I want my Mountain back. Mt Rainier shut down

Because of the government shut down all National Parks, including Mt. Rainier, are shut down. Due to websites being considered non-essential, they can’t even update the website to let people know what to expect. Turns out, the roads have been blocked, gates have been locked and it’s not possible to drive into the National ParkContinue reading “I want my Mountain back. Mt Rainier shut down”

Milky Way over Mt. Rainier with climbers making summit attempt

Growing up in Mumbai, I remember seeing stars above me. I remember vividly that I could see the 30 brightest stars in the Northen Hemisphere as I knew them by name and could find them at night. In the 90s, light pollution came and you couldn’t see anymore. Yet, nothing is more awestriking yet relativelyContinue reading “Milky Way over Mt. Rainier with climbers making summit attempt”

Time Lapse of Mt. Rainier visibility from Kerry Park in 2012

Visibility of our surroundings is a key aspect of the experience of a place. I live in Seattle and one thing everyone here is obsessed with is Mt. Rainier. It’s common to hear the phrase “The mountain’s out”. How many times in a year can you see Mt. Rainier from Seattle? Some people claim that it’sContinue reading “Time Lapse of Mt. Rainier visibility from Kerry Park in 2012”

A night in a Snow Cave on Mt. Rainier on New Year’s day

Jen and I don’t really attach much significance to days like New Years day. However, why pass on a nice extended weekend to get out and have some fun? We decided to go snow camping on Mt. Rainier. We had been to Mt. Rainier many times before but had never camped overnight, and never reallyContinue reading “A night in a Snow Cave on Mt. Rainier on New Year’s day”

Hiking up 4,700ft / 5.5miles to Camp Muir at Mt. Rainier wearing 5 finger shoes

We hiked up to Camp Muir yesterday which is at an elevation of 10,080ft. Starting at Paradise it’s a 4,700 ft climb that happens over 5.5 miles. The last 2-3 miles is just a vast snow-field and traversing up that is a chore. Good boots help but we use 5 finger shoes which don’t doContinue reading “Hiking up 4,700ft / 5.5miles to Camp Muir at Mt. Rainier wearing 5 finger shoes”