Overview:
Climb this peak for terrific views of Hood, St. Helens, Chimney Rock, Adams, Glacier Peak and of course the massive frame of Mt. Rainier up the valley. This is not Crystal Mountain which is the nearby peak with the ski resort. This is a must climb for visitors to Mount Rainier National Park.
Tips:
The trailhead is about 0.5 miles north of the turnoff for Sunrise on Highway 410 in Rainier National Park. No dogs are allowed on this trail but parking is free after you pay the entry fee into the park...
Here you will take the trail to the right that heads towards Crystal Peak. If you go straight you will end up following above Crystal Peak up the stream valley towards Upper Crystal Lake where there are campsites. When you go write you will soon cross over Crystal Creek where you can fill up water for the alpine climb. You will soon be climbing open slopes with great views of Rainier.
At 6,596 feet you are at the top of Crystal Peak. You will have spectacular views of Hood, Glacier, Adams, Hood Chimney Rock and of course Rainier. You will also have a great view down towards Upper Crystal Lake from the top.
Pictures in this guide taken by:
Photo by Peter Stevens @ Flickr, available under a Creative Commons Attribution - 2.0 Generic License
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