Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [284]
Fishing. The good news about fishing in Mount Rainier National Park is that no fishing license is required. The bad news is that the fishing isn't very good. However, there are some fish out there, and you're welcome to try your hand at catching a few. Lots of people do. Just remember that only artificial lures and flies can be used within the park, and some posted waters are closed to fishing. Ask for details.
For the most part, glacial silt keeps Mount Rainier's rivers too cloudy for fishing in the summer. The Ohanapecosh River is one exception. This river, in the southeast corner of the park, flows clear throughout the summer and is designated for fly-fishing only. Anglers are also encouraged to release the trout they catch. Most of the park's many lakes are home to one or another species of trout. In most cases you have to hike in to fish. Some shorter hikes include Sunrise Lake (below Sunrise Point) and Louise, Bench, and Snow lakes, east of Paradise off the road to the Stevens Canyon Entrance.
Horseback Riding. If you'd like to do some horseback riding, you have a couple of choices in the area. In Elbe, you'll find EZ Times Outfitters, 18703 Wash. 706 (☎ 360/569-2449), which leads rides into the Elbe State Forest. On the east side of the park, 19 miles east of Chinook Pass on Wash. 410, you'll find Chinook Pass Outfitter & Guides (☎ 800/726-3631 or 509/653-2633; www.chinookpass.com). East of White Pass on U.S. 12, you'll find Indian Creek Corral (☎ 509/672-2400; www.indian creekcorral.com), near the shore of Rimrock Lake. Horse rental rates start at around $20 per hour.
Mountaineering. Each year, more than 10,000 people set out to climb the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier. That only slightly more than half make it to the top is a testament to how difficult the climb is. Although the ascent does not require rock-climbing skills, the glacier crossings require basic mountaineering knowledge, and the 9,000-foot climb from Paradise is physically demanding. Also, the elevation often causes altitude sickness. This is not a mountain to be attempted by the unprepared or the untrained; over the years, dozens of people have died attempting the summit. Because of the many difficulties presented by summit ascents at Mount Rainier, this mountain often serves as a training ground for expeditions headed to peaks all over the world.
The easiest and most popular route starts at Paradise at 5,400 feet and climbs to the stone climbers' shelter at 10,188-foot Camp Muir. From here, climbers, roped together for safety, set out in the middle of the night to reach Columbia Crest, the mountain's highest point at 14,411 feet. From the summit on a clear day, seemingly all of Washington and much of Oregon stretches below.
The best way for most of us to climb Mount Rainier is with somebody who knows what he or she is doing, and here that means Rainier Mountaineering, P.O. Box Q, Ashford, WA 98304 (☎ 888/89-CLIMB or 360/569-2227; fax 360/569-2982; www.rmiguides.com), which offers a variety of mountaineering classes as well as guided summer climbs. A 1-day basic climbing class combined with the 2-day summit climb costs $795.
Wildlife Viewing. Hunting is prohibited in Mount Rainier National Park; consequently, deer, elk, and mountain goats within the park have lost their fear of humans. Anyone hiking the park's trails in the summer can expect to encounter some of these large mammals. Deer are the most common, although the park's mountain goats seem to command the greatest interest. Look for goats on Goat