Mazamas — For the Love of Mountains
Although not the highest of the Tatoosh peaks, Pinnacle's central position and attractive form have made it the most popular ascent in the park. When the Mazamas climbed it on July 26, 1897, they dubbed it the "Matterhorn of the Cascades. From Fred Beckey's Cascade Alpine Guide, Volume I
This combines the standard route on Castle with the East Ridge route of Pinnacle.
Activity Notes
Tag two Tatoosh Peaks in Mt Rainier National Park in one weekend! This is a great climb for new BCEP grads wanting to test their skills in an alpine environment. You can expect to climb 5th class rock, traverse fixed lines, and rappel various terrain.
The Castle is situated in the Tatoosh Range in Mt Rainier National Park. It is a good peak to learn or practice fifth-class climbing in a mountain environment and provides amazing views of Mt. Rainier, Mt Adams, and Mt. St. Helens. The summit is composed of two roughly parallel ridges and can be reached by 2 miles of trail and a short scramble. The true summit is the northernmost ridge and can be climbed via any of the numerous cracks and chimneys on the Southeast side. A great afternoon climb.
Pinnacle peak is the signature peak of the Tatoosh range, a small range just to the South of Mount Rainier, and almost entirely in the park. It is composed of old lava flows, so the rock goes from almost solid to pretty awful, choose your routes accordingly. The easiest route is 4th class, and it is a fine option for those wanting something more exciting than a dayhike. The summit views North into the heart of Mt. Rainier, and south to the the Cowlitz watershed and Mt. Adams are sublime.
Castle (about 6,500 ft), Pinnacle (6,562 ft), and Plummer (6,370 ft) Peaks are located in the Tatoosh range on the southern boundary of Mt. Rainier National Park. It’s not a difficult climb (4 miles round trip and 1700 foot elevation gain), but snow cover and some rock scrambling can give this climb character. Climbers are rewarded with the world’s best view of Mt. Rainier!
Mountain trivia: Because of its accessibility and relative ease (3rd to 4th class scrambles), Pinnacle is the most climbed mountain in Washington. The Mazamas first climbed it in 1897. The mountains in the Tatoosh are 14-17 million years old, much older than the million-y/o Rainier. From any of these peaks the view of Rainier is spectacular. See Beckey’s Cascade Alpine Guide for a more detailed look at this area’s geologic and climbing history.
References:
• Maps: USGS 7 ½ minute series, Tatoosh Lakes. Get a topo map, GPX track file for your GPS or smartphone, and KML file (Google Earth) for this route here: Mazamas.org > Resources > Maps for Climbing and Hiking.
• Books: Cascade Alpine Guide: Columbia River to Stevens Pass, by Fred Beckey
• Web: NOAA’s Rainier weather report: www.seawfo.noaa.gov/products/RECSEA
• Rainier NP’s web site: www.nps.gov/mora/ (with lots of climbing related info)
Carpooling is strongly encouraged. Take I-5 North to Hwy 12 (exit 68) and go 31 miles east to Morton. Turn north on Hwy7 and drive 16 miles to Elbe. Turn east on Hwy. 706 and follow the road 11 miles to the Paradise entrance of Rainier NP.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 160 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 3 hours |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in one day |
| Interesting Features | Spectacular Views |
| Relevant Books | 75 Scrambles in Washington by Peggy Goldman Cascade Alpine Guide: Columbia River to Stevens Pass by Fred Beckey |
| Relevant Maps | USGS 7 ½ minute series, Tatoosh Lakes and Mt. Rainier East; Green Trails: Mt Rainier East / Packwood |
