Mt. Rainier played host to a wonderful summer season of meaningful connections and vibrant beauty. The experience could not have been more perfect. The ribbon that tied this beautiful gift together was the entire staff, in particular, the team of interpreters I had the pleasure...
Established as a national park in 1899, before the National Park Service was created in 1916, Mount Rainier National Park is a prized jewel of the Pacific Northwest. 2 million people visit annually, most coming between the months of July and August. Ranger programs began...
Less than a year ago, I was selecting classes for my spring 2018 semester with the intent to graduate. I was 2 courses away from graduation. Due to the unavailability of a second class in spring and summer, graduation was postponed until fall. What was I...
It's a great hike!" About seven and a half miles round-trip, 3000 feet of elevation gain. No problem. You'll only reach the saddle, but you can do a ten-minute scramble to reach the peak. "A scramble?" I thought to myself. Being from Florida, I'm not familiar with mountain...
It was a beautiful, clear and sunny day for a day hike. I set my sights on reaching Indian Henry's Hunting Ground with hopes to summit Pyramid Peak. My route was the Wonderland Trail. Total distance: an estimated 7-miles one-way (14 mi. round-trip). After an estimated...
One of my five housemates is an intern for the geology department at Mount Rainier. As part of the imminent threats team, Ian collects water samples from glaciers around the park to build comparative data for the prediction of glacial outburst floods. [caption id="attachment_7857" align="aligncenter" width="300"]...
As a University of Florida online student, participating in the summer 2016 UF-sponsored study abroad program in Mérida, Mexico was one of the best decisions I made. It afforded me the opportunity to get back into the classroom setting I was missing and a chance to...
Being a geologist isn’t always about mining rocks & minerals or unearthing fossils. It can involve mitigating hazardous situations and damage to infrastructure. The dangers of rockfalls and landslides are commonplace at any mountain range. Such issues are tackled by the Imminent Threats Program at Mount...
"The chief aim of Interpretation is not instruction, but provocation." - Freeman Tilden How did Mount Rainier come to be? How did the rocks get here? Why are there ridges in seemingly random areas? [caption id="attachment_6643" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Park ranger Curt Jacquot giving an interpretive walk through the...
[caption id="attachment_6910" align="alignnone" width="556"] Rockfall at Westside Road, photo by NPS[/caption] Do you know some things Mt. Rainier National Park is known for from the following list? A) Being 97% wilderness B) Being established in 1899 as the 5th National Park C) Having the highest volcanic peak in the...