Hiking to Camp Muir

 I rarely talk about our vacations but I have to take some time to wrap my mind around some of the hikes we recently accomplished on our trip out to the Pacific Northwest.  It's been several years since we've gone on a big hiking trip and I was so excited to get back on the trails.  I also wanted to go to Seattle, so a hiking trip in Washington seemed like a great fit.  We had a pretty aggressive hiking program and had planned a spring of training.  That didn't happen due to the weather, our schedules, and life stuff, so heading into the trip I really wasn't feeling great about our chances.  

We arrived at Mt. Rainier National Park on a Sunday.  We took our time heading up to Paradise because check in wasn't until 4:00 and we didn't want to do any hiking the day before our Camp Muir hike.  It was nice to be able to stop at all the lower view points and have a yummy lunch at the National Park Inn.  

After we got the Paradise area we checked in with a ranger to talk about our hike and get any important information we might need.  (We had done a lot of research already, so we were really prepared but it's always important to talk to the rangers.)  She reviewed the route and gave us a super handy map with compass coordinates.  The entire trail was under snow (usually just the last 2 miles are on snow) so this would be really helpful as we tried to navigate.  Then we got food and snacks for the next day and waited to check in to our room.  We took in the view of the mountain and did some mental prep.  (At this point I was getting super nervous.  I had never hiked on snow and was getting nervous about getting lost, even though we had that map.) Staring up at the mountain was super helpful, as well as chatting with a group of women who had just finished the hike.  They were so excited and reassured us we wouldn't be getting lost. At this point I felt super ready and excited.

We headed back to our room to pack up our bags and go to bed early.  

We got up at 5:00am the next morning.  Since we stayed at the Paradise Inn we were only a five minute walk to the trail head.  

The sun wasn't quite out yet and it was fun walking around all alone.  We only saw a few other hikers getting ready at the trail head.  We put on our microspikes (super clutch) and set out.  4.1 miles to Camp Muir!

The first two miles of the hike were relatively easy.  The elevation gain really sets in at the two mile mark, or at least that's what I felt like.  We were pretty much alone, a few hikers far in front of us and few far behind us.  It was so cool to be alone, hiking through the snow, with the mountain looming next to us.  The snow crunched under our feet and we were able to really live in the moment because we weren't spent yet.  

At around mile 2.3 we reached the Muir Snowfield.  This is where the vertical gets intense.  You are up on this snowfield that's just going straight up.  The sun was out at this point and it was warm.  We were extra careful about sunscreen (although somehow we managed to miss the tip of my nose and nostril area which was no fun post hike) and we stopped a few times on the snowfield for quick snack breaks.  

Eventually, Camp Muir comes into view and it's one of those things where you can see it but it's pretty far away still.  At this point, you are just going up and up and up and it hurts.  It wasn't that I was tired, I had energy, but my legs hated me.  I got to a point where I had to count steps.  I pushed myself to do 50 steps and then rest, bent over, clinging to my poles. 

With about 400 yards to go, I told JO I had hit a wall and I didn't "need" to get the camp.  He knows me well, because if I had gotten that close and given up it would have eaten away at me.  So he did what he always does, he told me to take it slow and steady and that he wasn't letting me give up.  (He really is the best hiking partner ever!) 

Even when Camp Muir was super close, maybe 50 feet away, I had to stop and take two breaks.  (I felt better about this later as I watched other hikers approach the camp.) When I got out of the snow and up into the camp I just felt intensely proud of myself.  This was a hike I had wanted to check off my bucket list for so long.  John Muir is one of my heroes and to get to the highest point on Rainier you can go without a permit just felt like such an epic hiking accomplishment.  To be up at basecamp just gave me all of the feels.  Added bonus, we had just absolutely gorgeous weather and could see for miles and miles.

Almost immediately after getting to the camp, JO pushed a Snickers bar in my face, which I gladly accepted.  Then we ate our weird hiking lunch of items we were able to find at the store at the lodge.  We probably looked a bit strange eating our hummus and potato salad but it worked for us.  Looking back, I wish I had walked around the camp a bit more, but I didn't want to interfere with the climbers who were there pre or post summit attempt.  

After our camp lunch, it was time to head back down.  We glissaded down a lot of the snowfield and it was super fun.  I had sworn to JO that I wouldn't be partaking in any glissading but when you can ride your poncho sled down or hike down, the choice becomes really easy.  And guess what?  I loved glissading!

Once the glissading had run out, we still had a long way to go.  We stopped at this gorgeous spot just before Panorama Point for a refuel and I just thought to myself, how lucky are we!

The last 2.5 miles back to Paradise took forever and there were some kind of dicey spots that I didn't love but we just took our time and we were fine.  When we made it back to the parking lot I just wanted to cry because I was so happy.  

We headed back to our room, regrouped, and celebrated with dinner and wine at the Paradise Lodge dining room.  Those eight hours we spent on that mountain will live in my heart and my mind forever!  (Also, not going to lie, a hike like that makes you hungry for more.  Maybe I'll be back some day to summit.)