Mount Rainier

[menzies]

Nice clear view of the mountain as we flew into Seattle today.

 

[McGillicuddy]

I took this during my visit in January.
Looking more like Mor Dor in Lord of the Rings.

 

[Civilitas]

To put that last photo in perspective for those who’ve never seen this impressive volcano (yes, it’s a volcano), that thing is 43 air miles away from the point the photo was taken, which appears to be along the edge of Commencement Bay on the Tacoma waterfront.

If you expand the photo a bit, you can see some peaks silhouetted along what LOOKS like the base of it - behind the near hills with buildings. These are parts of the Cascade range, which are impressive 7,000’ mountains in their own right, but look insignificant in comparison. I’ve lived in the area 15 years and this thing still impresses you every time you see it.

 

[GoneFarrell]

That little bump first pic to the left of the summit: that's called Little Tahoma.

It's about 50 feet short of the summit of Mount Hood, the highest peak in Oregon.

Climbed Rainier twice (one time too many!)

 

[Chuck34]

Did a family vacation out there in '95. Great trip. Even spent one night at Paradise Inn on the mountain. I believe it was at the 5400' level. Loved it. Our boys still talk about it.
Touring the area around Mt. St. Helens was amazing.

 

[Airstream345]

I snapped this on Monday as I headed out on a work trip. Clouds were at 5,000 ft.

Living in Seattle, when the “mountain is out” everyone is just a little happier. As my wife says “it never, ever gets old”

 

[dhays]

I snapped this on Monday as I headed out on a work trip. Clouds were at 5,000 ft.

Living in Seattle, when the “mountain is out” everyone is just a little happier. As my wife says “it never, ever gets old”

View attachment 76583

It never gets old because we don’t see the mountain often enough to become jaded. Every time I see the mountain it is awe inspiring.

 

[Airstream345]

True

 

[Civilitas]

When I was a kid growing up near Louisville, KY, I would hear my Grandmother and her peers and others joke about “Mt Rainier” and as superior, the biggest, etc., as in, “Oh, it’s as big as Mt. Rainier!” This was say, c. early 1970s. Decades later I recalled this, and would wondered why people in the east would say this, particularly since she’d never gone west of Illinois in her life as far as I know.

A year or two ago, I read that until around WWI, Mt. Rainier was thought to be the highest peak in North America, and thus was taught in schools and appeared in text books. Around then, c.~1917, new surveys showed McKinley was a little taller, but it took a long time for textbooks and popular perception to change.

I found this somewhat interesting - how misinformation likely inflated it’s popular appeal, though I would not say undeservedly.

And yeah, it never gets old!

 

[tiltrider1]

There is no Mt McKinley. It was apparently torn down and replaced with a new mountain called Denali.

 

[McGillicuddy]

To put that last photo in perspective for those who’ve never seen this impressive volcano (yes, it’s a volcano), that thing is 43 air miles away from the point the photo was taken, which appears to be along the edge of Commencement Bay on the Tacoma waterfront.

If you expand the photo a bit, you can see some peaks silhouetted along what LOOKS like the base of it - behind the near hills with buildings. These are parts of the Cascade range, which are impressive 7,000’ mountains in their own right, but look insignificant in comparison. I’ve lived in the area 15 years and this thing still impresses you every time you see it.

You have a good eye! I took this pic by turning 180 degrees to face the other way. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is of course the replacement for the famous ‘Galloping Gertie’ bridge the spectacularly failed 8 months after being opened.