Mount Rainier National Park 



By Mark Daniels 

 Former Superintendent of National Parks 



THE ranges of mountains that run in a more or less 

 continuous line from southern California practically 

 to the Canadian border are accented here and there, 

 as it were, by peaks that raise their lofty crests far above 

 the surrounding territory. Beginning at the southern 

 end of the Sierra Nevadas with Mount Whitney, that 

 range of mountains is marked in its middle portion by 

 Mount Lassen and at its northern extremity by Mount 

 Shasta. Passing on into the mountains of Oregon and 

 Washington in the Cascade range, there is Mount 

 Mazama, the top of which was blown off in times gone 

 by, leaving the cup that now contains beautiful Crater 

 Lake. Further north are Mount Hood and Mount 

 Rainier, whose snow-crowned crests are visible for miles 

 and miles throughout the surrounding territory. 



With the exception of Mount Whitney, each of these 

 peaks bears undisputed evidence of volcanic formation, 

 with Lassen peak giving frequent evidences of its de- 

 termination not to be taken from the category of active 

 eruptives. On the top of Mount Shasta there is a hot 

 spring which gives off steam within a few feet of per- 

 petual snow and ice, and on Mount Rainier it is quite 

 possible to dip out sufficient hot water from beneath the 

 wall of a glacier to brew a grateful pot of tea without 

 the use of fire. 



Of all the peaks in the United States that stand out 

 in marked contrast to the surrounding country, Mount 

 Rainier is the undisputed peer. It is the Fujiyama of the 

 United States. It stands out alone, almost detached from 

 the remainder of the range, towering to a height of 14,408 



THE ROAD FROM TACOMA, CALLED THE TACOMA "HYPHEN" NATIONAL PARK ROAD 



This road, which leads to Rainier National Park, bursts out of the wonderful forest of pines onto a clear plateau that overlooks the valley which lies at 

 the base of the great mountain. The road from the city to the Park is smooth, well built and beautiful. Inside the Park the condition is such that patriotism 

 forbids comment on all but the scenery. 



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