Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano located in Pierce County, Washington, United States. It is the highest point in the Cascade Mountains (4,392 m) and the highest volcano in the contiguous United States, excluding Alaska. The volcano was named after British Admiral Peter Rainier. The area of ​​the surrounding territory, which has the status of Mount Rainier National Park, is 953.5 km².

Volcanic activity

Rainier is a dormant stratovolcano whose last small eruptions were recorded between 1820 and 1854. There is also evidence of volcanic activity in 1858, 1870, 1879, 1882 and 1894. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), in the event of a large eruption, about 150 thousand people could be in danger.

Hydrology and glaciers

The slopes and glaciers of Rainier are the source of many rivers, such as the Puyallup, White River and Columbia. In total, on the tops of the volcano there are 40 glaciers with a total area of ​​87 km². The largest of these is the Emmons Glacier, named after geologist Samuel Franklin Emmons, who helped explore Mount Rainier in 1870. Emmons Glacier, with an area of ​​14 km² (11.1 km² in 2005), is the largest mountain glacier in the United States, excluding Alaska. It is located on the north-eastern flank of the mountain, descending from an altitude of 4200 m and ending at approximately 1600 m.

Glacial changes

In the 1930s, the Emmons Glacier was observed to be rapidly retreating. In 1963, a rockfall from Little Tahoma Peak filled the lower part of the glacier with debris, causing the ice to stop melting and begin to grow. During the 1980s, the glacier's area increased significantly, but by the early 1990s its advance slowed, and by 2003 the glacier began to retreat again.

Tourism

The park has four entrances. The most convenient and lively is Nisqually, located in the southwest corner of the park, open all year round. It leads to the most popular tourist destination in the park - Paradise, where you can see coniferous forests, alpine meadows and glaciers. At the top of the mountain there are three craters and three peaks - Liberty Dome, Columbia Crest and Success Peak.

Historical aspects

Mount Rainier received its modern name thanks to George Vancouver, the famous English navigator and explorer, who in 1792 became the first European to see this mountain and named it in honor of his friend, Admiral Peter Rainier. The indigenous people of America called this volcano Tacoma, or Tahoma, which means “mother of rivers,” which is true, since the mountain gives rise to five large rivers and feeds many small rivers, streams, waterfalls and lakes.

Forests and ecosystem

In addition to glaciers, lakes and subalpine meadows, the park contains about 370 km² of relict forests. One of the most famous forest areas in the southwestern part of the park is the Grove of the Patriarchs, where thousand-year-old cedars, hemlocks and giant pines grow. These trees reach a height of about 90 m and have a diameter of more than a meter, which makes you feel tiny among these natural giants.

UFO Sighting Case in the Cascade Mountains (Rainier)

On June 24, 1947, one of the most famous sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) occurred, which brought public attention to the phenomenon of “flying saucers.” This incident occurred over the Cascade Mountains (Washington State) and was described by Kenneth Arnold, an American businessman who sold and installed fire protection systems.

That day, around 2 p.m., Arnold was flying his plane from Chehalis to Yakima, Washington. During the flight, he decided to search for the wreckage of a missing US Marine Corps C-46 transport aircraft near Mount Rainier. While at an altitude of 9,200 feet, Arnold noticed a flash of light from nine objects that were 20-25 miles away from him. Arnold reported that the objects flew approximately 20-25 miles and disappeared from sight.

The incident that occurred with Kenneth Arnold was the first widely publicized UFO sighting and brought public and media attention to the flying saucer phenomenon. This incident marked the beginning of modern interest in UFOs and many subsequent sightings and studies in this area.