r/PNWhiking • u/Boatie1999 • 5d ago

First time at Rainier! Skyline or something different?

Hi all - my girlfriend and I are visiting friends in Seattle, but will do at least 1 full day at Rainier next weekend. We are staying in Ashford, very close to the Nisqually entrance. We are experienced hikers and in good shape.

Seems like most of the internet suggests Skyline loop for first-time visitors - which would work well for us, considering it's so close to where we are staying. But just quickly wanted to check with you all to see if it would be worth it to make the drive to a different region like White River/Sunrise? Although I think SR-123 is closed right now :(

1 Upvotes

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10

u/PGA44 5d ago

Stick with skyline loop 👍

3

u/satellite779 5d ago

+1

You can extend it by going on Mazama and the Lakes trail to make it a 9 mile loop. I usually go down to the lakes from the visitor center. Then up Mazama ridge to join Skyline counter clockwise.

You can add Pinnacle saddle for extra 2.5 miles as well. Should be enough hiking for a day.

1

u/Boatie1999 5d ago

Thanks! We are planning to hike on Friday. What would you recommend for timing if we want to park?

1

u/satellite779 5d ago

I don't know what is the situation with parking now. There was some work planned that reduced parking to 30%. I'm not sure that's finished.

If yes, you should be able to park even after 10am but it will be a 15min walk from the visitor center.

If you're there before 8am you might be even able to park in the main lot.

1

u/Boatie1999 5d ago

Thanks! We are planning to hike on Friday. What would you recommend for timing if we want to park?

5

u/FishScrumptious 5d ago

If you're in sufficiently good enough shape for the elevation and don't hate doing it, consider doing skyline then driving over to sunrise to do third Burroughs.

3

u/AnselmoHatesFascists 5d ago

Part of Highway 123 is closed so that the driving difference is 3.5 hours between the two until Sept 30th.

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u/FishScrumptious 5d ago

Ah! I confused this with a different post about October, and was thinking about the closure being (likely) over by then. Thank you for the correction!

1

u/Nice_Bell622 5d ago

Skyline was pretty when I went last month but absolutely slammed with tourists. 

1

u/Boatie1999 5d ago

Thanks! We are planning to hike on Friday. What would you recommend for timing if we want to park?

1

u/ilovecheeze 5d ago

Get there as early as possible. Summer tourist season is just finishing so maybe a little less slammed than before if it’s a weekday but really if you want to avoid long lines at the entrance and crowds you probably want to aim to get to the entrance at like 7:00am

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u/Pattysgame 2d ago

Last time I was there, a few weeks back, parking lots were at capacity and people were turning away by 4:30am. You will likely not be able to park if you arrive at 7. We usually leave around 2am to hike anywhere around rainier. On trail before sunrise and finished around noon. I always bring a few cliff bars and a mountain house breakfast scramble… but that’s just me.. very few places to filter water, but if you carry 2-3 liters you’ll be fine.

1

u/Swimming_Director_50 5d ago

Stick with Skyline. 123 is closed all month, plus the Wildcat fire is affecting at least air quality and could spread further (I live in enumclaw and air quality is poor right now from particulates/smoke).

1

u/Boatie1999 5d ago

Thanks! We are planning to hike on Friday. What would you recommend for timing if we want to park?

1

u/OlderThanMyParents 5d ago

Apparently they still have timed entry for the Sunrise corridor on weekends through October, so that’s an additional complication for going to Sunrise.

1

u/Pattysgame 2d ago

Get there before sunrise… you won’t need a reservation, and parking lots will already be filled if you show up at reservation times. By 4:30am the sunrise lot was completely full.