October 4-5, 2019 —
Weather can be unpredictable in the Midwest. As someone who has lived most of his life in Missouri and Indiana, I have heard – many times – the phrase: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes and it will change.” Often, this is close to the truth. Snowstorms and tornado outbreaks can occur within the same 24 hours. Summer thunderstorms are random and sporadic, often more or less severe than forecasts predict. I’ve seen snow as early as Halloween and as late as Easter. Fall and spring are sometimes bypassed in favor of abrupt transitions between spring and summer. It isn’t easy for meteorologists to predict Midwestern weather patterns, as they often change without warning.
The Midwest’s variable weather, however, pales in comparison to what you can experience on a mountain. I learned this firsthand in the foothills of Mount Rainier in 2019.
In October of 2019, Maria and I took advantage of cheap plane tickets and flew to Washington state for Fall Break. At the time, her brother Charlie and his future wife Amber lived in Seattle. I had never visited the state and dreamed of seeing its mountainous national parks. Up until then, I had little appreciation for Washington’s tendency for rainy, gloomy weather. So, Maria and I saw no problem with visiting in the fall. Whoopsies.
On October 3rd, we arrived at SEA-TAC to cloudy weather that delivered occasional drizzle and spats of rain. We didn’t study the forecast carefully, but the prognosis was clear: our trip wouldn’t be filled with sunshine and daisies. Still, we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best, praying that Mother Nature would throw us a bone.
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Day 1: Thunder & Lightning & Snow
On October 4th, Charlie, Maria, and I made the trek to Mount Rainier National Park. Amber intended to meet us in the park after finishing work for the day. The mountain sat two hours south of Charlie’s apartment, but the drive whizzed by. As a true Midwesterner, Seattle’s mountainous surroundings captured my attention. Amid conversation with Charlie and Maria, I couldn’t stop staring at the distant peaks and evergreen forests.
In the first hour of our drive, the clouds temporarily cleared and the sun appeared. We caught spectacular glimpses of Mount Rainier in the distance. As it loomed impressively over everything around it, I quickly learned that photos don’t do the mountain justice. Nothing could have prepared me for its massive scale. Even photos of Seattle with the peak towering in the distance did not properly represent its size. It was incredible!
From Sun to Clouds
As we approached the National Park’s borders, the clouds returned. We entered the park through the northeast entrance and began climbing a steep gravel road. While we ascended, we gained clearer views of the foothills’ expansive forests. After noticing damage from a recent wildfire, our first sign of trouble arrived: lightning. Only a few miles away, a bright bolt struck the nearby forest. Thunder rumbled towards us while we exchanged concerned looks. While not a showstopper, it certainly indicated that we were unlikely to see the sun anytime soon.
30 minutes later, Charlie parked at the trailhead for Tolmie Peak. The trail takes hikers to one of several fire towers still standing in the park. On a clear day, that fire tower provides stunning panoramic views of Mount Rainier. “Clear” became a doubtful adjective, however, when we stepped out of the car. Steep slopes, abundant pine trees, Mowich Lake, and a persistent drizzle greeted us. The clouds hung near the tops of the surrounding trees. Looking up one of the slopes, I could make out fresh snow accumulating a few hundred feet above us.
Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, Charlie, Maria, and I began the hike to Tolmie Peak at 2 PM. Though we couldn’t see much more than a mile around us, we still enjoyed our immediate surroundings. We started the hike by trudging through a dense, mossy pine forest. Fog created a haunting – yet beautiful – gloom as the rain intensified. Charlie regaled us with stories about Seattle and his experiences in Washington’s bountiful outdoor beauty. He convinced us that we needed to move to Seattle after graduating. Admittedly, succeeding in that task did not require much effort.
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
After diverting from the trail to view a snowmelt-fed waterfall, the trail began to quickly ascend. The trees changed, giving me the impression that we were walking through a Christmas tree farm. Suddenly, snowflakes usurped the rain. Minutes later, we were walking through a full-blown winter wonderland. Snow covered the trees all around us, and I began shivering in my fall-oriented hiking clothes. Despite being unprepared for it, Maria and I were excited to trudge through snow. Indiana winters are often scarce with snow, so the fluffy surprise was more refreshing than it was annoying.
Shortly after encountering the snow, we stopped to observe Eunice Lake and eat some snacks. After this, we continued our trek to Tolmie Peak. As we climbed higher, the snow continuously intensified. I finally accepted that there was almost zero chance we’d be able to see Mount Rainier from the hike’s terminus. Most likely, we would find an impenetrable wall of white.
Where’s Mount Rainier?
