Mt Rainier Wildflower Extravaganza
$150 | Aug 2nd, 2025 | 15 spots
“The Mountains are calling and I must go. ”
Schedule
Friday: Depart from Rise Fitness @ 4:30 am (I knoooowww It’s early. But this is a Saturday. In the Summer. During Wildflower Season)
Enter through the Nisqually Entrance to Mount Rainier National Park
Arrive Paradise by 7:30am
Hiking appx 13+ miles
Meal in Packwood, WA
Home by 9pm
Adventures:
Natalie K. Sim D. Barb R. Terri A. Ruthann H. Ashley H. Audrey H. Mary Jo R. Anita B. Kat S. Stacey L.
Route
From the Henry Jackson Visitor Center next to the Paradise Lodge we begin our trek walking up the stairs with the John Muir quote and immediately see Mount Rainier as she stands proudly above us.The first half mile is an intense incline. About half a mile into the hike, the trail leaves the paved, wide trail and turns into a more traditional wilderness trail. It’s possible as we skirt our way around the Skyline loop that we will encounter lingering patches of snow. This is where proper footwear, and poles will come in handy. After 5 miles of floral meadows, we connect to the Mazama Ridge Trail and descend past a myriad of lakes connecting us to the Lower Lakes Trail passing Reflection Lake. Here we join the Wonderland Trail and begin our gradual ascent back to Paradise Lodge.
We then drive out the Stevens Canyon Entrance and take the Silver Falls Loop Trail along the Ohanapecosh RIver. A very moderate 2 mile out and back with fresh glacier blue water running beside us the entire way.
Hike Details
Skyline Trail 11+ miles/2,500 elevation
Silver Falls Trail 2 miles/300 elevation
TOTAL: 13 miles/3,000 elevation
Criteria & Pricing
A good cardiovascular base and previous hiking experience.
Must be able to climb UP Dog Mt in under 1:30
Included
TRAINING PLAN
Local opportunities leading up to this hike are as follows:
*Every Wednesday 6:45-7:30am—Summer Stairs at Doc Harris Stadium (Serpentine Stairs at max output for 3 mins with a one min recovery. Repeat for 30 mins) Address:1125 NE 22nd AVE Camas, WA 98607
*July 19th- Forest Park Pittock Mansion via UPPER Macleay to Hoyt Arboretum on Wildwood Trail (Appx 8 miles/1500 gain) Address: PUBLIC PARKING LOT 4073 NW Cornell Road Portland, OR 97210
*July23rd-Moulton Falls to Bells Mountain. Hill repeats at max output (1.2 miles up/600 gain, 600 loss) Repeat as many as possible in 1.5 hours. Address: 28301 Sunset Falls Road, Yacolt WA 98675 (Upper Parking Lot)
Other suggested training plans for those who do not live local or aren’t able to participate in these opportunities:
For cardio threshold stamina—find the steepest hill you live near and walk up/jog down at max effort. Find a hill that may take 5-10 min to walk up with 2-5 mins to jog down. Start at 30 mins of repeats, working up to at least 60 mins. Use a timer for each repeat. Your goal is to bring time down week by week. Same perceived exertion and aiming for max cardio effort. As power and stamina increase, your overall time will get faster…..even though it will still feel just as hard!
For cardio threshold HIIT—find a set of stairs, in a stadium or in a neighborhood. Jog/double time stairs UP and DOWN for 2-3 mins at max effort with one min of recovery between each set. Start with 4 sets, adding an additional set of stairs each week. You should be gassed at the end of each set, earning that one min break. If you aren’t gassed then make the next set harder. Double time or go faster.
For cardio endurance and time on your legs—find a hike in the neighborhood of 10 miles. Preferably with some inclines so your knees, back, glutes and quads will get used to the repetitive load being put on them.
Short hikes are great, but for the steep ascents, decents and elevation of these hikes, the STAIR and HILL repeats are going to really boost your overall cardio output!
If neither of these options are available to you, I suggest a stair master or a treadmill. Starting at a level one…every min add another level. Follow the same format as mentioned above for HIIT and STAMINA.
Timed Entry Permits
Guided Climb
Hiking Checklist
Not Included
Transportation (car pooling is encouraged)
Snacks, Fuel, Gear
Meal in Packwood