Guide to Map
MPG V2.7, January 2010

Advisories about Google map display and about the Carbon River Road.

Trail Rating Guide

The hikes are catagorized as:

   Easy, a hike shorter than 3 miles or no significant elevation gain;

   Moderate, a hike of 3 to 6 miles or with some elevation gain, some hiking experience helpful;

   Hard, a hike of 6-10 miles or with significant elevation gain, some hiking experience necessary;

   Difficult, a hike longer than 10 miles or with major elevation gain, only for the experienced hiker in one day.

Day Hike Information

The "information window" for each day hike has the following information for each hike:

    (1) the trail name,
    (2) trailhead location,
    (3) latitude and longitude, in decimal degrees,
    (4) trail information - roundtrip distance, elevation and gain/loss,
    (5) trail rating, listed below,
    (6) the NPS map and the USGS topographic map,
    (7) the latest NPS trail report, and
    (8) the book(s) (below) with trail descriptions.

This should provide sufficient information to locate the day hike and with the other Websites, linked in the list, and books should provide enough informaton to determine if you want to find it.

Additional Resources

Currently there are three excellent books, nos. 1-3 below, and two pamphlets, no. 4, for day hikes in Mt. Rainier NP. Please note the advisory above about the Carbon River (Northwest Quadrant) since the extra distance is not included in the descriptions in older (pre-2007) books. This does limit the number of day hikes from this entrance to the moderate or harder, some hikes requiring a backcountry permit for overnight camping to get to the trailhead.

Books identified in trail information window, by number are:

1. -- Day HIkes Mount Rainier by Heidi Schneider and Mary Skjelset, Falcon Press
2. -- Day Hike Mount Rainier by Ron Judd, Sasquatch Books
3. -- Day Hiking Mount Rainier by Don Nelson, Mountaineers Books
4. -- 12 Short Hikes Mt Rainier NP, Sunrise and Paradise volumes by Jeffrey Smoot, Falcon Press

The NPS has a description of many of these trails on their trail descriptions. In addition to hiking guides, you will need to remember two things. The first is having a good daypack with the ten essentials along with other things you want to take with you. The second is simple, a map. And you can find sources for maps and download DRG files of USGS topo maps.

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