One of Mount Rainier's most impressive features is its topographic prominence, or how far it rises above the surroundings. On approach, the mountain swells to fill the sky like a god suddenly standing up. There are few things like it in the world. In the continental United States, only Denali has greater prominence.
Everyone who lives in the shadow of this volcano, dormant for 1,000 years, should be able to take in its stark splendor up close if they wish, but the National Park Service warns that on sunny summer days, it can be impossible to find parking at Paradise, Sunrise, Grove of the Patriarchs or at the trailheads between Longmire and Paradise.
To address this issue, the National Park Service is considering timed-entry reservations at Mount Rainier. But on peak weekends, reservations are likely to fill up faster than Canlis on a Friday night and not everyone who wants to see Rainier will have the opportunity.
Instead, or in addition, the Park Service should consider running buses. Currently, the closest you can get from Seattle by bus is Enumclaw, which is one hour outside the city and about two hours and 40 minutes shy of Mount Rainier. Not many folks are going to want to spring for a rideshare to cover the remaining stretch.
Now imagine bus routes from King Street Station, T-Mobile Park and the Tacoma Dome straight to Mount Rainier. A stadium or arena would have ample parking on non-game days and, done right, it could be a better option than driving — one that addresses both traffic and climate concerns. Better still, the Park Service could put the profits toward road and building maintenance and repair.
We all deserve the chance to be rendered silent by the natural beauty of Old Tahoma. Run the buses.
