From Sea-Level to 14,000 Feet
Traversing from the Oregon Coast to snow-capped Mt. Rainier in a single day
Starting Mileage: 2982
I know you’ve all been waiting in suspense, so let me ease your worries: I made it down Dave and Nancy’s driveway without breaking anything.
We had a bit of a slow start, but we were still on our way fairly early. Which was good, because I’d planned a big day: the Oregon coast, 250 miles of driving, and Mt. Rainier National Park.
First stop: the ocean.
This is the beach in the town of Manzanita, and it’s absolutely gorgeous (as you can see). There’s something about the northern coastline that is just so serene. I practically leapt out of Danica and ran for the sand.
Me trying to take selfies and run at the same time, going for that “in-the-moment” shot
I think both Zach and I were happy to just wander aimlessly along the waterline, quietly taking in the sea. The rhythm of the waves, the call of the gulls, the cool mist drifting off the water. We were silent, for the most part, standing ankle-deep and letting the sand slip away beneath us as the water pushed and pulled. We probably could have spent all day there.
But the day was only getting started, so after a couple more pictures, we brushed off the sand and climbed back into the van.
The first hour of the drive followed the coast, so we did get to enjoy some great views before the road pulled away from the ocean and took us back into the mountains.
About halfway through the drive, we started to see signs for Lewis and Clark National Historic Park. We were still a long ways from Mt. Rainier, but our curiosity was piqued and we were ready to stretch our legs (and I thought it was possible they might have another stamp for my Parks Passport), so Zach navigated me in that direction, and we pulled up to Fort Clatsop.
https://medium.com/gnomivers-travels/from-sea-level-to-14-000-feet-fcd1d27d1b03
It’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area. The museum is quick but informative, and covers the Lewis and Clark expedition, including Sacagawea, as well as what native life was like in the area at that time. There’s an emphasis on the relationships forged within the expedition and between the explorers and the native population. I found a lot of the anecdotes surprising: considering the time period and the way these relationships most typically unfolded, the journal entries and other accounts of what occurred at Fort Clatsop seemed to describe an attitude towards equality. References to slaves who were brought along on the expedition mentioned asking for their input on major decisions, praising them for being just as valuable to the group as anyone else. Accounts of the meetings with Native Americans (from both sides) depict a peaceable sharing of cultures.
The Fort itself (a reproduction, as there’s nothing left of the original) is an interesting walk-through exhibit, and the trails winding through the forest are an incredible way to stretch your legs. (And yes, they had a stamp for me!)
The drive into Mt. Rainier National Park is one of mystery and anticipation. Mt. Rainier, standing at over 14,000 feet, is one of the tallest mountains in the contiguous United States. So you expect to see it from a distance, to watch it loom ever closer as you near the park. But even at the entrance, we couldn’t see anything that resembled a great, honking mountain.
We could feel the altitude, yawning and tugging at our earlobes to make our ears pop as the road weaved and bobbed around hills and smaller peaks. We were making jokes about Mt. Rainier being a myth, a conspiracy, a lie. That we would drive straight through the park only to discover there was no mountain. And then, finally, we saw the edge of it. The solitary cloud in the otherwise bright blue sky was clustered around the peak, as if the mountain had developed its own weather system.
Now as we traversed through the park, the altitude still rising, we caught glimpses of the edge of the mountain, the peak hidden beneath a cloud.
It was already pretty late in the afternoon, and the park is split up into five divisions, each known for something else. The plan was to stay in the park, though I hadn’t made a reservation, so we decided to simply see how far we got and what was still available.
The first stop was the Longmire area, which is focused on the history of the park. We didn’t spend too much time there, as the museum and visitor’s center were already getting ready to close and we wanted to get through as much of the park as we could.
The road through Longmire twists and winds its way uphill, and features incredible views of dense forest, sharp peaks, and sweeping vistas. Deep canyons secret away plunging waterfalls, wide glacial rivers open up the landscape for incredible views of a seemingly endless string of mountains.
The road to Paradise, the next area of the park, is long only because of how tightly it moves through the range, folding back on itself over and over, curling broadly around a peak only to return nearly to where it began the turn, but a few hundred feet higher. The Paradise Visitor’s Center sits above the clouds, overlooking what feels like all of Washinton. And the wildflowers there turn the alpine meadows into earthbound rainbows.
With the sun slowly creeping toward the horizon, we set off again, leaving Paradise behind for the lush forests of Ohanapecosh.
I’d seen pictures of a suspension bridge to the Grove of the Patriarchs. It was late enough that we wouldn’t have time for the whole hike, but I was hopeful we’d be able to get as far as the bridge, which looked like something out of a fairytale from the online photos.
It’s a great hike, characterized primarily by the lush undergrowth and immense trees, many of which have fallen, their massive trunks lining the trail or even propped over it. The bridge isn’t too far, and the river is so clear that it looks almost like glass, protecting the mosaic of smooth, colorful stones underneath.
It was a long day (as you can probably tell). So with this final item knocked off the checklist, we climbed back in Danica, intending to not stop until we found somewhere to camp. The drive from Ohanapecosh up to Sunrise (the final area of the park that’s accessible from the southern entrances) is truly mountainous. Much of the way, the road is set into the cliff side, and the views are staggering.
We made it to White River Campground, and I tried (with little success) to build a fire while Zach worked on dinner.