Paradise can be found at Mount Rainier National Park

CONTENTS

July 16, 2009, 7:48 pm

Paradise is not only a state of mind at Mount Rainier National Park, it’s a real destination! Perched at an elevation of 5,400 feet, panoramas from Paradise are incredible on a clear day—Mount Rainier’s snowy summit seems reach-out-and-touch-it close. Even on a seemingly nice day, though, the weather here can change quite dramatically and quickly so be prepared. One minute you’re taking in the jaw-dropping views, and the next you’re wondering how something so huge can be completely obscured by clouds.

Even if you’re not staying overnight at Paradise, take a look inside Paradise Inn. Originally built in 1917, the historic inn’s rustic interior and furnishings are simplistically beautiful. Huge stone fireplaces at either end of the spacious lobby make warming up on chilly day a real pleasure. Comfy chairs and even a piano invite visitors to linger as long as you’d like. The inn’s fine dining restaurant is an unexpected treat featuring Northwest cuisine (try the bourbon buffalo meatloaf!), and the gift shop is filled with unique Northwest art and other souvenirs. Cold sandwiches, drinks, and coffee are available from a small snack shop.

The brand new Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center opened last October at Paradise and is the best place to learn about the geology, glaciers, flora, fauna, and hiking trails—everything you need to know about Mount Rainier and the surrounding Tatoosh Mountain Range. The beautiful new visitor center is more sustainable and less expensive to operate than the former one (which still stands nearby) and includes a book/gift store and snack bar.

Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 states, so now’s your chance to get a close-up look at one of the largest—Nisqually Glacier—from a hiking trail. Pick up a map at the visitor center or ask a park ranger to point the way. It’s easy to get confused by the many intersecting trails around Paradise, but having a map will make sure you stay on course. Plenty of “Don’t be a Meadow Stomper” reminders are posted along the routes, so enjoy the lovely wildflower meadows from the established trails only. A colorful carpet of magenta paintbrush, yellow glacier lilies, purple lupine, monkey flower, asters, as well as resident black-tailed deer, are especially abundant in July and August—but so are the crowds—so you might want to plan your trip accordingly. Panorama Point is a popular destination for photographers—every direction features another gorgeous view.

Serious mountain climbers attempting the 8+ mile trek with 9,000 feet of elevation gain to Mount Rainier’s summit, team up in Paradise, so you’ll likely see these gear-laden mountaineers on the trails. You can spot their first stop—Camp Muir, elevation 10,188 feet—through binoculars. Many climbing expeditions leave Paradise in the afternoon, climb 4.5 miles over 4,700 vertical feet to Camp Muir, and sleep there for a few hours in a primitive stone and plywood shack, or pitch their own tent.The push for the summit begins in the wee hours after midnight. Weather and stamina permitting, climbers summit about eight hours later, and then immediately hike back down to Paradise. Most of the steepest climbing must be done in the dark and early in the day before the sun can melt the snow and cause avalanches and rock falls.