Unsurprisingly, my assessment was correct. We reached the fire tower on Tolmie Peak at nearly 4 PM, and we could barely see 500 feet in any direction. Charlie pointed out where Mount Rainier supposedly stood, but we could only see snow. So. Much. Snow. We consoled ourselves by exploring the unlocked fire tower and taking shelter from the elements. There, we chatted with other hikers as we warmed ourselves in preparation for the return hike.
The hike back to the parking lot was relatively uneventful. Before long, frustration replaced my excitement towards the snow. The inability to see Mount Rainier – coupled with the damn cold – added to that frustration. My mood improved once we reached lower elevation and the precipitation tapered out.
From Tent to Motel
We reached the car at about 6 PM. Initially, we had planned to spend the night at the primitive campground near Mowich Lake. Before departing for the hike, we’d even erected a tent and set up sleeping bags and pads, hoping that the weather would let up enough to allow us a good night of sleep. Once we returned, however, we decided there was slim chance of that happening. To make matters worse, Maria had left the tent door cracked open, allowing the rain to soak much of our gear. Without hesitation, we disassembled the tent and repacked the car, opting to find a hotel for the night.
Charlie began the drive back down the long gravel road as night began to fall. Halfway down, we spotted Amber’s car ascending the road. We had told her to meet us at the campground, but – without cell service – hadn’t been able to tell her to turn around. Maria jumped out of the car and flagged her down. She hopped in with her and they followed Charlie and I down the remainder of the mountain.
After 30 minutes of driving through impenetrable darkness, we pulled up to a motel in Buckley and hunkered down for the night. The forecast for the next day looked less than promising, but – once again – we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best.
Day 2: Here Comes the Sun…
After waking up the next morning, we formulated a game plan that would work independently of the weather. Rather than embarking on hikes that culminated in views that could be obscured by weather, we decided to visit the Grove of the Patriarchs. The trail wound through massive, ancient trees that we could meet up close. We continued to hope that the weather would clear up but were not relying on it to. If – God willing – we got lucky as the day proceeded, we could find a subsequent hike with the views we craved.
The day began with a glimmer of hope from the weather. As we drove down Mather Memorial Parkway – on the park’s west side – we caught glimpses of blue sky. We passed a few openings in the trees that lined the road. Suddenly, we finally saw it: Mount Rainier in its full glory.
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We slowed down abruptly and pulled into a cut-out on the side of the road. Charlie, Amber, Maria and I exited the vehicles and gazed in awe upon the massive mountain. Some clouds still obscured parts of the peak, but – for the most part – it was out to say hello.
Mount Rainier’s BIG Trees
After admiring the mountain for 15 minutes, we continued south towards Grove of the Patriarchs. As we approached the trailhead, the clouds returned – tempering our expectations once more. We parked at the trailhead and began our walk. It wasn’t long before massive old-growth trees captured our gaze. Douglas-fir, silver fir, and hemlock trees populated the trail’s boundaries. Some trees were nearly 1,000 years old, and some over 300 feet tall. Having never seen trees of this magnitude (i.e., Sequoias or Redwoods), Maria and I were blown away.
The best part about Grove of the Patriarchs? Even though it was cloudy and drizzling, we could still see everything the trail had to offer. Charlie and Amber had picked a great trail.
Searching for Mount Rainier
Upon our return to the car at noon, we ventured to a nearby ranger station. There, I nabbed my passport stamp and bought a souvenir (typical of me), and we discussed our next stop with the ranger. He recommended exploring the Glacier Basin Trail a few miles to our north. The ranger explained that even when much of the park is cloudy and rainy, the trail’s location on Mount Rainier’s northeast slopes often results in better and clearer weather. I didn’t fully understand the local geography’s impact on the park’s microclimates, but his explanation made sense. We didn’t have any better ideas, so we agreed to follow his suggestion.
When we parked at the trailhead, the setting already looked promising. The mountain was covered in clouds again, but we could see spotty blue skies overhead. We could also see and hear the White River nearby, which was a sight to behold even with the partially obscured mountains around us. So, even if the clouds refused to dissipate, we figured the hike would still be pretty.
Say Hello to the Mountain!
We started the hike – which began with a romp through a pine forest – at about 1 PM. The dense trees isolated us from the surrounding mountains and hid any changes in the weather from us. As we gained elevation, the noise of the nearby Inter Fork – a tributary of the White River that the trail followed – filled our ears. Our conversations and each other’s company kept us in good spirits, spirits which would have been hard to deter.
Eventually, we reached a clearing, and our jaws dropped. Not only could we see the Inter Fork – a stream with a path dredged beautifully by natural processes – but we could also see the slopes of Mount Rainier once again. Little Tahoma rose prominently in front of the main peak, which was still partially obscured. We excitedly took photos in the clearing, ecstatic to finally have the park’s namesake mountain in view.
