Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano (and national park) located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle, Washington in Pierce County. One of the monarchs of the Cascade Range, it was originally known as Tahoma or Tacoma, from the Puyallup word tacobet, or "mother of waters." Due to its prominence on the southern horizon—its prominence is greater than that of K2—Seattle-area residents refer to it as The Mountain.

Related Topics:
Stratovolcano - National park - Seattle, Washington - Pierce County - Cascade Range - Tacoma - Puyallup - Prominence - K2

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Climbing Mt. Rainier is not an easy endeavour. It is a technical glacier climb and most climbers require two to three days to reach the summit, with weather and conditioning being the most common reasons for failure. Climbing teams require experience in glacier travel, self rescue, and wilderness travel. In most years, dangerous route conditions and/or storms take the lives of several climbers.

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Hiking, photography, and nature watching are very popular in the park. There are numerous hiking trails including the Wonderland Trail, a 93 mile circumnavigation of the peak.

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Mount Rainier is a good place for winter sports, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Above 6000 feet (1800m) elevation, Rainier is mostly covered by snow and glaciers, but heat from the volcano keeps areas of the crater rim on its summit cone mostly ice-free.

Related Topics:
Sports - Snowshoe - Cross-country skiing - Glacier - Volcano - Ice

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Mount Rainier's earliest lavas are about 500,000 years old (Sisson and others, 2001).

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The most recent recorded eruption was between 1820 and 1854, but many eyewitnesses reported eruptive activity in the late 1800s (Harris, 1988). As of 2002, there is no imminent risk of eruption, but geologists expect that the volcano will erupt again. Lahars (large volcanic debris flows) from Rainier pose the most risk to life and property. However, Rainier is also capable of producing pyroclastic flows as well as lava.

Related Topics:
Eruption - 1820 - 1854 - 2002 - Lahar - Pyroclastic flow

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The White, Carbon, Puyallup, Nisqually, and Cowlitz Rivers arise on the slopes of Mount Rainier. The first three combine as the Puyallup and empty into Commencement Bay at Tacoma; the Nisqually empties into Puget Sound east of Lacey; and the Cowlitz empties into the Columbia River between Kelso and Longview.

Related Topics:
White - Carbon - Puyallup - Nisqually - Cowlitz River - Commencement Bay - Tacoma - Puget Sound - Lacey - Columbia River - Kelso - Longview

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