Thankfully, all the highways were open, so it only took us about 90 minutes to arrive to Paradise. We went on a Thursday, early in the morning (we left Seattle at 5:30am) so we were able to park at the Paradise Visitor Center; which was absolutely great not having to ride the shuttle.
We ended up doing a mini version of the hike I did before, and then we drove to Reflection Lake. Then we drove to Crystal Mountain to ride the gondolas. We encountered a lot of road construction on the way. After driving through all the road construction, we needed to find a gas station pronto. We then ate at the most delicious little diner called Peter's Inn Restaurant in Packwood, WA, I definitely recommend ordering anything with hash browns.
At Crystal Mountain they have ski lifts and gondolas, and the gondolas take you to about 7000 ft of elevation and you have a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier and additional mountain peaks and ranges. I particularly remember Mount Unicorn being visible. At 7000 ft elevation there is a gift shop, two restaurants and comfy lawn chairs to sit on. One gondola ticket is good for a round trip.
Crystal Mountain has an array of trails from easy-strenuous; however, we did not participate in any. From Crystal Mountain to Seattle was about another 90 minute drive. It was nice to see the Seattle skyline when returning. I do enjoy spending time away from my beloved city but I am always more than happy to return to its embrace and cell reception.
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| At approximately 7000 ft elevation, Mt. Rainier in the background |
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| On a gondola and going up the mountain |
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| The gondolas at Crystal Mountain |
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