Two skiers at Mount Rainier in 1940s. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives) If you’re looking to go somewhere for winter recreation that has jaw-dropping views and can take your breath away (or at least make you pant a little bit due to the altitude), try Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park. Located on the south side of Rainier, Paradise offers a snow play area for tubers and plastic disc riders. Paradise also is a popular place for snowshoeing,…
(Photos courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives) While it’s never been mistaken for Whistler Mountain or Alpental, Mount Rainier many years ago attracted skiers to its slopes above Paradise during winter. These photos found in the State Digital Archives offer proof. The shot above, circa 1940, shows someone ski jumping as others watch. The photo below features two skiers enjoying a chat with “The Mountain” looming large in the background. The photos are found in the Digital Archives’ State Library…
Thirty years ago today, at 8:32 AM, Washington experienced this: Where were you when Helens erupted?
How we loved this Northwest playground – boating, fishing, camping, swimming, hiking, climbing, scouting. This playful image, from around 1960, is from your State Archives. And, of course, Tuesday will be the 30th anniversary of the mighty eruption that transformed this serene and gentle landscape forever. The eruption touched off the greatest landslide ever, ripping off a large part of that enormous dome, blowing out 3.7 billion cubic yards of mountaintop and spewing ash that girdled the globe a number of…
There has always been something magical and iconic about Mount St. Helens, shown here in all her glory in a rare 1925 photo by Asahel Curtis, from our State Archives lantern slide collection. Many of us grew up swimming and canoeing on Spirit Lake, attending summer camp, picnicking or tent camping, hiking the wildflower meadows, or scaling the conical peak. Rainier may be The Mountain, but there’s always been a special connection with St. Helens, that snow-clad bowl of vanilla…