Mt Rainier Then and Now

The top picture of the park administration building was taken in September 2010 at the Longmire area of Mt. Rainier National Park. On my visit I talked with two of the park rangers stationed there and both were very friendly. Now that I'm back I have to remind myself put together a contact list of all the great people I met on my trip. The rangers at the admin building were very busy assisting climbers and people with some difficult problems, but they both took the time to view my CD of old photos and try to help me find various locations. They also put me in touch with the park historian who again was wonderful. She was very interested in the CCC and in a generous gesture she encouraged me to send her copies of my photos and promised to preserve them for history.

Inside the administration building is a wonderful 3D relief map of the entire mountain set up on a trestle table. Quite a bit better than the paper ones I had been carrying around. I'm such a visual person that as soon as I saw this I was captivated. Had to study the park from all the angles.

I found this wooden bridge quite by accident when I was wondering around in the rain. Came back the next day to get a decent picture. On the rainy day I walked out to the middle just when a van came across. Poor driver had to back up when he saw me taking pictures. Not room enough for us both to cross.

Only later did I find this picture that Dad took of a CCC buddy in 1930's. The bridge doesn't appear to have changed very much in all those years. Still quite sturdy and well built. But on closer inspection it's easy to see that there has been some serious work done on the bridge in the intervening years.

This is a view up the creek. I'm guessing that it is Tahoma Creek but I will have to consult my map to be sure. There's another shot below that shows how fast the water runs down from the glaciers when it rains. Can't imagine what it looks like in spring. Nowadays the bridge is in a restricted area where park employees live.
On the other side of the creek is a campsite for volunteers who spend long periods in the park. I didn't take the road any further because of the bad weather. I was thoroughly soaked when I returned to my car.

I rented a car and drove up from Portland. Not a bad ride, but even with the GPS telling me I was almost there I was very glad to see the beautiful rustic sign at the entrance to the National Park. The sign didn't look much different in the 1930's as you can see from the B&W picture. Some white paint paint is all. Right around the corner is a booth where you pay the visitor's fee. I found the cost very reasonable. I think it was about 15 dollars for several days. What a value.



I was very fortunate to see the mountain on several occasions. When I first arrived I didn't have a clue that Rainier likes to play hide and seek behind clouds. The mountain makes its own weather system I was told. My picture was taken about 7 am in the Paradise Inn parking area. What a breathtaking sight. I wonder where Dad was when he took the winter picture above? It's just as breathtaking. He must have been pretty high in the sky when he clicked the shutter.

The National Parks Inn had comfortable accomodations. Met several people who were passing through on the Wonderland Trail and enjoying the luxury of a night in a real bed.

I sat in front of the fireplace and read for several hours. Made me quite sleepy. Very relaxing and warm.

This picture is how the Inn looked to my Dad in 1938. The stone fireplace is still a very distinctive feature and as you can see from the modern pictures it looks beautiful inside and out and works very well.

This is the view from the front porch of the National Park Inn. The day was a bit dreary and my feet were pretty wet but it was still pretty nice sitting in a rocker watching the rain come down. I felt a bit like I was walking in my Dad's footsteps because I knew the site of the CCC camp was pretty close by in the Longmire area. I just didn't know where.

The tourist automobile seen in the 1930's picture above is a little different than the one they have under a tent at the Longmire museum. This red one is pretty nifty.

The Paradise Inn was by far the best moment for me. When I arrived in the parking lot I was almost overcome with emotion. I had looked at my Dad's photos over the years and I was just overjoyed to find out that it had been preserved. There have been renovations. In fact a major one a few years back. But inside and out the lodge is absolutely gorgeous and authentic. I will post more pictures soon. Since I have been back I tell everyone to visit this National Park. You will never regret it.