Park Number: 42/63

First Visited: September 1, 2013

Rainier, a monolith to the Cascade Range, holds domain over the Washington skyline, the drama never diminishing; when the weather allows, it’s okay to stare. Adding to the pizzazz, this 14,411-foot mountain is also one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes (listed as a Decade Volcano). But with the danger comes beauty. Harboring twenty-six major glaciers, this summit has been called “the mother of waters,” feeding the valleys below and allowing for some of the best wildflower meadows in the country. I look forward to a lifetime of return trips.

Mount Rainier National Park maintains active relations with six Indian tribes, including the Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Muckleshoot, Yakama, and Cowlitz.