When I vacationed with my parents in 1952, we camped in the Paradise Campground near the lodge. There we watched with other campers a group climbing the mountain. As we did this, my mother turned around and saw a bear who had removed from our campfire her pan with maple syrup which was heating for our pancakes. She screamed and began to chase the bear until she was restrained by my father who yelled that we could buy a new pan for our future use. The bear and my mother lived for another day. When I returned to the park as an adult in the 1980’s I asked a ranger what happened to the campground that was here. He was surprised I knew about it a but told me it was fragile land and was being reclaimed. You could still see where the roads and some of the sites were from afar. It was a great campground with a fabulous view!
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
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
Being a kid from East Texas, I'd never been to a real mountain. The first time I did visit would be with my future wife. We enjoyed hiking, exploring, and seeing sites that didn't seem real to me. I've rhen, since been many times, but that first visit will forever…
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
Mt. Rainier National Park had a big role in my coming into this world. My future Dad, Russ Fryburg, managed cabins there in 1942. He'd hangout at Paradise Inn, girl watching. One June night, he locked-in on a stunning redhead, playing that big pinewood piano in the lobby. Even though…
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
This summer three friends and I had the amazingly good fortune to score a permit to backpack the 93 mile Wonderland Trail around the base of Mt Rainier. We had gorgeous weather and views all ten days and it was the experience of a lifetime. It felt like a rite…
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