[ Mt Rainier ] Day 2: Paradise to Muir

June 18, 2003 - After spending last night at Paradise Inn, today we hiked from the parking lot at Paradise (5,400 feet) to Camp Muir (10,100 feet). We picked up the permits and left at 8:30am. We could see the summit when we awoke, but by the time we had left the cloud ceiling had engulfed Paradise. Around 6300 feet we broke through the ceiling and could see the cloud capped summit, as well as Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens to the south. Mount Hood in Oregon became visible later on.

We moved quickly until the Muir Snowfield, where the sun baked us while we hauled our 60 pound packs. Nisqually Glacier had many visible crevasses, but there were none on our route that we saw. Made it to Camp Muir at 3:30pm, and then ate, drank, and rested for the afternoon. I tended to my sunburned knees and ate the best freeze dried beef stroganoff ever.

Parking Lot
No view of the summit as we left Paradise

Snow Trudge
The winter trail from Paradise to Camp Muir starting to melt out

Partial view of summit
Zach and Peter pose with a long ways to go to the summit

Nisqually Glacier
Cloud cover above and below

Muir Snowfield
Zach doing what we were doing most of the day - hiking up the Muir Snowfield slowly, while not feeling well

View from Muir Snowfield
In the distance, to the left, is Mt Adams (12,276 ft.), although you can't see it here. The small dark mountain on the horizon, right of center, is Mt St Helens (8,363 ft after eruption).

Camp Muir
Home for the night and route across Cowlitz Glacier

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