TravelMorgan Stone GretherCrystal Mountain, resort, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, pacific northwest, Washington, Alpine Inn, mountains, trees, travel

Rainier Day 1: Sunset Drive to Crystal Mountain

TravelMorgan Stone GretherCrystal Mountain, resort, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, pacific northwest, Washington, Alpine Inn, mountains, trees, travel
Rainier Day 1: Sunset Drive to Crystal Mountain

Continuing my coverage of my July 2016 adventures for Travel Tacoma and Visit Rainier...

We ended a packed day of fun in the Mount Rainier National Forest by driving through incredible scenery to our hotel, the Alpine Inn at Crystal Mountain. The room was pretty small, but I had my own bathroom, and hey, we closed the bar that night. One thing that is for certain: the location is spectacular. Plus, we were a short walk to a host of ski runs. I'd love to return in the wintertime. 

Nice person in Portland, Oregon, and beyond.

TravelMorgan Stone GretherLongmire InnTrail of the Shadows, hiking, Washington, pacific northwest, Longmire, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, trees, mountains, travel

Rainier Day 1: Trail of the Shadows Hike, Longmire

After lunch we entered the Mount Rainier National Park and took the Trail of the Shadows hike across the road from the Longmire National Park Inn. It's a short hike, but with lots of quick changes of scenery to make it interesting to all ages. As you leave the inn, you get breathtaking views of Rainier and then you travel through swampy meadows and into the forest whose giant fir trees give the trail its name. There are also several springs along the trail, including the vibrantly colored and slightly poisonous Iron Mike spring, and even a restored homestead cabin from the 19th century.

TravelMorgan Stone GretherLongmire InnTrail of the Shadows, hiking, Washington, pacific northwest, Longmire, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, trees, mountains, travel
Rainier Day 1: Trail of the Shadows Hike, Longmire
TravelMorgan Stone GretherCrystal Mountain, Crystal Mountain Gondola, Summit House, restaurant, mountains, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, gondola, trees, pacific northwest, travel

Rainier Day 2: Crystal Mountain Gondola to Summit House

For lunch on the second day in the Mount Rainier National Park area, we rode the Crystal Mountain gondola to the Summit House restaurant. The views from atop the sky slopes were breathtaking, particularly Rainier itself. 

TravelMorgan Stone GretherCrystal Mountain, Crystal Mountain Gondola, Summit House, restaurant, mountains, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, gondola, trees, pacific northwest, travel
Rainier Day 2: Crystal Mountain Gondola to Summit House
TravelMorgan Stone GretherSunrise Washington, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, mountains, trees, Washington, pacific northwest, hiking, travel

Rainier Day 2: Sunrise, Washington

After our stop at Eunice Lake, we traveled onward to Sunrise, Washington, which is the highest spot in the park you can drive to. From its lodge, hiking trails spider off in all directions for easy hikes that all offer truly breathtaking views of Mount Rainier and its surrounding foothills. Cascade beauty! As we drove up to the site, a thick layer of clouds sat around the mountain, but as we started hiking the cloud cover quickly burned off.

TravelMorgan Stone GretherSunrise Washington, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, mountains, trees, Washington, pacific northwest, hiking, travel
Rainier Day 2: Sunrise, Washington
TravelMorgan Stone GretherEunice Lake, lake, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Washington, pacific northwest, trees, mountains, hiking, travel

Rainier Day 2: Eunice Lake

Early in the morning of our second day on Mount Rainier (after the actual sunrise, but on our way to the area named Sunrise), we stopped for photos at Eunice Lake. It was a little too windy for good reflections, but still so lovely!

TravelMorgan Stone GretherEunice Lake, lake, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Washington, pacific northwest, trees, mountains, hiking, travel
Rainier Day 2: Eunice Lake