At the end of our vacation to the Pacific Northwest we realized we only had one day to see Mount Rainier and really didn’t feel like driving there from Seattle. I also knew if we drove we wouldn’t see all we could, so after some research I contacted Daniel at Yonder Sky and went yesterday. From beginning to end the experience was professional, fun, and we got to see so much! We were picked up promptly from our hotel in a beautiful Mercedes van by Daniel who pampered us and was so friendly and fun. We were joined by three other clients, for a total of 7 which meant we each got the attention we wanted.
After the drive to Mount Rainier (with a brief stop for pastries and coffee) we entered the park which was magnificent. Daniel has tremendous knowledge of the mountain, perfect hiking spots and the timing to each to maximize the chance of seeing Rainier in its glory before the clouds roll in. During the trip we stopped at 7 or 8 places, some were brief photo stops, some were easy, short hikes. I have a recent hip replacement and another bad hip and was easily able to do all the hikes with no problems. Some were up to a mile or so, but all were on paved or packed earth trails. Daniel took his time and the whole group, ranging from teens to seniors had a good time. Midway through our day we stopped for a delicious picnic in the forest; food was excellent.
I would recommend taking a light sweater or jacket. The day we were there was gorgeous and warm, but when the clouds rolled in I was a bit chilly. All in all, I felt pampered and so blessed to have seen this beautiful National Park with thie individual attention we received from Daniel and Yonder Sky. Now that I’ve been there we plan to return in the future, but even if we don’t I feel we’ve seen Rainier in the best possible way!