Seattle｜Mount Rainier After the Snow: A Promise to Return 🏔️

Before the trip, I kept whispering a wish: Please give me just one clear day in my short four days in Seattle—let me see the snowy mountains properly 🙏. Two days before we went up, a heavy snow had just fallen. The famous Skyline Trail was still open, but the official advisory required traction devices and snow hiking skills ⚠️. We opted for the more manageable Waterfall Trail—the snow was packed down and crunchy underfoot. But the path toward Glacier Vista grew wild beyond the halfway point: partly buried in snow, partly glazed with ice. We met a group of skiers with specialized mountaineering gear ⛷️, who glanced at our rather playful hiking setup and said meaningfully, “You’ll sink into the deep snow up there…🤣” Yet I have to admit—Rainier under fresh snow holds a quiet, majestic beauty ❄️🏔️. Around noon, the clouds began to part, and sunlight fell like a soft veil over the ridges and snowfields 🌤️. The fatigue of climbing suddenly lifted, replaced by a gentle warmth rising inside 💖. Standing on that snowy slope, wind in my face, gazing at the distant peaks, I made a quiet promise to myself 🌠: If I can, I’ll come back to Seattle in the spring, and climb Rainier again—when the trails are lined with wildflowers and streams 🌸💦. 📍 Mount Rainier National Park 📌 Winter hiking tip: Always check official snow and trail conditions, bring microspikes, poles, water, and warm layers 🧤🧦. If you lack snow experience, consider guided groups or lower-difficulty routes. #MountRainier #SnowHiking #SeattleTravel#WinterWonderland #SnowyPeaks #HikingDiaries#WashingtonNature #NorthwestMountains #TravelWishes