Van Trump Park ski - June 19, 2025
On June 19, 2025, we returned to Van Trump Park via the Comet Falls trail, about 6 miles from Longmire at Mount Rainier National Park. While this hiking trail is a popular destination, not that many people pursue the very appealing ski options that await above the waterfall by entering the Van Trump Park zone. This zone is named after Philemon Beecher Van Trump and his partner Hazard Stevens, who are credited with the first ascent of Mount Rainier in August 1870. Philemon Beecher Van Trump 1838-1916 (Public Domain) Mostly the Comet Falls trail attracts day hikers rather than skiers or even climbers. The National Park Service writes, "The Kautz Glacier route (the Kautz) is the third most popular climbing route on Mount Rainier after the Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons-Winthrop. It is also a considerable step up in commitment and difficulty from the Disappointment Cleaver or Emmons-Winthrop routes. The approach is long and the climbing route itself requires a high level of profici...