Off the Beaten Path
While at the clearing, we noticed a trail detour that crossed the Inter Fork in the valley below. We weren’t in a hurry, so we took the detour. None of us knew where it would take us.
Upon rising out of the Inter Fork valley, we discovered a brilliantly blue-green lake. To this day, I still haven’t determined the name of this lake. It doesn’t appear on the NPS map for Mount Rainier and doesn’t have a name on Google Maps. In a way, the lake’s mysterious nature made our discovery of it more special. Colorful lakes – like the one we found – are somewhat common in Washington and are typically colored by either algal blooms or glacier-ground sediment deposits. But, for a Midwesterner used to dirty brown lakes, it was a stunning revelation.
Our quartet spent plenty of time at the lake’s overlook snapping photos and absorbing the view. We took the opportunity to munch on some of our snacks. As we rested, no other hikers passed. The sounds of birds filled the air. It was a peaceful and serene moment, like those that have defined my favorite National Park memories. We were thrilled with the surprise unplanned detour.
To Glacier Basin
After getting our fill of the lake, we trekked back to the main Glacier Basin Trail. The sky continued to clear, providing us with ample sun that boosted our moods. After 45 more minutes of elevation gain on the trail, we encountered snow once more. This time, thankfully, this was snow that had fallen long ago and was slowly trying to melt. That shift in terrain reminded me once again how elevation can drastically affect temperature and weather in a small space.
Gradually, the occasional piles of snow on the sides of the trail grew into endless snowfields. Slippery, slushy snow replaced the firm trail. But we were nearing Glacier Basin, and we refused to slow down. We reached the basin after slushing through snow for 30 minutes, and it was positively glorious. The clouds had almost completely cleared – save for a few clinging to the tip of Rainier – providing a stunning view of our surroundings.
The basin features a primitive campground, which is often used as a base camp by mountaineers approaching Camp Sherman. To access Sherman, climbers utilize the Inter Glacier, which lied ahead of us. The glacier and snowy slopes marked the south side of the basin, and a snow-free peak and pine forest defined the north side. The view was my first experience walking among the Cascade Mountains, so it continues to leave an impression on me today.
A Spectacular Descent
Once we had taken our photos and absorbed the view, we began the downhill hike back to the parking lot. Each of us were in high spirits. The weather was beautiful, the hike had delivered beyond our expectations, and we were excited for several more days of togetherness in Washington state.
Before we reached the cars, however, nature had one more surprise for us. About halfway down the trail, we walked into a clearing and discovered Mount Rainier completely cloud-free. The sun was beginning to set behind the mountain, creating a golden glow around its snowy peak. The mountain almost looked angelic, bidding us adieu as we departed its shadow. We – of course – took some photos because the angle and the colors were unbelievable.
With that, we ventured past the “mystery lake” detour and back into the pine forest where we started. From there, it was a leisurely descent back to the cars, which we reached at about 5:30 PM. Each of us were beaming with joy during the drive back. The cloudy weather had vacated the park, offering beautiful views of the mountain in the evening light. Maria and I glanced back constantly, impressed by the mountain’s majesty and size.
After a quick stop for ice cream in a small town near the mountain, we returned to Seattle. I was excited for the rest of our trip, not sure what it would entail but game for anything. See my post on Olympic National Park for a glimpse into later events on that trip…
In Conclusion…
Mount Rainier taught me – first and foremost – that mountain weather is wildly unpredictable. Rain, thunder, snow, sleet, and sun are all possible within a few miles of each other. As elevation changes, the temperature can rapidly jump or dip. My two days in the park – along with the rest of the trip – also taught me that Washington’s has reliably unreliable weather. Rain and gloom can be found year-round, and it’s hard to predict when exactly it could occur – even in the summer.
Additionally, Mount Rainier awoke in me an insatiable urge to climb mountains. Mountaineering is something that had always piqued my interest, and my then-recent discovery of rock climbing bolstered that interest. The thought of one day summitting Rainier brought me intense joy and anticipation. I vowed to myself that it would happen. My first attempt in doing so came three years later, in 2022. Read about that experience here.
Overall, Mount Rainier National Park is one of my favorite national parks. It provides a wide array of activities for just about everyone. Wildlife enthusiasts, avid hikers, mountaineers, and everyday tourists can find plenty to do here. Its inherent natural beauty combined with opportunities for people to push their limits makes it a powerful metaphor for nature. It’s a place that I intend to return to many, many times. I hope others receive the same inspiration from Mount Rainier that the park has given me. And I hope others give it the same love, respect, and admiration that I do.
— Paul
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