Mount Rainier easy day hikes?

[Bob Kittredge]

I'll be passing by the southern flank of Mount Rainier next week with my wife and 20-year-old daughter. I'm looking for suggestions for a nice 4- or 5-mile dayhike. Their website mostly talks about much shorter hikes, though Rampart Ridge (4.6 miles) looks about right.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Bob

 

[el-bagr]

Consider climbing toward Camp Muir from Paradise. This option will be a snow-climb and should get you the highest. Turn around when you feel like it. Great views of the glaciers and summit cone if it's not cloudy; hike high enough and you may pass above the undercast.

 

[Bob Smith]

Bob, check out
http://www.nps.gov/mora/recreation/day_tr.htm
for a list on day hikes. Rampart Ridge is a nice hike through the forest with a lot of switchbacks, once you get to the backside of the ridge you get an excellent view (weather permitting) of Ranier. If you get a chance check out Grove of the Patriarchs Trail.
It's more of a stroll (1 hour) but very nice.

Have Fun

 

[ajtiv]

Day Hikes in Ranier National Forest

There was a thread started by Nadine a couple of months ago if you do a search you will pick it up.

This link spoke about other short hikes and a book which I bought for my trip in August.
50 Hikes in Mt.Rainier National Park publ. the Mountaineers. www.mountaineers.org
A few I was looking at are:

Shriner Peak is one that looks good rt 8.4 miles 3434 ft elev. gain book time is 5 hours.

Camp Muir as stated in earlier reply rt 9 miles 4600 ft elev. gain book time is 8 hours.

Van Trump Park to Comet Falls 6 mile 2200 ft. elev. gain 4 hours or you can stay at the falls longer.


Good Luck and good hiking

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Report

Left Seattle Tuesday morning with a less than promising forecast. Chance of showers on Rainier for the whole day. I figured we'd probably arrive in the rain and thought we might be able to salvage a couple of real short hikes in ponchos to get the feel of the place.

Mirabile dictu, we had a great day with periods of sun and some really great views. From Longmire we took the Rampart Ridge trail up through mighty Douglas firs on a great dirt (hardly any rocks!) path with lots of switchbacks. A Douglas squirrel sat on a log an picturesquely nibbled on a mushroom for several minutes. Got a nice view down onto Longmire and then of the mountain itself looming over us with just a cap cloud on the summit. It seemed fairly close, but the map indicated it was a good 10 miles away. A couple of gray jays did their schtick: we'd already eaten our lunch, but I held up a small cone. One landed, pecked at the cone, my finger and my wedding ring, gave me a dirty look and flew off.

The drive through the rest of the park was fantastic. By the box canyon we finally got to see the summit itself without the cloud. What a great place!