travel united states washington mt rainier
By the time my friends and I decided to backpack around Mt. Rainier, I had the knowledge and experience of four other long distance pack trips...
three in the Wind River Range of Wyoming and one, a canoe pack trip, in the Minnesota Boundary Waters.
I thought I knew what to expect... after all, this Mt. Rainier pack was much closer to "civilization."
I did know that that there was the added difficulty of carrying all our own water because the water coming off Rainier was too poluted with sulfer to drink.
What I didn't realize was the difficulty of the terrain.
Imagine placing a large linen napkin over a centrally placed salt shaker... imagine the folds that come off the pinacle and continue to the table.
The loop trail we took around Rainier went over terrain like that... up and down continuously with very little respit.
Our leg muscles and shins were being torn apart by the constant up and down.
I believe we must have travelled more distance vertically than horizontally. What looked like manageable distances on a map were far from reality.
By the time we reached the half way mark, two of us were ready to call it quits. The other two, apparently in better shape, finished the trip.
TRAVEL: 1962, 1982
This event has earned an over-all four star (ver good) rating from
Travel Fanatics Unlimited
****
unless noted otherwise all images copyright d. holmes chamberlin jr architect llc
The group, George Thompson, Ron Morris, Ken Rahn, and Dave Chamberlin, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
These guys were also players on our medal-winning volleyball teams at the Huntsman World Senior Games.
We were also known to play Dungeons and Dragons together.
Approaching the mountain, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Another meadow view, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Jagged peaks, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Mountain stream, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Mountain stream, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
These hoary marmots, looking like huge prairie dogs, were everywhere, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Waterfall, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Waterfall, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Wild flowers, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Dramatic cliffs along the trail, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Ken, on one of the high trails above the timber line, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
High mountain lake, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Up and down, up and down... stops for rest became more and more frequent, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Ron takes the opportunity for some quiet fishing after our ordeal, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Me, enjoying a meadow, Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1982.
Snow on the ground 20 years earlier, Mt Rainier, Washington, 1962.
copyright d. holmes chamberlin jr architect llc
page last revised december 2020