored of all that phrase holds.
So happy journeying, wildlings! Go live like the mountain is out!
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