Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a large active stratovolcano in Washington State's Cascade Range, about 59 miles southeast of Seattle within Mount Rainier National Park, reaching 14,406 feet, which makes it both the tallest peak in Washington and the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States. The volcano carries 26 major glaciers and roughly 36 square miles of snow and ice, more permanent ice than any other peak in the lower 48 states. It is designated a Decade Volcano, one of sixteen volcanoes worldwide judged to carry the greatest potential for catastrophic loss of life, because an estimated 80,000 people live in valleys downstream that could be affected by a lahar, with possible damages estimated at 40 billion dollars. Between 1950 and 2022 nearly 472,000 people attempted to climb to its summit, and about 84 died in the attempt.