Southwest Cascades Climbing

The Southern WA Cascades contain the state's two highest mountains, Rainier and Adams, surrounded by much more moderate terrain. This is due to the geological composition - the larger volcanoes produced tons of lava material such as andesite and rhyolite as opposed to batholiths of granitic magma. Thus, when volcanic debris eroded, the softer rock eroded with it, leaving a few spires here and there but generally gentle forested peaks with endless meadows. Summarily, less alpine adventure is to be had here than in the North Cascades where harder rocks such as gneiss and granodiorite were glacier-sculpted into towering peaks.

A few exceptions do exist. Three volcanoes, St. Helens, Adams and Rainier, rise to great snowy heights above the foothills. Rainier specifically draws mountaineers nationwide to the classic Liberty Ridge, initiation slog of Disappointment Cleaver, or the fabled Willis Wall. The Tatoosh range is a rocky half circle south of Rainier offering scrambles and grand views. The Goat Rocks, remnants of a larger volcano, bring high summits and beautiful alpine meadows to the equation.