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8.3 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •

With our dog at the kennel for the weekend we felt free to drive a bit further than we normally do for a day hike! We decided on the Rampart Ridge and Wonderland Trail Loop as I thought this would have some great views of Mt. Rainier, and it didn't disappoint! There are plenty of switchbacks going up Rampart Ridge and so the elevation gain was fairly easy. There was a great lookout just after reaching the ridge, and we stopped to take plenty of pictures and drink in the view. Heading further up the ridge we reached an open area that afforded a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier and the surrounding mountains. The ground was still frozen here and some icy snow covered this 100ft stretch of the trail. This was the only portion of the trail that had any signs of snow, and was at about 4000 feet. I believe we were looking at Mt. Ararat and Salulick Mountain area to the northwest? We finally reached the Wonderland Trail and decided to head north toward Kautz Creek. We stopped before descending into the Kautz Creek drainage as we hadn't intended on crossing the creek since it was getting late. We headed back toward Longmire and walked around the area for a while before leaving. It was an awesome day!

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Mountainkat, Rhonda , nuizontann, and Roman heart this trip.
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Roman
March 8, 2015

That hike looks nice! After reading about it on the forum I looked it up online, and Rampart loop trail seemed almost all forested, so I was not sure if it's worth the drive. Was there a substantial stretch with views?

I want to show someone Mt. Rainier but she doesn't like snow hiking, so we've been looking for low-elevation hike where we can see the mountain.

Mike_chinidere_avatar

Mileage Mike
March 9, 2015

Hi Roman - Yeah, the hike is mostly forested and there are three small areas where the views were great. We took a chance that there would be views, but it was much less than expected. However, for us, we love forested areas as well as the more scenic mountain views. I know that the Paradise Lodge area is absolutely fantastic but heard that there is still about 3-4 feet of snow, which is quite low, but still not the type of hike your looking for. We did notice that there was a Kautz Creek trail miles before Longmire but have no idea what the terrain and views will be? One thing to note is that we did take the Wonderland trail down to Kautz Creek, which looks like it's ripe for exploration.

If you're looking for many views then this isn't it, but that 100 foot section of the trail sure has a fantastic view. There's also no snow on the trail except for that same 100 ft section which is icy, but passable. I understand it's a long drive and you're looking for a good return on the travel time. I hope you're able to find a hike to show your friend! Take care.

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Roman
March 10, 2015

Thanks Mike. Paradise is pretty much the only area I've been to on Rainier, but we figured it'll still be snowy right now. We may head there for a road trip in a couple weeks, and hit this hike (or other short hike) as a leg stretcher.

Sarducci

Father Guido Sarducci
March 10, 2015

Roman, one of my favorite Rainier hikes is Comet Falls-Van Trump Park-Mildred Point. Great views of Rainier with a water fall thrown in. You would need to check the snow conditions but it might be currently double. I did it in 2014 & is in my archived trip reports for that year. Cheers, FGS.

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Rhonda
March 11, 2015

I just did this loop a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed it.

Roman, the park just released a winter trails update yesterday: http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/upload/MORA-Winter-Trails-03-10-15.pdf might help with planning your trip.

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Roman
March 14, 2015

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I need to set time to explore more trails on Rainier this summer. Roman