10.12.2008
The New Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center
Accompanying my first visit to Mt. Rainier National Park recently was the grand opening of the new visitor center in Paradise. As a recently displaced soul from the nordic tundra of Minnesota, I saw this as a good omen - mighty Tahoma was welcoming me warmly, and there was no way he would erupt on opening weekend.
As we set out on the drive from Renton, it was a crisp, cloudless morning. The view of Rainier as we headed into Maple Valley was stunning - optimistic foreshadowing I hoped. Highway 18 led to more excellent shots of the mountain from Auburn. It was one of those rare days where you could see the clear delineation of the treeline sprout from the valley and slowly disintegrate as the pine earnestly strives for the glaciated heavens.
Soon after Auburn, the trip went weird. We came upon an ignominious area called South Hill. This being my first time in Puyallup, I guess I wasn't prepared. If I had to explain Puyallup based only on what I experienced, it would go something like this:
Imagine a horrifying convergence of poor urban planning, overcommercialization, and questionable land use practices. Imagine a town centered on one main avenue, choked with traffic and throttled with stoplights. As you look either to the left or right of you, what you see is an infinitely contiguous stripmall- for miles. If one were a fan of commercial signage and billboards, this would be their Louvre.
After the South Hill area, traffic loosened up again and we were on our way to Eatonville. As we entered the central business district, we came upon another strange signpost of the trip - what appeared to be a house fire. After making sure this fire wasn't Rainier Supervolcano related, we pressed on carefully. I was able to shamelessly pull over and snap a picture of the blaze, and by then the damage was total. Perhaps this was another omen from Tahoma?After Eatonville, the drive strengthened in beauty quickly as we began the slow ascent
to 5,400 feet. The first building we saw as we reached Paradise was the old visitor center, built in 1966 and now looking forlornly upon the crowds who have indifferently moved on down the road. As we came upon the new lodge, we were greeted by a good-sized black bear. Not fifty yards from the parking lot, the bear was a star. Fortunately for myself and every one else staring with mouth agape at this mysterious visitor, the bear's omnivore guage was set to "vegetation" and not "meat."The new lodge at first glance is very understated - simple in its design, with a narrow, longer rectangular shape and a steep-sloping roof. The interior is a two-story open space complete with movie theatre, gift shop, and (much-needed) restrooms. Built with fir and cedar complete with the fresh-cut wood aromas, the new center instantly embraces you. As this was my first time in Paradise, the view of Rainier is unforgettable.
After travelling this far, Tahoma loomed ominously, seemingly further away than ever. The mountain commands respect. I didn't need a well-timed inferno or a chance encounter with a bear to remind me I was in instant-death territory if the volcano decided to let loose. Alas, I am placing my trust in the science of volcanology and highly recommending the new Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center. John Muir was right - truly an alpine garden to behold.
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