Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier (/reɪˈnɪər/ ray-NEER), also known as Tahoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about 59 miles (95 km) south-southeast of Seattle. With a summit elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m), it is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington, the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States, and the tallest in the Cascade Volcanic Arc.
| Mount Rainier | |
|---|---|
| Tahoma | |
Mount Rainier's northwestern slope viewed aerially just before sunset on September 6, 2020 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,411 ft (4,392 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 13,246 ft (4,037 m) |
| Parent peak | Mount Massive, United States of America |
| Isolation | 731 mi (1,176 km) |
| Listing | |
| Coordinates | 46°51′10″N 121°45′38″W |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Peter Rainier |
| Geography | |
Mount Rainier | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Pierce County |
| Protected area | Mount Rainier National Park |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Rainier West |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 500,000 years |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1870 by Hazard Stevens and P. B. Van Trump |
| Easiest route | rock/ice climb via Disappointment Cleaver |
Due to its high probability of an eruption in the near future, Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. The large amount of glacial ice means that Mount Rainier could produce massive lahars that could threaten the entire Puyallup River valley. According to the United States Geological Survey, "about 80,000 people and their homes are at risk in Mount Rainier's lahar-hazard zones."
Between 1950 and 2018, 439,460 people climbed Mount Rainier. Approximately 84 people died in mountaineering accidents on Mount Rainier from 1947 to 2018.