As I hiked up Mount Rainier’s Paradise Glacier with its scores of eerie and gurgling ice caves, rocks tore loose from the upper flanks and cracked down sheer cliffs to the wrinkled ice nearby. I began to sense a living presence in this mountain while standing on what John Muir called “God’s ice tool.” When I spotted an entrance to an ice cave carved by a gushing stream, I entered the cave to enjoy a glacial symphony of trickling rivulets, along with gurgles and dripping water sounding something like the abstract expressionistic music of Austrian-born Arnold Schoenberg. I crawled deeper inside until I could no longer see sky. All sorts of thoughts flooded through my mind as I listened to rolling and grinding stones of an inner stream. They became my voice as I began to think like a mountain even in my sleep much later that night back at camp.
Sincerely,
Mount Rainier National Park
Majestic Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range and an active volcano with more glaciers than any other mountain in the United States. Just an hour's drive from Seattle, the park's wild landscape feels much further from civilization. The forests, parkland, wetlands, lakes and rivers offer 260 miles of trails and varied habitat to dozens of plant and animal species.
State(s): Washington
Established: 1899
“they inspire thoughts you never had before.”
National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!
Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.
You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.
In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!
Here’s your unique story page link:
{{ storyUrl }}-
Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
Every national park I've visited holds a special place in my heart. We make it a point to explore at least one new national park each year, and when we're lucky, we get to visit even more. Mount Rainier, however, stands out as the park where I had my first…
Preserve Our Parks
Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.
Donate Now