Mount Rainier, Active stratovolcano in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, US.
Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano in Washington that reaches 4,392 meters in elevation and displays two craters at the top. Twenty-six large glaciers cover the slopes and feed rivers throughout the surrounding valleys.
Captain George Vancouver named the peak in 1792 after Admiral Peter Rainier, while Indigenous peoples referred to it as Tahoma. Hazard Stevens and Philemon Van Trump completed the first documented ascent in 1870.
Indigenous communities in the region hold ceremonies and prayers at specific locations near the base and along the trails. Visitors sometimes encounter offerings or sacred markers left by families honoring ancestral traditions.
Winter conditions require tire chains between November and May, and snowfall can occur at higher elevations throughout the year. Climbers attempting routes above 3,000 meters (roughly 10,000 feet) must register and carry proper equipment.
The glacier system here forms the largest network of permanent ice in the lower 48 states. Geothermal heat beneath the summit melts ice from below, creating caves that shift and collapse with each season.
Location: Washington
Elevation above the sea: 4,389 m
Made from material: andesite, basaltic andesite
GPS coordinates: 46.85215,-121.75768
Latest update: December 2, 2025 21:48
Seattle stretches between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, offering a mix of urban architecture, public spaces and natural areas. This route connects more than thirty stops, from the Space Needle and Pike Place Market to less visited sites like the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks or the Wing Luke Museum. The selection includes museums of contemporary and classical art, historic neighborhoods and waterfront parks. Pike Place Market sits downtown and has operated as a public market since 1907. Chihuly Garden and Glass displays the glasswork of local artist Dale Chihuly. The Museum of Pop Culture, designed by Frank Gehry, covers music, film and video games. Olympic Sculpture Park spans nine acres along the waterfront, combining outdoor sculpture with views across the bay. The Seattle Art Museum holds collections from different continents and periods. The Ballard Locks connect salt water to fresh water and include a fish ladder for migrating salmon. Discovery Park covers 534 acres with trails through forest and meadow, plus beach access. Gas Works Park preserves parts of a former coal gasification plant on Lake Union. The Museum of Flight documents aviation history with more than 175 aircraft and spacecraft. Mount Rainier National Park lies about two hours southeast and features the 14,411-foot (4,392-meter) glaciated volcano.
This collection brings together active volcanoes located on multiple continents, from Cotopaxi in the Ecuadorian Andes to Mount Fuji in Japan, including Vesuvius in Italy and Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Each site demonstrates different geological processes: stratovolcanoes like Mount Saint Helens and Etna produce explosive eruptions, while Hawaiian shield volcanoes generate flowing lava that can travel long distances. The selection also includes sites that have marked history through their destructive power, such as Krakatoa, whose 1883 eruption caused tens of thousands of casualties, or Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79. Other volcanoes like Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull have recently shown their ability to disrupt human activities globally. These locations offer insight into how volcanic activity shapes landscapes and influences nearby populations.
Camp Muir
2.6 km
Little Tahoma Peak
3.5 km
Emmons Glacier
13.4 km
Willis Wall
2 km
Nisqually Glacier
2.1 km
Ingraham Glacier
3.8 km
Comet Falls
6.5 km
Mount Rainier Wilderness
4.2 km
Tahoma Glacier
4.4 km
Winthrop Glacier
2.9 km
Paradise Glacier
4.9 km
Cowlitz Glacier
3.9 km
Kautz Glacier
3.3 km
Inter Glacier
3.6 km
Fryingpan Glacier
5.2 km
Puyallup Glacier
5.3 km
Liberty Cap Glacier
2.4 km
Ohanapecosh Glacier
6.9 km
Whitman Glacier
4.9 km
Pearl Falls
6.4 km
Flett Glacier
6.9 km
Pyramid Peak
6.5 km
Van Trump Creek
6.7 km
Russell Glacier
5.6 km
Edith Creek Chlorination House
6.8 km
Wilson Glacier
3.4 km
North Mowich Glacier
5.1 km
Van Trump Falls
6.9 kmReviews
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